Entries Tagged 'Fusion' ↓

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?

Being a predominantly Catholic country, one would immediately observe if the lent season is approaching in the Philippines. One of the give-away signs is that restaurants offer their non-meat alternative to their customers. One of the early movers this year is Max’s restaurant which has started offering their Max’s Seafood Fest since yesterday.

Fish Fillet for the Lent

Fish & Seafood Fest

Max’s has started its Seafood Selections Promo and offers non-meat dishes familiar to the Filipino taste.

The seafood spread include Filipino cuisines like Camaron Rebosado and one of my favorites Sinigang na Hipon.

A wide selection of fish dishes are also part of the option such as Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet, Spicy Laing Tilapia, Fish Fillet in Black Bean Sauce, Sinigang na Tiyan ng Bangus, and Steamed Fish Fillet in light soy.

Max's Seafood Fest Promo

“…the timeless flavors of Filipino cuisine and warm memories of sharing these meals with their friends and family. ..this is what Max’s brings to the table with its Seafood Selections Promo… a taste of home with every hefty serving of these traditional recipes,” says Bobby Simborio, Corporate Communications Officer for Max’s Group of Companies.

Seafood Fest Frequency Card

Seafood Selections Frequency Card Promo + Chicken-All-You-Can GCs

Max’s also launched a special seafood fest frequency card where each purchase of a qualified seafood selection dish with a glass of Pepsi gets a sticker for a card slot.

From March 8 to April 30, 2011, diners who can complete the six sticker slots will get a free Max’s Chicken-All-You-Can gift certificate.

Frequency Card Promotion Mechanics

Max's Offering for the Lenten Season

Have a non-pork meat diet with Max’s Seafood Fest and enjoy a meatless Lenten season. 🙂

I haven’t visited Mercato Centrale (the day market) since it started, but I was able to check out Midnight Mercato first with other blogger friends last weekend. This is defiintely for night people like me who can’t wake up early on weekend mornings. 🙂

Chilled/Hot Taho by Tahooo!

It was also the launching night of Midnight Mercato at the Bonifacio Global City last Friday so there was a simple opening ceremony, ribbon-cutting, guests, and the likes.

Briefly to the unaware, Midnight Mercato is a weekend late night food bazaar where foodies and barkadas can hanging out and enjoy great food you can’t easily find otherwise. You can feast on a wide array of food choices from gourmet selections to ‘lutong bahay‘ (home cooked) dishes; even sosyal street food and balut included. Add to that acoustic musical performances by Rock Ed – all in an air-conditioned ‘kubol.’ Yes, that is Tagalog for ‘tent’ (as fellow blogger Alex shared).

Here are some food trip photos I’m sharing from:

Buy 1 take 1 Sausages @ P150 and Chips To Go Booth (similar to Potato Loops)

Monster Burger & the Monster Burger Challenge (finish it in 4 minutes and it's FREE!)

Nutsylicious have different kinds of nuts including walnuts and pistachios!

After all the photos, it’s my tummy’s turn. So I got an authentic shawarma (P75) from a Mediterranean-looking guy whose booth I forgot, three Mochiko mochi ice cream, and  some Takoyaki balls.

Mochiko Mochi Ice Cream @ P70

Mochiko had a very long line and was out of stock before 12midnight. That speaks for itself. 🙂

I also had a set of Armenian Lavosh Chips with Pesto Mozarella Cheese dip (P145) from the stall with a witty name of ‘5 loaves and 2 Fishes.’

Armenian Lavosh Chips (right); Claypot Chicken Rice (left)

Big Bob's Quarter Pounder Burgers

I also got a bottle of Raw Honey and Organic Gourmet Rice from ‘Fresh Start‘. They’re quite pricey actually but I know mom would love the brown rice while I use the honey as sugar substitute in my morning milk (there goes the revelation). 🙂

Fresh Start Organic Gourmet Rice (Brown Rice P200) & Raw Honey (P300)

There were a number of media outfits and got to spot some celebrities including Mara’s Mom in ‘Mara Clara‘ , Ashlee Gosengfiao, Sarah Meier (I think), Mercato Centrale guy RJ Ledesma, and others. I also spotted Anton Diaz and wife Rachel at the Human Nature booth.

Rachel @ Human Nature booth (right); Mexican Kitchen (left)

Balut (Duck Embryo)

I wanted to try so much more but I can only take in so much having come from a full dinner at Rai-Rai Ken a few minutes before going to Mercato Centrale.

There were also other food finds which caught NomNom’s fancy and instantly became a favorite.

