Entries Tagged 'Buffet' ↓

Together with some foodie friends and food bloggers, we were able to dine on a Chinese New Year buffet at F Restaurant in F1 hotel located at Bonifacio Global City (BGC) a few weeks ago. This is such a fitting article for this season – Chinese New Year. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Cucumber Slices

One of my co-writers have actually featured the restaurant here in NomNom Club a few months ago so I am glad to see the place myself. 🙂 They are currently offering a Chinese New Year buffet consisting of the traditional Szechuan/Sichuan Beef, Peking Duck, and Crab and Corn Soup, among others.

Appetizers

To start with, we had a set of appetizers namely Jelly Fish, Beef Kimchi, Cucumber with Garlic and Chili Sesame, and Cold Pork Knuckle. Be sure to share these much appetizers to leave room for the main course.

Jelly Fish

Cold Pork Knuckle

They were all good but the cold pork knuckles with vinegar was new for me. I would compare it to a version of the Philippines’ local ‘kinilaw.’

Beef Kimchi

Although the jelly fish and cucumber came off too ordinary for me, the mix of garlic and chili sesame with the cucumber was a good twist.

In this appetizer set, the Beef Kimchi is the winner in the aspect of taste. Although I was surprised at first because I expected Chinese dishes while kimchi , as far as I know, is basically Korean.

Crab and Corn Soup

Fried Noodle

Soup and Noodles

To further elaborate the list and hold the mystery of the main dishes, we had a bowl each of the Crab and Corn and Seafood Spinach soups. They were both satisfactory and filling.

The Deep Fried Noodle followed right after mixed with sliced pork, bokchoi, carrots, mushroom, and the Chinese signature X.O. sauce.

F Restaurant in Best Western Premier F1 Hotel

Main Dishes

A quick run down of the main dishes include the Peking Duck, Steamed Marlin with Soya Sauce, Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Salt and Pepper, Sichuan Chicken, Sichuan Beef, Steamed Asparagus with X.O. Sauce, and Lechon Macau.

Sichuan / Szechuan Chicken

Sichuan / Szechuan Beef

Lechon Macau

While the Sichuan Chicken and Sichuan Beef needs more spices for that needed oriental taste, the Deep Fried Pork Ribs with salt and pepper and Lechon Macau made up for it.

If there is any that you shouldn’t miss, it’s the above-mentioned Deep Fried Pork Ribs with Salt and Pepper, Lechon Macau and the Peking Duck (I missed their Deep-Fried Tiger Prawn with Salt and Pepper though).

In the background of the Lechon Macau photo on the right are fellow foodies and food bloggers including Anton Diaz, Spanky Enriquez, Ivan Man-Dy, and Stonibert Lim.

It was generally a good oriental buffet at F cafe / restaurant with a wide view of Bonifacio Glocal City and ongoing area developments.

Steamed Marlin

Mango Sago for Dessert! (It was full of small tapioca pearls and mango bits)

Although the Chinese New Year was just over, don’t fret. F Restaurant’s Chinese New Year buffet menu will still be available  until January 31, 2012 for lunch and dinner buffet for the price of P998++.

Best Western Premier F1 Hotel Chinese New Year Promo

F Restaurant, F1 Hotel

For reservations, call +632.928.9888 or +632.908.7888. F Restaurant is at 5th Flr. Amenity Level., Best Western Premier F1 Hotel, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634, Philippines

The cafe name says it all, F for Fabulous! This cafe is housed at the newly opened F1 Hotel at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. The hotel is a franchise from world renowned hotelier, Best Western International.

Best Western hotels are known for modern and edgy interiors and at the same time tasteful. F1 Hotel did quite well on this.

F, located at the hotel’s 5th level is also a sight to see. It will certainly not fall short in your expectations as it has almost 300 courses and desserts in a spread to satisfy your palate. F restaurant sports a light and relaxed atmosphere with tables positioned with the glorious view of the pool deck.

The cafe serves buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner and like any other buffet, the courses change daily.

