When you hear about Acacia Hotel Davao, you associate the place with good food. One of the things they are famous for is their breakfast buffet at Waling-waling Cafe and their Chinese restaurant on the third floor – Luk Foo Palace.
I was fortunate to stay at Acacia Hotel Davao and tried some plated meals as room service from Luk Foo Palace. It was satisfying, but I really wanted the full experience of dining there. I’ve held off for a long time until one time, SM Lanang was too full, and being in the midst of a crowd feels socially exhausting.
I walked past Acacia Hotel and decided, “Might as well.”
That day was so significant because Luk Foo Palace has been a go-to place when seeking good food in a serene environment close to the proximity of a mall. Not only does it deliver quality and good food, but the place is spacious, clean, and definitely feels like a high-end Chinese restaurant. The customer service is also superb. How good is their food? Let me paint you a picture!
Menu
Food Review
Luk Foo Palace is one of the restaurants in Davao that feels intimidating because it is situated in a hotel. However, it’s one of the restaurants I’ve tried here that feels premium and still delivers a relatively affordable price.
They are famous for their dimsums, but other dishes are quite good.
Dumpling Sichuan Style – 10/10
This dish packs heat and spices. This is great for people who enjoy spicy food. If you like heat and pain, this dish is for you. I’d probably rate it a 2.5/5 on my spice tolerance level. It’s tolerable and enjoyable, but not for people who have low tolerance or are allergic to spicy stuff. For reference, I do enjoy eating Korean spicy noodles and have different spicy dips from Tabasco to ghost peppers at home.
The thing that makes this dish highly addictive is how good the Chinese black vinegar mixture is. It’s loaded with capsicum, green chilies, and aromatics. It’s different from the typical dumplings you get from other Chinese restaurants because it’s spicier, sits in a delicious sauce, and is packed with meat.
I also love the wrap, as it isn’t floury and it isn’t thick and chewy. It’s a flavor bomb that’s umami, sour, sweet, and spicy. It’s pricey at P428 for just four pieces, but it’s a dish I’d gladly save up for.
Xiao Long Bao – 9.5/10
Xiao Long Bao is a soup dumpling, and their version is definitely filled with soup. It’s not just a tiny drop of broth, but each bite gives you a good amount of soup to slurp.
Not only is it generous with the soup inside the dumpling, but it’s also incredibly umami and flavorful. I’ve tried Xiao Long Bao from other restaurants, but this is one of the best I’ve had when it comes to the right amount of soup, meat, and wrapper. The wrapper is thick enough to hold all that soup without easily cracking when lifted with chopsticks. Despite its thickness, the wrapper itself is flavorful and doesn’t have the floury aftertaste I’ve experienced with other Xiao Long Bao wrappers.
This is definitely one of those Xiao Long Bao that leans more soupy than meaty. The size is bigger than other Xiao Long Baos from other restaurants. So, if you prefer a true soup dumpling with plenty of broth in every bite, this one should definitely be added to your list.
Salt and Pepper Spareribs – 10/10
When we dined here, they had Daily specials. We dined here on a Saturday, and their daily special was Salt and Pepper Spareribs. For P199+, we didn’t have high expectations as to its portion size. However, we were impressed at how generous the meat cuts were. Its portion size is big enough for 2-3 people to share.
Their dishes are nothing short of flavorful. Each dish delivers! Despite being a simple dish, their version is so flavorful and aromatic that you can taste and smell the bell pepper and chillies. The pork meat was tender and moist. The fat was so gelatinous that it melts in your mouth and yet has that amazing sticky chew from each bite.
Despite being a pork dish, it is not oily, and the breading is enough to coat but not overwhelm the dish.
By far, I would put this as the best salt and pepper spareribs dish I’ve had here in Davao.
Spareribs in Strawberry – 9/10
One of the most unique dishes I’ve tried from Luk Foo Palace.
It’s an intriguing dish, as I’ve never encountered strawberry being used on a savory dish before. However, I don’t think it’s far-fetched since Chinese cuisine gave us mandarin orange chicken.
I’m glad I was able to try it because it is such a flavorful experience and opened my palate to a new horizon. The dish had a sticky-sweet texture to it. The strawberry flavor is mellow but enough to make a significant flavor to the spareribs. It’s not overwhelming but definitely hits your taste buds with each bite.
It’s a nice combination. Different, but it isn’t exactly odd, and your palate can easily adapt. I did expect to have a better presentation of the dish, though, like maybe there were slices of strawberry in it, but no. The presentation is a typical glazed meat but with a pinkish hue to it.
It’s a good dish to try once in a while but not a dish you’d constantly crave.
Salted Egg Chicken – 7/10
Their salted chicken also had a generous portion size that can be shared between 2-3 people.
