And I thought Valentine's Day would not be as fancy as last year. NOT! (last year was like kick-ass awesome, long story.. ;D) --- The night before V-day was really unexpected.
Anssaar (Rob's good friend) came by and sneaked these up for my husband.
I actually thought that it was his Valentine's gift for him. LOL
Yeah, I know this is elementary and far too predictable but it really is not. You should meet my husband. He pulled it off AGAIN. So props to him.
I ditched our company's Sports Day event and stayed at home with him and granted his wish of going to the gym that day. (Qatar National Sports Day was recently proclaimed a holiday and was coincidentally to be celebrated every 14th of February, perfect timing!)
Little did I know that I would be driving ourselves to our Valentine Dinner later that evening at an Asian Restaurant at Movenpick Suites in Westbay.
Wok Mee
Rob had booked a table for two for 7:30. My bad, we arrived 15 minutes late. We tried looking for the receptionist to lead us to our spot but we just went inside since she was nowhere to be found. Then a waitress, who turned out to be the receptionist we were looking for, suddenly appeared. We told her that we had a reservation; however, she informed us that since "we were late" the only available table was a long one where we would need to squeeze ourselves in. It can accommodate up to 14 people seated on 2 long benches placed on opposite sides.
The day's specials and other promos were listed on a chalkboard in the enclosed kitchen as depicted below. Unfortunately, since we came late, we were not able to avail both 50% discount and the Valentine's Day promotion. Bummer.
Minutes after, we sat next to a Chinese (or Japanese or Korean) family and ticked the names of the dishes we wanted on their menu (which looked like a checklist form with tick boxes fastened on a metal clipboard --- like in the Noodle House!). Luckily, it didn't take long for us to have better seats since one of the couples eating before us have finished their meals and left the resto.
The place was lit by egg-shaped lamps glowing on each table. The rectangular lamps in the ceiling and the mood set by the lights gave the place an intimate ambiance. After a few minutes, we were given hot towels to freshen up (similar to ones given by airline companies).
Complimentary Appetizer: Salad with some crisps and Peanut Sauce
Cinderella Mocktail
The drinks and desserts were presented in separate traditional booklets. This one tasted like grapefruit but was a bit bitter due to it having Grenadine.
Shrimp & Chicken Dumplings
The Shrimp and Chicken dumplings were exquisite. However, two baskets with three dumplings each were not enough. Oh and there was a variety of condiments to spice up your meals.
For the mains, we ordered Pad Thai and Gong Bao in Szechuan Sauce. Rob ordered 2 bowls of rice. All for him.
Steamed & Egg Fried Rice
Pad Thai with Tiger Prawns
Would you believe that I finished the entire plate of Pad Thai without
sharing? Though it did not taste like the ones you can find in Mango
Tree and Tai Chi, finishing an entire plate all by myself was a
positive note to Wok Mee's version.
Gong Bao - Chicken with Cashews and Chili in Szechuan Sauce
We wanted to try the desserts but we no longer had the patience to wait since the main courses were served after an hour. We understood the likelihood of the drag since it was V-Day but the delay was a tad too excessive.
Dimsum: Qrs.48/- (Php 567.00)
Gong Bao: Qrs. Qrs. 72/- (Php 850.00)
Pad Thai with Tiger Prawns: Qrs. 108/- (Php 1,280.00)
Egg Fried Rice: Qrs.32/- (Php 380.00)
Jasmine Rice: Qrs. 12/- (Php 142.00)
Cinderella Mocktail: Qrs.25/- (Php295.00)
Pepsi: Qrs.15/- (Php 177.00)
Aqua Panna: Qrs. 22/- (Php 260.00)
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Bill for Two: Qrs. 334/- (Php 3,384.00)
I'd give 3 and a half forks for the overall dining experience at Wok Mee. The food is impeccable which is the most important thing. The Gong Bao was divine, and their Dimsums were the best I've had by far. Though I've fancied other more authentic tasting Pad Thais, I can never complain about theirs. It was above average for me.. it wasn't bad, that I'm sure. I did not have any issues in the parking space, and the place was clean. The ambiance was terrific especially that night. So I'd give it a plus.
On the downside though, in my opinion, I think the prices were a bit high. The place is not for casual dining if one is very particular of his budget. We recommend this restaurant for more important occasions though. When we got there, the staff were bustling all over the room. The lady told us in a very uncomfortable manner that we got there late. Customers aren't suppose to feel that. We were aware we didn't get there on time but instead of explicitly telling us so, she should've just shown us to an available table. The manner they spoke and interacted with customers, in my opinion, were not at par with the kind of service the restaurant boasts as being 'The Best'. The staff at Chopstix - Grand Regency Hotel possesses the exact finesse and propriety that I am talking about.
We might come back here on a month anniversary or if my husband does not forget his Company ID to avail of discounts.