Gorgeous Furniture pieces at F1 Hotel

Dining in a buffet could be tricky because you easily get overwhelmed with all the food you see and end up full at your 2nd course.

With F, the concept is simple and well sectioned, most of the dishes are separated per type and helpful chefs are stationed to serve you.

My best tip on buffet dining is to eat less rice or pasta and go though each dish section by section, that way you make sure you tried everything the cafe offers.

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For the whole second anniversary month of Marriott Hotel Manila this October 2011, Marriott Cafe is promoting their Lunch Buffet at 50% off until October 31!

Grilled Prawns

Feast on Marriott Café’s stuffed turkey, butter fried prawn on a bed of asparagus, blue marlin with tomato coulis, and Arabic chicken. All that even from appetizer, soup, salad, and dessert!

Together with some foodies, we got to try once more Marriott Cafe‘s international dishes last weekend.

I usually go around the buffet and pick only those that I liked. But this time around, I tried them by areas. 🙂

My first plate was Chinese-inspired with oriental dishes.

Oriental Dishes: (Japanese - left; Chinese - right)

The second plate was a Japanese special with maki, sushi, and one of my favorites – tempura, among others.

My third plate was from the Middle-East with beef skewers and grilled meat. 🙂

Middel Eastern & Western Plates (L-R)

The fourth plate has a western theme filled with steaks and some seafood.

Here are the other luscious photos I got during our lunch buffet at Marriott Cafe.

Salads

Steak

Marriott Cafe Dimsum

Chicken Dishes in various preparations

Roast Duck

Prawns prepared in a different away and served in singles

Desserts!

Marriot Cafe Desserts: Sweets, Cream Puffs, and Ice Cream!

Tiramisu Cream and Tarts!

Marriott Hotel's Marriott Cafe Buffet Lunch Promo

Visit Marriott Hotel and avail of this opportunity from October 1 to October 31, 2011 (Mondays-Saturdays) at the Marriott Cafe Lunch Buffet promo and get to enjoy a 5-star hotel dining experience with flowing ice tea at only half the price – P875 . 🙂

Why stay at home on a Sunday if you can have a good time outside right? Specially if it’s matched with a great meal. Since late last month, Restaurant 101 in Enderun has been open on Sundays for brunch!

Restaurant 101, Enderun Colleges

Break bread and catch up with the family as Restaurant 101 features appetizer and dessert buffets, and main course served a la carte. Diners can choose one of four main courses, served à la carte from the kitchen. The dessert station and crepe station, meanwhile, cater to every diner’s sweet tooth.

The special brunch buffet is available weekly at P 1280 per person, and P 680 for children from 7 to 12 years old.

Restaurant 101 is the application restaurant of Enderun Colleges. The school offers international-caliber bachelor’s degree programs in Entrepreneurship with special focus on Family Enterprise; in Business Administration, aInternational Hospitality Management, and Culinary Arts, among others.

Restaurant 101 is open from Monday to Saturday, from 11:30am to 2pm for lunch, and from 6 to 10pm for dinner, and from 11am to 3pm every Sunday. For reservations, call 856 5000 local 101. For inquiries on banquets and special events, call 856 5000 local 534 or 560.

Restaurant 101 Dessert Buffet

They are located at :
Enderun Colleges
1100 Campus Avenue
McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City 1634 Philippines
Telephone: (632) 856 5000
Facsimile:   (632) 856 4656
www.enderuncolleges.com
www.101.enderuncolleges.com

So, did you just spend your Sunday at home today? Give Restaurant 101 in Enderun a visit sometime soon.

🙂

It’s Dad’s turn! After Mother’s Day last month, wives, children, and families are thinking of places this weekend where to spend time with their Dads on Father’s Day!

Aside from home, you may choose to catch the special offers by these restaurants specially for Father’s Day:

Corniche (in Diamond Hotel)

Corniche in Diamond Hotel will serve a Father’s Day special buffet called “Celebration of Filipino Flavors” by Chefs Roland and Jackie Laudico of Bistro Filipino at P1,588 net per person or P1,888 with unlimited beer, house wine or any standard drink of your choice.

