GOOD news for diners who wish to dine at Niu by Vikings but do not want to wait in line for their turn to partake of the buffet restaurant’s sumptuous buffet spread: You can now book online and have a table waiting for you when you arrive.
Niu by Vikings, located on the Sixth Floor of SM Aura Premier, has just launched a real-time online restaurant reservation service in partnership with Govago’s ResDiary. This first complete online booking system allows restaurants to get closer to their diners and manage tables more effectively.
Niu by Vikings is one of the top buffet restaurants in town
It offers wide selections of food in all its nine stations
Foie Gras on Beef Medallions
Crispy Pork Belly is one of the top favorites of Niu by Vikings diners
Dragon Roll and Oyster Karaage
Part of the vast buffet spread at Niu by Vikings
Niu, which is the higher-end offering of the very popular Vikings that diners queue up for, has one of the widest selections of buffet food for a very reasonable price. It has nine stations (in keeping with its name, as ‘Niu’ means ‘nine’ in the Viking language) covering all types of cuisines that diners would look for, and, unlike other buffet restaurants, includes gourmet selections such as Salmon Head Hot Pot, Lobster Miso Soup, Lamb, Lechon Belly and, yes, even Foie Gras. It also includes a variety of drinks, multiple carving choices, and an awesome dessert spread.
ResDiary, for its part, is a digitized restaurant reservations management system that serves more than 4,500 restaurants in 17 countries. It eliminates the old-fashioned pen-and-paper reservations system still used by most restaurants in the Philippines to manage their bookings.
“Our goal is to digitize the restaurant industry and allow them to be connected online. If a restaurant is managing all its reservations through an online diary, whether from their website or social media or on a mobile device, they can instantly and in real time check availability. ResDiary even suggests which table to block off for diners who make reservations because it has access to the floor plan of the restaurants it manages.
With the newly launched partnership between Niu and ResDiary, the floor staff will be able to more efficiently manage tables with the help of a table graphic while also sharing information about their customers’ dining preferences.
A variety of beverages available at the buffet
Paella de Mariscos
French Macarons with Ganache, L’Opera Cake, and Chilled Mango Cheesecake
Yummy cakes in the dessert station…
“With ResDiary, there will be a bunch of features that Niu will immediately get access to,” says Govago president Dennis Ng during the launch.
One of these is the booking widget that can be added to the restaurant’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account. “That will mean that when a customer is calling, the restaurant instantly has the full background knowledge of the customer. They’ll know that this person has been in the restaurant three times in the past twelve months, that she prefers a bottle of red wine, and that her favorite table is Table No. 10,” Ng explains.
ResDiary is looking to expand aggressively in the Philippines and is targeting about 1,000 local restaurants by the end of 2015. Niu by Vikings is one of the first restaurants to take advantage of this system, and, with it, its diners also come out winners because they won’t have to queue to get to a good meal.
ITALIAN cuisine is one of the foreign cuisines that has become closest to the hearts of Filipinos. We devour pizza for lunch, merienda, dinner or midnight snack. Spaghetti has become a must in Filipino birthday celebrations. We’ve also made our own Filipino version of spaghetti, and it’s in the menu of almost all fast-food chains in the country. We’ve also started to appreciate risotto, and Italian desserts, such as Tiramisu, have become a big favorite. But while most fast-foods, diners and restaurants have adjusted our Italian favorites to suit the sweet-ish taste of Filipinos, there’s nothing like having authentic Italian food, and one place where you can find truly authentic Italian cuisine is Tosca at Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City.
Tosca prides itself in serving only authentic Italian cuisine—from antipasti (appetizers) and insalata (salads) to pasta, risotti (risotto), carne (meat) and pesce (fish) entrées to pizza and dolci (desserts). Dining at Tosca is like dining in the best restaurants in Italy without having to get on a plane and ‘fly’ to Italy. The food is authentic because the ingredients used are fresh. No compromises. The essence of Italian food, after all, is fresh flavors. It can be as simple as a Margherita Pizza made with fresh tomato sauce, tomato slices, cheese and basil leaves, but the freshness of the flavors and the combination of ingredients that work well together burst in your mouth and give you an exquisite flavor sensation that you won’t be able to get from a similar pizza that makes use of canned ingredients.
Of course, it helps that the man on top of the Tosca kitchen is an Italian chef who’s backed with long years of experience, Chef Maurizzio Gibillini. He’s also known to make the best gelato in town. A seasoned hand in the Italian kitchen and a passionate one, at that, Chef Maurizzio makes no compromises in his food. He has been the Italian chef of Dusit Thani Manila in charge of Tosca for the past two years, within which Tosca steadily gained a strong following and earned good reviews not just for good service, which Dusit Thani hotels are known for, but also for its good food. Italians frequent the restaurant, which speaks tons for the authenticity of its food, because, after all, it takes Italians to know what good Italian food is.
