A short and quick tour with lasting gustatory impression.

Yes, this was exactly the purpose of the recent food trip organized by FooDee Global Concepts highlighting its four newly opened brands at Gateway Mall 2 in Quezon City — Tim Ho Wan, Hawker Chan, Pound and LlaoLlao.

"In preparation for the 'ber' months, we simultaneously opened four restaurants within the same mall on the same week," said Eric Dee, FooDee chief executive officer.

FooDee Global Concepts is one of country's leading and largest multi-brand, lifestyle food and beverage group and home of well-loved restaurants. It operates more than 180 restaurants nationwide.

Tim Ho Wan's updated menu
It's Tim Ho Wan's ninth branch at Gateway Mall 2. This favorite dim sum house has been in the country since 2015 after opening its first store at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. It was founded in 2009 in Hong Kong by chef Mak Kwai Pui, who was the executive chef of Lung King Heen, a three-star Michelin at Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong.

"He left the hotel industry and decided to open Tim Ho Wan, which was a 20-seater restaurant in Mongkok district serving all kinds of dim sum. Fast forward a year later, he was awarded one Michelin star as the cheapest Michelin resto in the world at that time," narrated Dee.

Then the rest is history. Tim Ho Wan now operates about 84 stores around the globe.

"I don't know if everyone knows but Tim Ho Wan worldwide is now owned by the Jollibee group," disclosed Dee. "But for the Philippine operations, FooDee Global Concepts still owns and operates all the existing stores for the next eight to 10 years. It will still be under our operations."

"We are working together with the Jollibee group and their headquarters in Singapore to make sure that everything is up to standard. Last month, chef Mak was in Manila to audit our food. So, there are some improvements in our menu, such as the barbecue pork buns which is not as red as you'd expect it to be. We also updated some of our items for the better."