Parent's Choice

Siomai Love For You: 8 Places To Buy Good Siomai for the Whole Family

by Kevyn Gohu
July 12, 2022

If we’re too tired or lazy to think of something to cook, here are places where we can buy good siomai for the entire family.

When we’re too tired to cook something and kids are sick of the usual hotdogs, corned beef, and luncheon meat, there’s siomai. Siomai can be pretty nutritious, too. There’s pork, carrot, and turnip—it makes our kids eat vegetables without even knowing that they are. The best part is that they can be served either deep-fried or steamed. Some even say that the best siomai is the kind that can be enjoyed both hot and cold.

Here are 8 places to buy siomai the whole family will love!

1. DECS (Diao Eng Chay)

DECS or popularly known as Diao Eng Chay among the Chinese offer both frozen and cooked varieties of siomai. Their Shrimp and Scallop is a crowd pleaser along with their Chicken and Mushroom one. Those who want more vegetables in their diet will appreciate their Kuchay Dumplings. Many moms who find themselves exhausted with coming up with their kids’ lunches and snacks often buy their siomai from Diao Eng Chay—especially when their pop-ups are available in malls.

2. Masuki

Currently open in Lucky Chinatown Mall, Masuki‘s a Mami House that’s been open since the 1930s. While they do specialize in mami, they have siomai that can rival the size of one’s fist. The best part—it’s mostly meat with little fillers. Although it’s P40 per piece, it’s well worth it—especially after a simple bowl of beef mami noodles.

3. The Dimsum Place

Having multiple branches, The Dimsum Place offers good siomai and its other varieties. Some even prefer their Xiao Long Bao or their Pan-Fried Crab Siomai. They offer the typical pork and shrimp siomai but also have Kuchay Dumplings and Shrimp Dumplings.

4. King Chef

While King Chef has a lot of short orders and rice meals, their Pork and Shrimp siomai and their Japanese Siomai are the kids’ favorites. The Japanese Siomai has crab sticks wrapped in meat and nori. These are often enjoyed with their chili garlic.

5. Ongpin Mañosa

Known for its large size and rich pork flavor, Ongpin Mañosa serves large siomai and don’t skimp on the meat. It’s a popular fare for many who live in the Ongpin area. Their siomai also has a good reheat value so it can be heated several times without losing too much of its flavor.

6. Ling Nam

One of the older restaurants, Ling Nam, sells large siomai at P75 for 3 pieces. It’s pretty delicious, too. The meaty flavor is proof that there are not too many extenders and it’s the kind of siomai that many can enjoy with just calamansi and chili garlic.

7. Choc Full of Nuts

For those who grew up in the Greenhills area or during the era of the ever-thriving Greenhills Tiangge then, Choc Full of Nuts is another place that will trigger nostalgia. Besides Food Channel stationed in Vira Mall (now known as V Mall), Choc Full of Nuts became a fan favorite source of siomai for many kids who studied in the schools nearby. This is also where many kids learned how to eat siomai with siopao sauce instead of the typical toyomansi.

8. Mamonluk

Stationed along Quezon Avenue extension in the Banawe area, Mamonluk may not have the ambiance but it definitely has good siomai. Many of Mamonluk’s patrons often enjoy chicken mami with 3 pieces of siomai as their viand. Some even buy a siopao to go.

Sometimes, the best places to buy siomai are the ones that are hidden.

When buying siomai, it’s always good to look for places that don’t have big or multiple stalls. These are usually the places that stick to the authentic recipe and refuse to adjust it for the sake of cost. Besides, buying siomai can save money as the majority of them are sold at P250 to P450 for 10-12 pieces. It also lessens the washing since these can be steamed while cooking rice.