WHENEVER foodies get together, one topic usually dominates the conversation: ''Have you tried this? Have you checked out this new place?''

Recently, the two Jays of El Circullo talked about this noodle house along Ortigas ave. It is at the Gilmore Town Center Mall and on Neptune st. along Kalayaan ave. near Makati ave.

Mien San Noodle House is different because its operators are from Taiwan and its dishes are mostly new to us Pinoys. They also have ''mami and siopao'' but prepared in a slightly different way.

I wasted no time in paying the place a visit. The timing was perfect for some hot soup because it was a dark and rainy afternoon. We had the tendon stew noodle with some steamed bola-bola siopao. The tendon mami had a nice, simple yet delicious broth which was a bit spicy. Good!

The siopao looks like your usual steamed bun but the filling was a bit different and good, too. We also ordered some vegetable siomai with sotanghon. This too is worth trying.

The fish cake is wrapped in a special pancake or what looks like flattened bread with toasted sesame seeds.

Their version of vegetable siomai is also a revelation. The dumplings have some nice sotanghon noodles as filling apart from the minced vegetables.

Another siomai dish is called Shiao Lung Pao--it's fried like siomai with pork and radish filling. Also good! All these so-called dimsum specials are dipped in a thick, sweetish soy sauce. I added a bit of chili to the sauce and just hummed away as I ate this entirely new meal.

Another dish I tried with some steamed rice was the Fried Clam--stir-fried with plenty of garlic and leeks. I could hardly move after the meal but was very happy about this new find.

At the counter, they sell other Taiwanese specialties like champoy and many others. Interesting.

In case you're wondering about my appetite and think my stomach is up to my knees, I'd like you to know, I had these dishes on two separate visits, and I was with a friend.

I love what I do. This ''dine and share'' thing is no work to me.

Café Chantrelle along Pasay rd. near the San Lo entrance is doing so well, the place is always packed. I just tried their bruschettas and tenderloin, and they are delicious.