Watch out for that post coming out next week including my predictable Mochiko review. 🙂

It was a haven of grilled food, hamburgers, and suasages outside the Midnight Mercato Tent.

Moreover, I got some tips from foodie friends and is looking forward to try the following in my next visits:

Off Beat Burger‘s Krispy Kreme Burger,  Ravioli’s of Natalia,  and the Angus Beef Tapa Rice Toppings, among others.

Krispy Kreme Burger

I also got news from Antin Diaz’s blog that Bale Dutung will start tonight @ Midnight Mercato! I’ll have to wait a little longer though as I will be going to Thunderbird’s Resort in Rizal tonight and I’ll be at the Pyromusical competition in SM Mall of Asia tomorrow.

Check out more about Midnight Mercato and Mercato Centrale here.

Midnight Mercato Tent, Tables, and Interiors

Midnight Mercato happens every Fridays and Saturdays at Bonifacio Global City from 11pm to 3am the next day. They are located at the corner of 31st and 9th streets (vacant lots between Serendra and STI Fort). Mercato Centrale day market continues Saturday and Sunday 7am to 2pm.

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.

Goodles Noodles & Mercato Centrale

Goodles Anniversary Promo

Goodles is celebrating its 1st anniversary on November 24, 2010 and they are sharing an anniversary promotion. From 11am to 9pm, three (3) of Goodles’ best selling pasta tubs will be sold for P100 only during various times. (see photo below for details).

Goodles Anniversary Promo - P100 Noodles

Check their online pages as well at facebook.com/ilovegoodles and ilovegoodles.com .

Mercato Centrale

We have the market-style foodie destinations Salcedo Market (Saturdays) and Legaspi Market (Sundays) both in Makati City. While on the other prime business district of Ortigas in Pasig, is Banchetto.

And then there will be Mercato Centrale – Bonifacio Global City’s answer to the weekend’s demand for great meals and food adventures. nomnomnom…

“Inspired by the outdoor markets of Mercato Centrale in Florence and the Boroughs Market in London, Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City is an innovative weekend lifestyle market with unique, great tasting food finds that you won’t find anywhere around the metro! Mercato also has an extensive selection of healthy and organic fruits, vegetables and livestock, all located in a clean, comfortable, well-ventilated and organized setting.” – http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/

Mercato Centrale BGC

They start tomorrow – November 21 – at the corner of 30th st. and 9th avenue in Bonifacio Global City from 6am to 12nn. See you at Mercato Centrale at about 9am! 🙂

I first saw Bubble Tea when they opened their first branch in SM Megamall in Ortigas. Through the years, Bubble Tea proved to maintain its quality amid competition using authentic, natural, and freshly shaken premium milk tea in contrast to powder-based fads. Eventually, other branches came about in SM North Edsa and  Timog. And later this month, they will be opening their newest branch with a function room along Wilson St. in Greenhills.

Bubble Tea's Black Sesame Milkshake

It was only recently that I began to appreciate their other servings of Tokyo-inspired Japanese dishes and some Japanese-Western fusion including pasta, burgers, and sandwiches.

In line with new discoveries, I ventured out from my usual Bubble Tea favorites such as the Royal Milk Tea and Taro Milkshake when I visited their branch in Timog with some foodie friends.

Egg Pudding Add-on for Bubble Tea Milkshakes

I initially got to sample a small serving of the Azuki Red Bean Milk Shake and was extremely satisfied. For a change, the red bean flavor was different, to say the least. It was a welcome respite  from the usual sweet milkshakes. Moreover, it provided a unique texture to taste because of the red beans.

I also saw a new flavor in their table menu – the Honey Dew Melon with mango bits available in both milk tea or shake. But I ordered the Black Sesame Milkshake for curiosity’s sake. It was my first to try this one and similarly, it was not too sweet and of course, had the black sesame flavor. It was a good choice.

Milkshakes are priced at P135 for medium size and P145 for large. Milk Tea are at P115 (medium) and P125 (large). Hot milk tea is at P80. Other flavors include Japanese Green Tea, Almond, Coconut, Double Chocolate, Mocha, and Jasmin (I’d like to try this next). For an additional P20, you can have add-ons which include extra-bubbles (big/small/combi), vanilla ice cream, and the egg-pudding which you goy to try out. I really love chewing on their soft firm bubbles (sago/tapioca), I go for the big bubble add-ons. 🙂

Bubble Tea Japanese Food

Now for the dishes. It was a fiesta of comfort foods in Bubble Tea. With servings big enough to share, it seems like the photos came right out of the Japanese menu and landed in our tables where no empty space were left.

