Chinese “Comfort Food”: Master Po Offers Tasty, Quality Dishes at Affordable Prices

The Chinese term “shio chia” brings to mind the western concept of “comfort food”, food that provides well-being or emotional consolation. This is how Master Po owner Jan Joan Yu-So describes the dishes offered in this new homegrown Chinese restaurant in uptown Cebu City.

Yu-So, also responsible for nurturing Cebu’s plush Chinese cuisine destination The Ching Palace, said what sets Master Po apart from the former is the target market. The Ching Palace caters to the A and B income classes while Master Po is for the B and C classes which means offering tasty, quality dishes at affordable prices

This emphasis on striking a balance between quality and affordability has made the process of crafting a menu for Master Po a challenge. But in the last instance, Yu-So said the taste or flavor occupies a bigger consideration as opposed to cost when coming up with a menu for this budding Chinese resto.

“As much as we can, we want to please 100% of our market. However, we know it’s impossible. So, every time we have new menu, we always think that a dish must please at least 80% of the market. The cost had never been the priority,” said the Master Po owner who is at the same time managing her family’s The Ching Palace.

Yu-So emphasized that she has no qualms about sacrificing the profit margin just to give customers what they’re expecting of Master Po. “The taste and quality that customers have been used to must always be the quality every time they come back. We maintain quality by not always thinking of profit,” she said.

“Goods keep on getting more expensive, if we will be given cheaper alternatives, we always check quality first if it’s the same as what we are used to using. If quality is poor, we won’t push thru with it instead we continue to use what we are usually using despite the higher cost,” she said.

To make sure Master Po offers the quality Chinese cuisine The Ching Palace is known for but with a more affordable price, Yu-So has brought along The Ching Palace chef Marlon A. Pueblos, who has been practicing for 20 years now, with the Master Po crew.

Master Po is located at Unit 9 Plaza Nouvelle, E. Benedicto St, near the Sacred Heart Center. Like and follow Master Po’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ masterpocebu/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/masterpocebu/).