22 Prime

Father’s Day brunch at 22 Prime will be a feast on cold appetizers, salads and soups, entrees, and Prime Rib Carving at P1,295+ per person, available from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Dads get special souvenir items like men’s fragrances from Hayden Paris Fragrances, gifts, products from Belo For Men, and selected men’s wear from Gold Toe.

Café d’Asie (The Bellevue Hotel)

Marriott Café (Marriott Hotel Manila)

Brunch or dinner seafood buffet with Asian and Western favorites, fresh seafood, carving station, and desserts at P2,000 net per person.

Dine at Marriott Café, Cru Steakhouse or The Lounge on Father’s Day and get a chance to take home a mini cooper and drive it to anywhere for three days.

 

Bizu Chocolate Cigars

Astralis (by Diamond Hotel)

Astralis in Power Plant Mall offers brunch buffet for P758 net per person featuring one signature dish plus salad and dessert buffets.

Dine in a group of 5 and Dad dines for free plus a surprise giveaway!

Bizu Chess Cake

Bizu Patisserie

Get free items upon purchase of Sugar-free Chocolate Cigars and Checkmate Cake in Bizu. The former is a premium handmade gourmet chocolate cigars made with sugar-free milk chocolate and croquantine wafers in a piano finished cigar box. The latter are made of layers of Almond Dacquoise, Italian Gianduja Ganache, Feulletine Wafer and Lime White Chocolate Mousseline.

Serye’s Cafe

Free gift for Dad when you dine in. You can also get a special Serye mug & Barako Coffee with P2,500 purchase

CAV

Free set menu for dads with a reservation for 6 or more persons in CAV.

Father's Day at CAV

Agave Mexican Cantina

Get a chance to win a free dinner for two or a bottle of wine in Agave Mexican Cantina. Father’s Day coloring pages for kids will also be given away.

Café d’Asie (The Bellevue Hotel)

Fathers get special gifts (Men’s Health and Top Gear magazines) from The Bellevue Hotel and Summit Media

What a huge set of choices, and there are more as restaurants take the opportunity in this family affair. Happy Father’s Day to your Dad wherever he may be!

Steak Buffet

I got the chance to dine with some of the best food bloggers in Metro Manila a few weeks ago. It was a steak night dinner buffet at Diamond Hotel‘s Corniche.

Diamond Hotel Philippines offers choice cut steaks for its customers every Thursday night. Labeled as Corniche’s Savoring Steak Nights, the dinner buffet offers a variety of steaks such as the US Striploin Steak, US Rib Eye Steak, US Hanger Steak, Beef Tenderloin Steak and  Roasted US Prime Rib.

Add to that other entrees with free flowing red wine for only Php 2,285 nett per person from 5:30pm to 10:30pm. This is inclusive of 10% service charge and local government tax.

5 Plates - 5 Rounds @ Corniche Buffet

I was only able to try the striploin, tenderloin, and prime rib. As expected, the meats were fork-tender and juicy, coming from Diamond Hotel.  However, I have observed that steak grill was only about a meter wide and can handle a limited number of steaks at a time. As per experience, there were only three us by the counter and the grill was already full (partially because we had multiple orders each 🙂 ). Maybe Corniche can improve on that, specially when customers flock in.

Seafood Buffet

More Entrees

I also enjoyed the other dishes at Corniche such as the seafood choices, salad selections, and Asian, Western, Japanese, and Indian cuisines prepared by culinary experts headed by Executive Chef Nickolai Stoyanov with general manager Vanessa Ledesma Suatengco.

Other International Cuisine Buffet @ Diamond Hotel

Diamond Hotel Philippines - Corniche Buffet

Barbequed Shrimp w/ Kumpati

A New Discovery – the Kumpati

I discovered an interesting stove as well. As per the cook at the Indian counter, it’s called a ‘kumpati.’