Italian Chef Maurizzio Gibillini
Carpaccio di Manzo
A simple lunch at Tosca can start with an antipasti of Carpaccio di Manzo (thinly sliced beef carpaccio, dressed with cream of horseradish, extra virgin olive oil and arugula leaves) and Pasticcio Di Melanzane (baked layers of eggplant with basil, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses).
For the Carpaccio di Manzo, Chef Maurizzio uses Angus beef tenderloin from the United States, which, he believes, is the best for a carpaccio. “If you use top-round, even if you age it well, it will not be as good,” he explains.
Unfortunately, a number of restaurants who serve Carpaccio use top-round. So Tosca can proudly claim to have one of the best Beef Carpaccios in town. It’s also one of the best-looking, arranged nicely around the plate, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with shaved Parmesan cheese, and topped with a small bouquet of arugula salad.
Pasticcio Di Melanzane
As for the Pasticcio Di Melanzane, it seems to be a very simple dish, but the fresh flavors of eggplant, basil, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses meld together so beautifully that you’d truly enjoy eating it. It’s like a lighter and healthier but equally flavorful and delicious helping of lasagna.
Risotto alla Milanese
Risotto alla Milanese can be a good follow-up to that perfect pair of antipasti. While most Filipinos are still struggling to appreciate the Italian level of al dente doneness of pasta—and risotto—others have already begun to look for this “done but still firm to the bite” doneness especially in risotto. It’s just a thin line separating what is perceived to be “still a bit raw” and what is “just perfectly done,” and Chef Maurizzio is able to tread this line and please with his Risotto alla Milanese (Carnaroli rice tossed with onion, butter, dried porcini, saffron and Parmesan cheese). Again, these ingredients boast of fresh, clean flavors, and when they come together, you’re just eating rice but you get perfect satisfaction from it.
Spaghetti Scoglio
If you want to try pasta, there’s a lot of choices on the menu, but Chef Maurizzio can prepare dishes that are not on the menu. If there’s a specific dish that you want and it’s not listed on the menu, let the chef know what kind of pasta you want, what sauce you prefer and what ingredients you want to find in it, and he can make it for you. There’s Spaghetti Scoglio, which is assorted seafood (shrimps, clams and squid rings) cooked in olive oil and garlic, and topped with arugula. Chef Maurizzio also recommends spaghetti in tomato sauce with clams, arugula and diced tomatoes.
Lapu-Lapu Salmoriglio
Diners who are having a full course meal with both a fish dish and a meat entrée have a number of pesce selections on the menu to choose from, but Chef Maurizzio can also whip up a dish that’s not on the menu for diners who request for it. If you’ve tried all the fish dishes on the menu, how about ordering Lapu-Lapu Salmoriglio? In Italy, chefs use swordfish for this dish, but in the Philippines, a nice and fresh fillet of lapu-lapu should be just as good. The fish is served with a very flexible sauce which also goes very well with tilapia, tuna or tanigue fish. Salmoriglio is a Southern Italian condiment or sauce made with lemon juice, olive oil, chopped oregano, minced garlic and parsley; and seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s perfect with fish and seafood.
Pollo alla Valdostana
For the meat dish, a popular choice is Pollo alla Valdostana (chicken breast with cooked ham and Fontina cheese). Its flavors will remind you of Chicken Roulade, but the Italian version isn’t rolled. It is carefully layered, and you can actually see and smell the heavenly aroma of melted Fontina cheese on the ham and the chicken.
Mascarpone Panettone
At Tosca, dessert is just as ‘looked-forward-to’ as the entrées. It’s a toss-up among the extremely popular Tiramisu, Rum Baba with Whipped Cream (sponge soaked in Italian Funtasia rum syrup), Bigne Chocolate (traditional cream puffs with homemade chocolate sauce), and Today’s Flavor of Gelato Casalingo, but, again, Chef Maurizzio is able to whip up something special for diners who want something new. Ask for Mascarpone Panettone, which is slices of Panettone cake sautéed with butter and Grand Marnier for that nutty flavor with a kick and then served with Mascarpone cheese piped on top with a sprinkling of chopped Pistachio nuts and slices of fresh strawberry. It’s a fitting end to a delightfully satisfying Italian meal.
If you notice when you flip the menu at Tosca, most of the dishes listed on it come with a recommended wine to pair each dish with. This is because Italian food is best enjoyed with wine. “The acidity of wine goes well with Italian food, just like tea is perfect with Chinese food,” says Chef Maurizzio.
So, for the most exquisite Italian dining experience, don’t order Green Mango Shake or Iced Tea or soda. Beer should be a better second choice to wine, because, in Italy, pizza is eaten with beer.
