A comforting bowl of beef wanton noodles (photo by RUDY LIWANAG)

Comfort comes in a simple white bowl. Freshly-made egg noodles form the base, and the strings of egg and flour lie there like a cushion of warm memories. Layers of beef and wanton, along with a smattering of leeks, hold their own in between. Then quickly now, the tasty aromatic piping hot broth, both savory and sweet, is ladled over this mélange. The soothing smell of soup and noodles and meat rises, wafting like some heady temptation.  And for a moment there, the diner is transported to a China of old, conjuring up images of green fields and the sound of rain constantly dripping on hard bamboo.

Such a nostalgic dining experience is possible at Ling Nam. After all, “ling nam” translates into “southern part of the mountain”, which is the southern part of China identified with being Cantonese.  And so Ling Nam stands as a symbol of the province of Canton.

Because the Cantonese were the more adventurous Chinese explorers, they were among the first to settle in other countries. As they established new communities, they also brought their own style of cooking. For this reason, Cantonese food is probably the most popular Chinese cuisine found all over the world.

Second generation Ling Nam scion Peter Fung remarks: “Very adaptive ang Cantonese cuisine. It’s a blend that will satisfy the tastes of all people, hindi maanghang, hindi maalat, hindi maasim. Cantonese is plain but pag kinain mo, masarap; it’s more of the roasted – chicken, noodles, wanton, typical Chinese yan. Hong Kong dishes are Cantonese.”

Over at Ling Nam, the Cantonese flavor lives on with their signature noodles with soup, made even richer with chicken, beef, and wanton.  These soups are ably complemented by the asado or bola-bola siopao - soft buns filled with pork, or ground meats accompanied by chicken, chorizo, and salted eggs. Or an array of dimsum and other dumplings, along with noodles cooked in all kinds of ways. And to suit the needs of a growing customer niche, Ling Nam also serves All-Day Tsinoy breakfast featuring the familiar longganisa, pork tocino, chicken tocino, and beef tapa.

Find comfort in authentic Cantonese cuisine, with Ling Nam branches at Binondo, Manila; Banawe, Quezon City; Greenhills, San Juan; Shopwise, Commonwealth Avenue; and Greenbelt 1 in Makati. And to make Ling Nam even closer to lovers of Cantonese food, it has also opened its doors to franchising opportunities.

For more information on franchising, contact Tri-Mark Foods Inc., Franchise Department, No.12 Miller Street, Barangay Bungad Baler, Quezon City, Tel No: (632) 376.5119, Fax No: (632) 376.5188 Email: franchise@lingnam.net.