A kumpati is a traditional earthen cooking stove like a palayok, but much larger almost like a ‘banga‘. The traditional ones use charcoal and firewood to cook food but the one in Diamond Hotel is of course, electric.

Kumpati Indian Stove

Corniche uses it to “charcoal barbeque” some of the food like the tandoori chicken and  the grilled shrimp in the photo. They also use it to heat and toast the tasty Naan bread. Yum yum!

On Cheeses

I also saw a table of varied cheeses in different color and textures like Sage Derby, Iberico, Fontina, and Brie. I did not try any of them though as I am illiterate when it comes to cheese appreciation. 😛

Table of Cheeses (lower right side)

Desserts

I love their dessert choices though. There was much to choose from and I was able to try only less than half. Maybe I’ll try the other half in my next visit.

Lastly, it was glad to finally meet Lori Baltazar of DesertComsFirst.com. Also with us were prominent food bloggers Spanky, Ivan Man Dy, and Jane Chua, among others.

Corniche Desserts

Lori Baltazar & NomNom (right); Jane Chua & Ivan Man Dy (left)

Corniche Buffet Restaurant, Diamon Hotel

Corniche is located at Diamond Hotel’s lobby level with a 650 square meter space that can accommodate up to 200+ persons within a chic environment and contemporary overtones. However, I believe they can have more lights on the food. But I think the elegant interior necessitates the ambiance to be dim. With that in mind, they could have mini spotlights efficiently installed on focus entrees, at the least (or maybe I’m just used to other hotel buffet restaurants which are well-lighted). 🙂

I like the pocket-seating layout throughout Corniche providing spatial privacy for intimate groups. They also have a grand bird chandelier at the center and full height windows which offers a view of the garden and water features on one side.

Corniche Buffet @ Diamond Hotel PH

For reservations:
Corniche
Diamond Hotel Philippines
Roxas Boulevard, cor. Dr. J Quintos St., Manila.
Tel. 528-3000 / 305-3000
E-mail bizcenter@diamondhotel.com
Website: www.diamondhotel.com.

It’s a Thursday! Steak night tonight, Anyone?

Marriott Café comes up with another deliciously themed buffet – the Ocean’s Surf! It’s a seafood buffet with a wide spread of ocean treasures that’s sure to fill your Friday and Saturday nights at Marriott Hotel Manila.

Drunken Shrimp

At a conservative estimate, I think I had about 8 different shrimp dishes in that single night last weekend.

This seafood buffet included the classic drunken shrimp, fried drunken shrimp, grilled shrimp, shrimp skewers, Thai-style Shrimp kebab, shrimp salad, ‘Suahe‘, Shrimp & Oyster, and Seafood Risotto – whew! (I think I missed one) 🙂

They also had a drink called ‘Ocean Deep‘ which is a combination of blue lemonade with soda.

Crabs

Ocean's Surf Shrimp

Salmon & Shrimp Salad

The Drunken Shrimp was courtesy of Chef Brammer who hand-picked the live shrimps direct from the aquarium into the cooking pan, added the liquor, shook the mongkok, and added the spices.

Chef Brammer of Marriott Cafe

Of course there were other seafood dishes including a gigantic Fried Lapu-lapu, Rock Lobsters, Tempura, Salmon, and other fish dishes.

Sinigang na Salmon

Recommendations

Aside from the fresh and delectable shrimps, the Sinigang na Salmon caught my palate’s fancy.

I suggest you grill the lobster against eating it as it is. This could remove possible unlikely aftertaste.

The Shrimp & Seafood Risotto is also highly recommended that night. The sticky risotto mixes well with the creatures of the sea. 🙂

Rock Lobsters

Thai-style Shrimp Skewers

Salmon & Crabs

Seafood Risotto

You could also have a seafood-break once in a while with other preparations such as Roast Beef, pasta, pizza (which had seafood flavors as well), fruits, and desserts among others.