Okonomiyaki Japanese Pizza

Japanese Ceasar Salad

Tonkaktsu Omurice Bubble Tea

Beef Stew Curry

The dishes we tried out include Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pizza – P125),  Japanese Ceasar Salad (Ceasar salad with Fried Chicken – P195), Tonkaktsu Omurice (Breaded Pork & Omelette – P265), Beef Stew Curry (Jap style sliced beef stew w/ sweet and mild spicy curry, rice, & egg – P265), and Takoyaki (P175).

Takoyaki : grilled octopus-filled balls made of pancake batter, topped with mayonnaise, katsuobushi and sweet soy sauce.

Pasta

Tori Pesto Spaghetti

Spicy Mix Seafood Tomato Spaghetti

We got to try out two pasta dishes. The first is Spicy Mix Seafood & Tomato Spaghetti ( P295) which has salmon, tuna, squid, prawn, clam and mussel.

The second is Tori Pesto Spaghetti (P265) which is pan-fried Chicken w/ pesto cream sauce.

Maki Sushi

Nippon Ebi

It flooded with maki and sushi such as Nippon Ebi (P285),  Unagi Lover (P295), and Vancouver (P285). The latter is made with breaded prawn and spicy tuna in teriyaki sauce.

Another home-developed sushi is Bubble Salad Sushi (P165) which is a mini mixed salad topped with sushi rice. On the rightmost of the four photos is the Spicy Tuna (P195).

They have combination platters in case you want to have a try of each.

Bubble Tea Maki Sushi

Recommendations

But among the myriad of choices, there were five which greatly satisfied my tastebuds (in reverse order of preference).

Salmon Foil Yaki (P345)

Salmon Foil Yaki

The tender fish meat of the steamed salmon fillet gave it away with its freshness retained by the wrapping in foil. Surprisingly, it also had a mildly sweet twist.

Chicken Teriyaki Doria (P245)

Chicken Teriyaki Doria

It’s baked casserole rice covered with melted cheese. Topped with grilled boneless chicken and teriyaki sauce, this dish is sure to fill you up.

Aspara Bacon Yaki (P185)

Asparagus Bacon Yaki

It’s a skewer of grilled asparagus wrapped with bacon and cheese on top. Bacon and Cheese is love; no need for further explanation. 🙂 The asparagus is the healthy angle to reduce your guilt in exchange for this pleasure.

Japanese Fried Chicken

Tofu Steak (P165) [Top Photo]

Light, fresh, and soft. Those are the three adjectives befitting this small simple dish called Tofu Steak.

Lightly breaded and mixed with sweet sauce and vegetables, this soft, melt-in-your-mouth and warmly served tofu is my perfect appetizer.

Japanese Fried Chicken in a Basket (P385)

Actually, I am surprised as much as you are that a common friend chicken dish ended up on top of my recommended list.

I did not expect much when I took a bite of the leg portion. But the taste and crispiness, albeit with almost nil bread crumbs, was fantastic.

Aside from the quality of the chicken itself, I would say the cook have a certain style in cooking this thin-skinned fried chicken to maintain such level of crispiness and juiciness in the white meat.

Perhaps more than just deep-frying it to perfection.

With only four pieces, it may also be dismissed as expensive at P385. But this juicy Japanese fried chicken served with noi ginger sauce and japanese potato salad sidings is very much worth it.

Bubble Tea Experience

This is what you call a Bubble Tea fiesta in this humble Tokyo milk tea place started by Reagan Tan who developed most of Bubble Tea’s menu and is also its CEO.

Check them out online at http://www.facebook.com/tokyobubbletea or email them at tokyobubbletea@gmail.com

Join their current contest called “Pichur Pichur” and get to win a Nikon Coolpix S230 camera with touchscreen LCD and Bubble Tea gift certificates.

Bubble Tea Branches:
Tomas Morato – #220 Tomas Morato Avenue, QC (4123573)
SM North Edsa – LGF SM North Edsa, The Block, QC (4410097)
SM Megamall – LGF SM Megamall, Mandaluyong (6387479)
Greenhills – Unit 3 #229 Wilson Street, West Greenhills, San Juan City
Delivery Option: www.citydelivery.ph or 87878

Bubble Tea : Tokyo Milk Tea Place

Try out Bubble Tea in any of their branches in Metro Manila, Philippines and have a bubbly Bubble Tea experience!