5.222 China Palace Roast Chicken

Cycle 5 – Item 222

15 (Fri) August 2014

China Palace Roast Chicken

3.5

at China Palace

(Tagaytay Highlands)

-Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines-

with WHO/WPRO/DHP/NCD

Tagaytay Highlands is a recreational complex. Located in the province Cavite, about 70 km south of Metro Manila. Vast, more like a sprawling township than a commercial property. Comprises a network of timeshare condos and hotels and cabins and spas and restaurants (The Highlands), golf courses (The Midlands), and mansions/villas/apartments and other residential infrastructure (The Greenlands). Members only. Exclusive. Expensive.

WORK

Our NCD (noncommunicable disease) unit was recognized by the Regional Director for outstanding contributions to the Organization. As a reward, we were treated to an overnight retreat in Tagaytay Highlands. However, after a full day of team-building exercises and program reviews, it was actually work. Worse, because the surroundings seemed to scream that we should be playing instead.

A startling statistic that most people outside of the NCD arena are unaware, including myself before I joined: the four major NCDS–cancer, heart and respiratory disease, and diabetes, account for nearly 70% of all deaths in the world today, 80% in the Western Pacific Region.

The output from the “What people think about you” exercise, people think that I’m bubbly?!

Our unit is tasked with addressing two of the four risk factors for NCDs, including unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Tobacco and alcohol, the other two risk factors, are handled in other units within the same division, but the activities largely overlap, so we have a hand in everything. I’m responsible for helping countries develop legal frameworks to limit the risk factors (e.g., laws banning indoor smoking).

DINNER

China Palace is a Chinese restaurant. Offers Cantonese and Mandarin dishes.

To save time and money, the boss ordered a set menu for the group.

The food was excellent. All very well crafted with top notch ingredients. The steamed garlic fish fillet was great: an intriguing juxtaposition of opposite textures and flavors, light (from the steaming) and creamy (from the inherently buttery character of the fish), bland (no sauce) and intense (deep-fried garlic). My favorite dish was the chicken, the best Chinese roast chicken that I’ve had anywhere in recent memory. Overall, this may have been the best Chinese meal that I’ve had in the Philippines thus far.