Roast Beef & Fruits Buffet

My 4-servings of plates excluding dessert

More Seafood...Giant Fried Lapu-Lapu & Tempura

finally... desserts 🙂

Lastly, buffet dining is always better as a group activity. 🙂 It’s always better to indulge with your relatives, friends, or loved ones. It’s something you don’t do alone or just in a pair.

Enjoying Marriott's Seafood Buffet - Ocean's Surf!

Marriott Cafe in Marriott Hotel Manila is open everyday from 6:30am to 11:00 pm. The Ocean’s Surf Seafood Buffet is available Fridays and Saturdays at P1,750 nett (adults) and Php875 (children). Children 12 years and below get in half the price, 6 years old and below get in for free.

For inquiries and reservations on Marriott‘s Ocean’s Surf Seafood Buffet, check out their website at http://mariott.com/mnlap or call (632) 988-999.

Marriott Hotel Manila brings your Halloween fantasy to life with the hippest spooky party season whether you are in for a day of dining or trick or treating with the kids.

Velocity Bar

Halloween at Marriott Hotel Manila

A Halloween surprise awaits at Marriott‘s Velocity Bar on October 30, 2:00PM, where the little ones are in to experience a  delightfully creepy wizard and witches party for only P500 nett.

An afternoon filled with spectacular party activity traditions such as a magic show, artsy face painting, and flashy glimmer tattoo. Dress them up with their dream character for a truly enchanting moment while they get a chance to win a thrilling gift for their cutest and most unique costume. The kids are also put in the spotlight at the interactive pizza making corner where they will have a great time embellishing their own pizza creations with premium toppings.

Lusciously prepared candy apple, choco banana, scary cup cake, marsh mellow, and pumpkin pie, among others, are toothsome savories of the day. These also include mini burgers, mini hotdogs, fried chicken, lasagna, bolognese, and mash potato. To partner with these delicious Halloween food line up, Californiaberry Non-Fat Frozen Yogurt and Fruit Magic ends the meal with their signature Halloween dessert contenders.

Plus Trick or Treat

Halloween Trick or Treat!

Of course the traditional “trick or treat” will always be there. Up for grabs are dainty and decadent take home goodies courtesy of Nestle Chuckie, Yakult, Universal Robina Corporation, Grand Alpatech Corporation, Leslie’s Corporation, and Liwayway Marketing Corporation. While Enchanted Kingdom, the country’s premiere amusement park brings a truly fascinating experience to all kids and to those truly child at heart with their take home souvenirs to all participants. Moreover, take home a photo souvenir courtesy of Baicapture.

Java+ Halloween Delicacies

When it comes to Halloween delicacies, the best cookies and cakes are those that reflect the chilling traditions of this spooky holiday. That’s why at Java+, the hotel’s grab and go outlet astounds everyone with these thoughtful gift  selections, available for sale from October 30 to November 1, 2010.

Chef Meik Brammer

Halloween Costumes & Parties

Join a culinary adventure with Executive Chef Meik Brammer’s specially selected Halloween brunch menu at Marriott Café on October 30. For only P1,850 net, let the dining episode begin with the succulent nuggets of the sea– lobster, king prawns, green mussel, red crab, fresh shrimp, poached clam, and oyster. At the hot station, look forward loading your plate with classic and international dishes such as roulade of sole fish with green asparagus, pork tenderloin medallions with thyme juice, grilled sea bream on saffron sauce, or chicken sweet and sour.

Tempting grilled meats are also the star of the buffet with its delectable choices of salmon steaks, chicken sate, beef tenderloin steaks, shi-I-taki /shrimp skewer, and lamb chops. Carving, pizza, Asian, barbeque, and other heaps of delectable delights will surely keep anyone blissfully satisfied. End the fiercely, flavorsome feast with heavenly homemade ice cream concoctions and creamy, velvety soft chocolate fondue with pineapple, strawberry, watermelon, and scary cookies to dip away.  The 1 person buffet also entitles the guest to one entrance ticket to the Wizards and Witches party.

Indeed, Halloween becomes truly bewitching with these treats and Halloween costume parties.