FOOD
Steamed rice — ah, every Cebuano’s comfort food. No, it’s not just plain white rice steamed to its fluffiness. It’s fried rice topped with pork stew, much like a rice bowl. Only in Cebu can you find people calling this steamed rice and calling actual steamed rice just plain rice.
Ding How introduced this “Cebuano-style” steamed rice when they first opened in 1969. Their first location was in Colon and moved a few times after, including Mango (General Maxilom Avenue). The restaurant helped shape the food culture in Cebu by introducing the dimsum cuisine, pushing more of the Chinese influence.
This year, they’ve come back with the original recipes of their food; their heirloom dishes; your old favorites such as the:
- Pork Trotter
- Kuchay Dumpling
- Crystal Scallop Dumpling
- Ham Suy Kok
- Pork BBQ Cake
- Baked Shaopao
- Beef Steak
- Cabbage Pouch
- Egg Tart
- Custard with Salted Egg Buns.
My top 3 are: Ham Suy Kok, Siomai, and Custard with Salted Egg Buns! Check out my video above to see my entire experience 😊
CEBU’S ICONIC DIMSUM RESTAURANT
I had no idea until after filming and editing my video that Ding How was that dimsum restaurant I would remember where we regularly would have family dinners at. I was very young and they are one of the oldest memories I have. It was home. It was family. It was great food. Had I known, the entire experience during my recent trip to Ding How would have been different and in a very good way. It was no wonder some dishes tasted familiar!
My mother has absolutely fond memories of Ding How. She exclaimed, you’ve never been to Cebu unless you went to Ding How! She had told me that Ding How played a big role in the food scene back then and especially to visiting friends and tourists.
Ding How was located close to our house and was always a go-to for family meals. It’s especially close to our hearts because dimsum is my late brother’s favorite. I will never think of “that dimsum place in Mango” without thinking of him. He was always there when we went to the restaurant. If he weren’t he’d get upset!
Our favorites? Of course the steamed rice is always the first thing we order. My brother loved their hot pots and my sister was (and still is) obsessed with the spring rolls. My mom would eat whatever everyone was getting! But if I recall well, she had a thing for chicken feet! I… ate everything.
#HOWCOMESHOME
Ding How is located at the G/F Robinsons Galleria Cebu, General Maxilom Avenue, Cebu City. For reservations, call (032) 266-7888. To get the latest updates, follow Ding How on Facebook and browse through the hashtags #CebuDimsum, #DingHow, and #HowComesHome on Instagram.
In memory of my brother, Glenn Roy Clemeña.
Mayan Around Town 