Since Valentine’s Day and Lunar New Year are only three days apart this year, many are expected to date in Binondo, the world’s oldest and biggest Chinatown.

But for those looking for less-crowded but similarly authentic Chinese and affordable alternatives, Seascape Village in Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, Pasay City, offers several Asian restaurants, with the sea breeze and the world-famous sunset of Manila Bay as backdrop.

Among the most frequented restaurants at Seascape for its affordability and fresh dampa (wet market) paluto (cooking) is Yang Mama Seafood Restaurant in Unit G22, Atang dela Rama Street of Seascape Village.

“The advantages here at Seascape, first, it’s easier to park here. Second, the area is not crowded,” Wilson Uy, the restaurant’s owner, told DAILY TRIBUNE in Filipino.

“Our edge lies in our cooking style. We have dishes that are more authentic, so they’re much more preferred by our guests,” he noted.

Yang Mama is named after Wilson’s mother, who enhanced the cooking methods of the restaurant’s chefs who mostly hailed from big and famous restaurants, so that their cooking style would suit the Filipino-Chinese palate, said Wilson.

True to the restaurant’s reputation tagged by TikTokers as having “the best Tempura in town,” Yang Mama’s bestseller is Shrimp Tempura, made of fresh live sugpo (giant shrimps) bought from Seascape Village’s own dampa market.

Apart from this, Uy recommended their salted egg and sweet and sour dishes, as well as ginger and salt and pepper specialties for Lunar New Year dining. TikTokers have a bias for Halaan Soup made of fresh clams from the dampa, while DAILY TRIBUNE recommends Adobong Pusit and crabs. Complementing one’s meal are fresh fruit shakes from the restaurant’s adjacent juice bar.

Although basic in interiors, Yang Mama is centrally located in front Seascape’s activity area, providing a good view of the al fresco concerts, weekend markets and other recreation and entertainment.

“You must be hardworking and must have some idea (on how to run a business),” Uy shared as advice to those thinking of putting up their own restaurant. “Passion alone is not enough. You should really be educated. Study it and put in dedication.”