PiggingOutOnSundays was there for the Exclusive Sneak Preview the day before. Before I share my gastronomic adventure to you though , here is a bit of a backstory about Putien and its origins…
67th Putien Branch now in Manila….
Putien is not an adjective but a noun. It is actually a name of a coastal suburb in the province of Fujian in China.
Now a global chain with 65 outlets in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hongkong, Beijing , Shanghai and Taiwan, Putien’s journey to Michelin star status began as a coffee shop at Kitchener Road in Singapore in 2000. It was awarded its first Michelin star in 2016 and every year thereafter. This year it just received its 2019 One Michelin Star last October per Ms Hannah ( Operations Manager of Putien)
“Putien is a province in Fujien China. Putien is very rich and very abundant in natural resources so its surrounded mostly by sea that’s where we get our fresh ingredients. That’s why the slogan of Putien is Fresh ingredients, Original Taste” – Ms. Hannah (Operations Manager , Putien of The Vikings Group)
Check out the logo of Putien which symbolizes the waves of the sea. Note the chevron-like pattern.
Fresh Ingredients, Original Taste
“Putien serves charateristically light, down-to-earth and flavorful food, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients…..
it is my mission to share the culinary flavors of my hometown to an international audience..”
–Mr. Fong Chi Chung
Founder
100 Second Stewed Yellow Croaker
Flesh of the fish was tender and melt in your mouth. Cooked for less than 2 minutes or 100 second be precised, one can appreciate how fresh and fat the yellow croaker was . Per Ms Hanna (Brand Manager) fish is flown in from from China 2x or 3x a week for freshness
Seaweed and Mini shrimps Dressed with Sauce
For a second or two there, I thought it was squid because of its ink-black color. It turned out it was seaweed salad with shrimps. It had a bit of acidity in it. The taste was vibrant on the palate whetting the appetite for the mains.
Braised Pig Intestine
“looped like a donut” was how Ms. Hannah (Brand Manager) described it. Think foot-long intestine that were selected carefully, then washed, looped like a donut, cooked and braised with Chinese secret spices. It actually looked like sausages but with layers.
Nine Fold Intestine
Using only the delicate part between the large and small intestine, it i s hand folded manually loop after loop, before being braised for at least 45 minutes. This intricate and complex method ensures a springy texture with every bite, only available in limited quantity on a daily basis…
– Putien
Deep fried Pork Trotters with Salt & Pepper
Crunchy exterior with sticky gelatinous interior. That Yin & Yang in textures is really hard to resist! Reminiscent of our beloved crispy pata. Be ready to be addicted to the dish.
Bian Rou Soup
With a 500 year old history and origins traced to the Chinese Imperial Dynasty enjoy every mouthful of this hearty soup made of sea weed , crab meat and bean curd.
Shredded Pork with Sesame Seed Bun
Their Sesame Seed Bun paired well with the Shredded Pork . It was kind of related to the pork bun but with a different kind of bread. I wish they are selling their freshly made bread. I can not wait to order some to bring home
Crab in Chili sauce
Grab a couple of that freshly-made-baked-delicious mantou and soak it in that sauce… ambrosia!
Crab in black sauce 1. Grab a mantou 2.Soak in the sauce with the bread 3. Eat 4. Repeat 
Mantou
Nothing beats freshly baked bread…so good. Would love to order a dozen to bring home.
Other Dishes that are a must-try…
Mazu Miswa 
Cold Jelly Pig Trotters 
Claypot Chicken in Fermented Red Rice Wine
Why go?
Putien surprised because it was not what I expected. The 500 year old soup alone astounded with its history. The crab was an instant favorite because of the perfectly baked mantou. The 100 second Yellow Croaker impressed because of the freshness of the fish which I was told is flown in two to three times a week from China. The other simple ingredients were there to enhance the natural flavors of the croaker. The presentation of the Seaweed Salad was simple and pristine.
Meticulous attention to detail, well curated ingredients, unique recipes, scrumptious and intriguing flavors. No wonder it got the Michelin nod for four consecutive years now per Ms. Hannah.
I can not wait to try the other items in the menu.
Definitely returning with the piggery and handsome hubby in tow.
Average cost per person : About P600 to P700 without drinks.
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| Thank you @dearmarjsia for the invite |
Putien is located at the 5th floor of The Podium Mall in Ortigas and is open from 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10 pm daily. Its 397 sq meter sprawling area can accomodate 150-158 people at any one time.