In one corner of the palatial Marriott Grand Ballroom sits Mian, its in-house Asian restaurant offering “gourmet fast food”. Set in a casual environment amidst the luxurious new building of Marriott Hotel, Mian features a selection of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino dishes cooked with premium ingredients and prepared—pronto!—in a five-star way. If you are craving for your favorite noodle dishes and Pinoy viands, a peek into the Grand Ballroom is warranted to discover this tasty little secret.
The ambience is relaxing and inviting with striking accents like the bamboo installation by the entrance, the center island bar with a direct view of the open kitchen, and high tables and stools lined up by the window. I loved the overhead lamps which come in a jumble of shapes and sizes, as well as the wooden utensil box on each table containing chopsticks, spoons, forks, and soup ladles.
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Mian’s concept is all about providing high-quality food in the same time it would take you to line up and order a quick meal from a fast food chain. The open kitchen is ever-busy, and guests, while waiting for their orders or takeaways, can watch as the chefs work on their magic with their woks and pans.
The menu is small and straightforward—highlighting what Mian is best at. It wouldn’t be a pain to choose from a long list of dishes; instead, there are only a few appetizers, soups, rice bowls, and noodle dishes to select from. Mian understands that people are busy, so it is presenting us with concise yet delicious choices.
My family and I trooped to Mian one weekend to try their food. Starters came in small plates good enough to share among 2 to 3 people. The Pork Jiaozi (PhP150), which looked and somewhat tasted like gyoza, held Chinese chorizo inside—a savory appetizer perfect with soy-calamansi dipping sauce. The bite-sized pieces were small but packed with flavors!
If you like it big, order the Sausage Empanada (PhP195): stuffed bread pockets with chopped sausage and egg filling. I liked the fact that the dough was slightly crisp yet not too thick, and the fillings generous. It comes with a vinegar dip—just like how you would eat it in the streets of Ilocos.
For something lighter and healthier, opt for the Shrimp Lumpia Sariwa (PhP195), which was as colorful as it was delicious. The shrimps were plump and fresh and the accompanying peanut dressing was really good.
We tried 2 noodle dishes and 2 rice bowls from Mian’s Asian rice bowl and noodle selections. The Braised Pork Belly (PhP375) easily became a favorite, a well-balanced dish showcasing different flavors and textures. The tender pork belly cubes were sheathed in a rich, mildly sweet sauce, along with the thick udon noodles. The addition of pickled vegetables provided some crisp and contrast to the dominant sweetish taste. I was also happy with the serving portion—there were so much pork belly pieces too!
The Stir-Fried Clams (PhP395), on the other hand, was a bowl of egg noodles, sprouts, veggies, and of course, fresh clams. I loved picking at those sweetish clams! This dish, overall, was hefty and pretty good too, albeit it could use a bit more seasoning. However, this was solved by putting some soy-calamansi on it—the flavors came out with this little trick.
I love caldereta, but I found Mian’s Beef Caldereta (PhP395) a little too rich for my taste. The sauce was creamier that the rendition I’m used to. However, it was the beef which ultimately redeems this dish. Cooked for 24 hours, it was very tender and juicy.
Surprisingly, my Mom’s choice—the Chicken Guinataan (PhP325)—was the unanimous favorite on our table. Huge chunks of moist, perfectly cooked-chicken, covered with coconut and lime sauce, were topped with swirls of crisp egg and sprouts. The bowl had sweet and salty flavors, as well as creamy and crispy textures. Highly recommended!
Cap off your meal with Mian’s Asian dessert selections. We had the quintessential Halo-Halo (PhP220)—a bowl loaded with beans, jackfruit, sweet corn, nata de coco, garbanzos, saba banana, leche flan, ube halaya, finely-shaved ice, milk, and vanilla ice cream. This was huge and good for 4! If you’re not fond of halo-halo, Mian also offers fruit salad and mango pudding.
For drinks, Mian offers sodas, bottled juices, and tea-based concoctions. I loved the Mango Strawberry Iced tea (PhP180) and Chai Bubble Tea (PhP180). The Green Tea Iced Tea (PhP180) was too sweet for me—I longed for the earthy flavor that I love about green tea.
Simplicity, familiarity, and quick service need not sacrifice quality—and at Mian, this is evident. Not only is the food here delicious, the serving sizes are incredibly generous too. The prices are reasonable considering that Mian is in a 5-star hotel, and whether you just need to grab a quick bite or you have some extra sweet time to indulge in a mini Asian feast, Mian can definitely deliver.
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Mian @ Marriott Grand Ballroom
No. 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City
+632.988.9999
Budget: PhP300-500/head
Do you love Asian food? Have you tried the food at Mian?
My meal was sponsored by Marriott Hotel Manila. All opinions, however, are my own.
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