(Tosca is located at the Mezzanine Level of Dusit Thani Manila, Ayala Center, Makati City.)
THE Lenten season is one of the most important times of the year for the Christian world. It is a solemn observance of the events that led to Jesus Christ’s sufferings, crucifixion, death and resurrection to save mankind from the wages of sin. This is why Christians observe fasting, refraining from eating meat specifically for all Fridays within the Lenten season. Fish and seafood thus make up a big portion of one’s diet during Lent. Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ resurrection, breaks the fast, as it is a grand celebration.
Lent is also a much-awaited time of the year because Holy Week, the climax of the Lenten celebration, means a long break from work, and families take advantage of this time to relax, unwind and bond.
To serve this purpose, restaurants and hotels come up with special Lenten and Holy Week offerings. Here are some of them.
FISH FOR LENT
Sentro 1771 offers three kinds of fish dishes this Lenten season—Fresh Smoked Fish Spring Roll (fresh lumpia of tinapang bangus, salted egg, mustasa, onion and tomato); Whole Fish Escabeche (pan-fried fish of the day in sweet-sour vinegar sauce with garlic, ginger and turmeric), and Fish of the Day Pandan (whole fish stuffed with sautéed onions, tomatoes, miso and malunggay, tied with pandan leaves).
Fresh Smoked Fish Spring Rolls (Sentro 1771)
Fish of the Day Pandan
These special Lenten offerings are available until Easter Sunday, April 5,2015.
Sentro 1771 is located at 2/F, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City; with telephone numbers 757-3938 and 0917-8660449; Serendra Piazza, 11th Ave., Bonifacio Global City; with telephone numbers 856-0581 and 0917-8147794; and Capitol Commons, Shaw Blvd., Pasig City; with telephone number 941-8277.
EASTER EGG-TIVITIES
Hotel Jen Manila (formerly known as Traders Hotel Manila) offers exciting treats plus a playground of fun egg-tivities for the whole family on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.
From 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Easter Sunday, guests can enjoy an EGGstravagant lunch buffet at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Latitude, as it features not just a good spread of international dishes but also a wide selection of children’s all-time favorites.
Buffet prices are Php888 nett per person for adults and Php500 nett per person for kids aged 3 to 11, inclusive of fun-filled, action-packed Easter activities.
Such activities include Hotel Jen’s first ever Easter Cooking Activity highlighting make-your-own pizza, cookie decorating, Easter wrap and more with Executive Sous Chef Dirk Fiedler at the helm. Only the first 20 kids who sign up for this activity will be accommodated, as slots are limited.
There is also Easter Egg-hunting, which also includes other fun activities such as building a nest and egg painting, movie time, and face painting, with loot bags and other prizes to be given away.
Hotel Jen Manila is located along Roxas Blvd., Pasay City. For inquiries and reservations, call 795-8888 or email food&beverage.hjm@hoteljen.com.
ENCHANTED FOREST EASTER EVENT
Diamond Hotel Philippines embarks on a magical adventure on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015. The Ballroom transforms into an Enchanted Forest with every kid’s favorite fairytale characters, such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack, in attendance from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Kids are invited to come in their most enchanting costumes and revel in lots of fun games and amazing treats, with the Enchanted Easter game plan including face and egg painting, cupcake decorating, musical entertainment, mime show, glimmer tattoo, kid’s salon, loot bags, photo booth, a magic show and games. Kids who come in the best magical, fairy tale-inspired costumes get a chance to win additional prizes. There will also be awesome prices in the grand raffle, including a GoPro Hero4 Silver camera with accessories.
Ticket price for the Easter event is Php850 nett per person, inclusive of a take-home snack box. Diamond Indulgence members get Php100 off on the price, maximum of four tickets only, for purchase. For inquiries, call 528-3000 extension 8461.
But if your idea of good Easter fun and relaxation is a hotel stay, Diamond Hotel offers its Easter Room Package, which is available from March 30 to April 5, 2015. Stay in a Deluxe Room, inclusive of buffet breakfast for two, a 20% discount on massage at the Health Club and Spa, and one complimentary ticket per stay to the Easter event on April 5 for Php5,500. Stay a minimum of two nights to avail of the Php4,500 per night special rate, which includes breakfast for two for two days and one complimentary Enchanted Forest event ticket. For inquiries on rooms as well as reservations, call 528-3000 extension 1141.
Diamond Hotel Philippines is located at Roxas Blvd. corner Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila.
EASTER SPORTS CAMP
Put your game face on—and your best sports gear, too!—and join F1 Hotel Manila’s exciting Easter summer camp adventure at the hotel’s Infinity Ballroom on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Activities in store for young campers include Face Painting, Glitter Tattoo, Donut Decorating, Egg Painting, Kids Salon, Loot Bags, Balloon Twisting, Games, Complimentary Treats, plus the much-awaited traditional Easter Egg Hunt. Apart from the prizes that kids get when they unearth eggs in the Easter Egg Hunt, the camper with the best sports attire will also get a special prize.
