The month of May is National Heritage Month and for us Filipino, there is no better way to celebrate an occasion but with food. Our cuisine is one of the major pillars of our heritage, that is why Manila Marriott Hotel chose to showcase the richness of Filipino Cuisine through its buffet offerings at Marriott Cafe.
Begin your Filipino food adventure through the various street foods, classic favorites and festive dishes which you can find on the different food stations of the restaurant. There's chicharong bulaklak, kwek-kwek, tokwa'y baboy and kinilaw,
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| Chicharong Bulaklak |
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| Kwek-Kwek |
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| Tokwa't Baboy |
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| Kinilaw |
If you are looking for the best ulam for your steamed rice, then you can choose among Pinatisang Manok, Ginataang Langka, Pork Mechado, Escabeche and Chicken Afritada. Don't miss out on the Bagoong Rice which is already a complete meal in itself as it is topped with lechon kawali and eggs.
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| Pinatisang Manok |
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| Ginataang Langka |
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| Pork Mechado |
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| Escabeche |
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| Chicken Afritada |
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| Bagoong Rice |
There is of course the Manila's Sustainable Catch station, a mainstay at the Marriott Cafe which features high quality and ethically sourced seafood from local producers.
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| Manila's Sustainable Catch |
The buffet also features an expanded seafood selection including crabs, squid, tiger prawns and scallops. Choose your favorites and have them cooked to your liking.
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| Fresh Catch of the Day |
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| Crab |
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| Squid |
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| Tiger Prawns |
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| Scallops |
There's a separate station dedicated for Kare-Kare where you can have a bowl of kare-kare customized with your choice of ingredients. There are two types of sauces, one is rich in peanut flavor which is perfect for Beef Kare-Kare while the other one is rich in coconut milk which is perfect for Seafood Kare-Kare.
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| Kare-Kare Station |
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| Beef Kare-Kare |
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| Seafood Kare-Kare |
Okoy is childhood favorite of mine and I was excited to see an Okoy Station included in the buffet spread. Order you okoy and they will be cooked a la minute. Don't forget the spiced vinegar for your dipping sauce.
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| Okoy Station |
Here is our plate of starters which includes kinilaw, kwek-kwek, tokwa't baboy and chicharong bulaklak.
We also tried regional Filipino dishes such as the Lapaz Batchoy which reminded us of our recent trip to Iloilo. There's also Bulalong Batangas which has a generous amount of beef in it. Every sip of its flavorful broth will instantly transport you to Batangas or even Tagaytay.
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| Lapaz Batchoy |
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| Bulalong Batangas |
Another childhood favorite of mine is Sinigang. Whenever I eat this soup dish, it reminds me of our Sunday lunch at home after coming from the morning mass at our local church. I asked the chef stationed at the Filipino section to make me a sinigang with salmon, sitaw, eggplant and tomatoes. I then had a serving or rice and patis with siling labuyo on the side.
The dessert station also includes several Filipino kakanin such as Maja Blanca, Leche Flan, Halaya, Biko, Suman and Cacao Creme Brulee. Here's a plate of kakanin which our group shared.
I also had a Filipino inspired crepe which is filled with mango and served with a scoop of ube gelato and halo-halo gelato. There are other Filipino flavored gelato just like Buko-Pandan, Coconut Sorbet, Palawan Honey and others.
You can also cool down with a serving Halo-Halo. A Mason jar already has the ingredients and you just have to scoop in shaved ice and drizzle your halo-halo with syrup and milk. You can also make it extra special by topping it with ube gelato.
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| Halo-Halo |
For refreshments, you should definitely look for the Samalamig station where you can have melon, gulaman and buko-pandan for a drink. There's also fresh coconut juice that adds a festive feel to your dinner.
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| Samalamig Station |
The Filpino themed dinner is available everyday for dinner at Marriott Cafe, at P2,100 nett from Monday to Thursday, and P2,500 from Friday to Saturday. Note that variety of dishes change every day, so dishes featured in this article may not be available on day of your visit.
We also recommend that you try the Drink of the Month at Marriott Cafe called Harana which is a mix of pureed mango, coconut cream and pandan. For only P500.00 you get this amazingly refreshing and comforting drink which comes with a free tarsier stuffed toy.
For inquiries or reservation, you can call Marriott Cafe at +63 (02) 988-9999.
Manila Marriott Hotel
No. 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City, Philippines
Contact Number: +63 (02) 988-9999
Website:
www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/mnlap-manila-marriott-hotel/
Facebook:
facebook.com/MarriottHotelManila
Instagram: @ManilaMarriott
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