Cua pao is an open faced siopao with pork belly, preserved green mustard vegtable and sweet ground peanuts as filling. I don't know where cua pao came from because I haven't seen it in Hong Kong, China or Singapore. Maybe it's a Filipino invention?

Finding good cua pao is even harder than finding good siopao. Often the siopao dough is too thick and hard, the meat too fatty or dry. I got a tip that I can find the best cua pao in Mey-lin's restaurant in SM Megamall. So off I go again.

I got to the restaurant and I thought, "this is it?" The interiors look dated and didn't look like the home to the best kua pao since their specialty was hot pot and noodles. I ordered 4 cua pao w/ pata to go (if you order cua pao only you will get an empty siopao).


"What? This is what I get for P75? A thin roll of kua pao wrapped in plastic."


I took one bite and got weak in the knees. OMG! The dough was thin, the meat was tender and juicy. The sauce was sweet and spicy. I hardly noticed the vegetables (that's a good thing). What a perfect blend of all the ingredients! I actually polished off one while waiting for the elevator. All I can say go run to SM Megamall and get yourself a couple of cua pao. The search is over. (note: don't trust the picture in this case - it's tastes way better than it looks)

Mey-Lin's Pot and Noodle House
SM Megamall
4/f Building A
telephone: 634-1261