EVERYBODY has his (or her) own favourite cuisine, and we all love to try something new all the time. But when it comes to comfort food, we always go back to the familiar flavors, flavors that warm the heart and bring back fond memories of our childhood and the hometown that we grew up in, flavors of home. Filipino food. One sip of Sinigang, one bite of Adobo, one crunch of Lechon, and it’s like we’re back home again – no matter where we are. Only good ol’ Pinoy food has this effect on us.
This is why Richmonde Hotel Ortigas’ Richmonde Café has decided to put the spotlight on Filipino cuisine, bringing the different styles of Filipino cooking all across the country and gathering them in one scrumptious feast in its Flavors of Home Sunday Lunch Buffet.
The food is all Filipino, as the delectable buffet spread lays out well-loved Pinoy comfort food and encourages diners to feast on a satisfying assortment of classic Flipino dishes such as Adobo sa Dilaw, Chicken Inasal, Pinakbet na may Bagnet, Sinangag na Kanduli, Beef Kaldereta, Steamed Lapu-Lapu, Kare-Kare, Baked Tahong, Sinigang na Tulingan and Crispy Pork Roll. The Filipino feast starts with the soups and salads, progresses to the hot dishes and carvery, and winds up on a sweet note with classic Pinoy desserts.
On the Sunday that my husband Raff and I checked in at Richmonde Hotel Ortigas for a restful staycation that began with a Flavors of Home Sunday Lunch Buffet, the awesome buffet spread included Ensaladang Mangga, Talong, Salted Egg, Okra, Kamatis at Sibuyas and Ensaladang Hilaw na Mangga for salad; Sinigang na Salmon for the soup; and Tocho Maya-Maya, Lauya Pata, Bam-I Seafood noodles, Lumpiang Hubad and Chicken Binakol for the hot dishes. Since Filipino cuisine is replete with desserts, the dessert selections at Richmonde Café were equally extensive. On the buffet table were Buko Pandan Salad, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, smaller versions of Banana Cue, Espasol cut into squares, Leche Flan made into individual servings with a strawberry on top, Guinataang Bilo-bilo, and a Halo-Halo Bar where diners can assemble their own mix of sweetened beans, gulaman (jello), leche flan, ube halaya, corn kernels, nata de coco, kaong, macapuno and langka with shaved ice and milk according to their own preference.
The buffet came with a round of refreshing Sago’t Gulaman, the typical Filipino drink of tapioca balls and gelatin squares in water sweetened with syrup.
For Php750 nett, the buffet is well worth it. The Flavors of Home Sunday Lunch Buffet is available every Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Children aged 6 to 12 get a 50% discount, while toddlers aged 5 and below get to eat for free.
(Richmonde Café is on the 2nd Floor of Richmonde Hotel Ortigas, 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. For inquiries and/or reservations, call 638-7777.)