However, the chicken cuts felt like thin slices of chicken breast and had the size of chicken nuggets. Their Salted Egg chicken isn’t saucy and buttery, which is something I was looking forward to. Their salted egg seems to be added as part of the breading and is in powder form.
My best guess is that their salted egg was dehydrated and crushed into powder form and then added to the chicken batter. Then drizzle more of the salted egg powder after frying.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s actually quite enjoyable and delicious, but it’s not the salted egg chicken I’m looking for when I want to order salted egg dishes. I prefer the saucy and buttery one.
Restaurant Rating – 4.6/5
Food:
Luk Foo Palace was a place I’d always heard of but hadn’t personally sought out at first. But ever since I tried a selection of their dishes, it has been a go-to whenever I have extra money and crave good Chinese food.
What I particularly appreciate about Luk Foo Palace is how careful they are with their use of oil. Since many Chinese dishes are stir-fried or fried, they can sometimes feel heavy and overly greasy. But that’s not the case here. Their dishes are flavorful without being excessively oily, and even their fried dishes don’t feel weighed down by oil.
A lot of Chinese restaurants I love leave me with bad heartburn afterwards, but I don’t experience that with Luk Foo Palace. Despite the richness and flavors of their dishes, they manage to keep the oiliness in check, making the food feel more balanced and enjoyable.
One of the things I also appreciate with Luk Foo Palace is their command of flavor and spices. Each dish we tried here is flavorful.
The only general comment I have is that their plating is not always on point and is inconsistent. Sometimes, it looks beautiful; sometimes, it seems rushed. A more consistent and thorough plating would do wonders to add points to the experience.
Value for money:
Luk Foo Palace might be pricier, but it delivers highly on the quality and flavor of their food. It’s no wonder it’s always included as one of the recommendations for good Chinese food in Davao on public forums and online discussions.
You won’t feel cheated on paying more than the usual price you pay because their food is good. Not only do you get good food, but the service and the dining experience are also great. It can stand against other good Chinese restaurants in Davao serving the same market class.
The portion size is good for 2-3 people depending on what you order, but I love that it gives you an option whether you order it on a regular, medium, or large-size plate. It can cater to big groups.
Location:
The location can feel intimidating at first, especially since it is located on the third floor of a hotel. But once you get past that, it’s actually a nice place to visit. There are days when it isn’t too packed, making it a welcome retreat when you’re in SM Lanang and the mall feels too crowded.
The restaurant has a great ambiance that looks and feels like an expensive Chinese restaurant, adorned in rich red, mahogany, and white tones. They also have sufficient parking, which is connected to and shared with the hotel’s parking area. However, parking might prove difficult if you dine here while a function or event is happening at the hotel due to the increased number of vehicles.
The place itself is clean and spotless. While I enjoy the classic ambiance of a Chinese restaurant, the interior feels a little outdated for my taste, and the lighting is slightly on the darker side. If I could give one pointer, though, definitely try to get a table by the window overlooking the pool. Not only does it offer a nice view, but the natural lighting makes for great photos.
Apart from that, the restaurant scores well in terms of safety, comfort, and cleanliness.
Service:
I always appreciate restaurants that provide complimentary snacks while you wait for your order to arrive. They serve peanuts and a few side dishes to nibble on while waiting, along with free hot tea served in a teapot.
Upon entering, someone will warmly greet and usher you to your table. The servers are attentive and quick to refill your water when needed. They also serve the food promptly, and we had no issues with the accuracy or timing of our orders.
Overall, they provide great customer service, with attentive and efficient staff who make the dining experience comfortable and pleasant.
Variety:
They serve a variety of regional Chinese cuisines, from Cantonese to Sichuan. You also have the option to choose between regular, medium, or large portions. They cover beef, pork, seafood, noodles, rice meals, and more. They also have specials like their daily specials and set meals. They also have party trays and have indications for allergens.
The only thing that is lacking is the lack of special drinks and desserts from their menu. The dessert selection and drink selection seems lackluster but apart from that, there are many dishes to choose from.
Recommendations
Dumpling Sichuan Style – for spice eaters who want to experience a flavor bomb
Xiao Long Bao – for people missing actual soup dumplings. Those who prefer more soup on their xiao long bao than meat
Salt and Pepper Spareribs – Great for those who want something delicious without venturing too far outside their comfort zone.
Fun to try:
Spareribs in Strawberry – who like strawberry or people enjoying sweet and savory dishes
Information
- Payment Method: Cash, Mobile wallet/E-wallet, Credit Card
- Budget: P1,000-P1,500 for 2 pax
- Type: Chinese
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/lukfoo.palace
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