F1 Hotel Manila’s Fort Suite
Living Area of F1 Hotel Manila’s Fort Suite
Tickets for the event are priced at Php899 nett per person, inclusive of a snack box, with kids aged 2 and below allowed to come in and participate free of charge. Adult companions and guardians are charged at full ticket price. For ticket reservations, call 928-8888.
F1 Hotel Manila also offers special Easter room packages for the whole family for Php5,999 nett per night, inclusive of an overnight stay in a City Suite with buffet breakfast fo two at F All Day Dining Restaurant and two complimentary tickets to the Easter Sports Camp. Offer is valid from March 28 to April 5, 2015.
For inquiries and reservations, call 928-8888.
F1 Hotel Manila is located at 32nd St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
CHEROKEE BARBECUE BUFFET
Known for its use of natively sourced ingredients and home-cooked meals, Native American Indian cuisine boasts of sumptuous courses with the perfect balance of simple flavors and savory tastes. This is what the Cherokee Easter Barbecue Lunch Buffet of Richmonde Hotel Manila’s Richmonde Café will showcase on Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015.
It’s time to celebrate, as Easter Sunday marks the end of the Lenten season, so Richmonde Café lays out a spread of classic, American-themed comfort chows such as Red Cabbage Coleslaw, Potato Salad, Nachos with Cheese, Baked Mac & Cheese, Baked Potato with Sour Cream, Bacon Bits and Chives, and Chili Con Carne.
Richmonde Hotel Ortigas’ Cherokee Easter Barbecue Lunch Buffet
Since Cherokees are known to be meat lovers, Richmonde Café’s flame-cooked options include Barbecue Chicken Wings, Pork Chop BBQ, Smoked Hickory Pork Spareribs BBQ and Jack Daniels Beef Ribs, plus the impressive Seafood Skewers, Southern Style Fried Chicken and Roast Prime Rib.
For the dessert that ends a perfect meal, Richmonde Café has assembled a sinfully delicious dessert lineup, which includes Chocolate Cheesecake, Banana Chocolate Tart, Apple Strudel and White Tiramisu Cake.
Fun Easter activities, such as Easter egg hunt, cupcake decorating, and arts and crafts, also await kids aged 6 and below who dine with their families at Richmonde Café on Easter Sunday.
The Cherokee Easter Barbecue Lunch Buffet is available on April 5, 2015, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., for Php899 nett. Children aged 6 to 12 pay only Php450 nett, while kids aged 5 and below get to eat for free.
Richmonde Hotel Ortigas is located at 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City. For inquiries or reservations, call 689-8419 or 638-7777 extension 3409.
Binagoongang Baboy-Damo at Kare-Kare forms part of XO46 Heritage Bistro’s Philippines on a Plate 10-course degustaćion dinner menu
TIME was when you could only take a tour of historical places to get a glimpse of important episodes in Philippine history. Now, you can also eat your way through Philippine history via Philippines on a Plate, a 10-course degustaćion offered by XO46 Heritage Bistro.
The couple behind XO46 Heritage Bistro, Sandee and Andrew Masigan, flanking good friend Oscar Bosch of Barcino. Barcino provides the wines paired with the 10 courses
The brainchild of restaurant owners Andrew and Sandee Masigan, who spent the past year researching on food that played a big role in the nation’s history, Philippines on a Plate highlights the sophistication and complexity of Philippine cuisine from its roots 30,000 years ago to the present. It forms part of the couple’s continuing efforts to promote Philippine cuisine and make people realize that it has its place among the best in the world. It’s an advocacy that started five years ago, when the doors of the very first XO46 restaurant were opened to the dining public. Its name alone speaks tons about the couple’s advocacy—“the Philippines became liberated from American rule in 1946, and that’s when we became an extraordinary nation.”
Philippines on a Plate showcases the wide array of racial, situational and international influences that helped shape Philippine history, and begins the series of degustaćions at XO46 that will allow people to discover the nuances and uniqueness of Philippine cuisine. Research done prior to putting together the degustaćion menu unearthed recipes that have almost been forgotten. Now, with Philippines on a Plate, they have been revived and will no longer be forgotten.
A Round-up of Our Food Heritage, from top left: Torta de Chorizo, Bihud Canapes, Pasag Yang Manok and Chinese Hakaw in Seafood Sauce
FIRST COURSE: A ROUND-UP OF OUR FOOD HERITAGE. The Philippines on a Plate 10-course degustaćion begins with a quartet of appetizers served on a long rectangular plate. It is lined with Torta de Chorizo (which is of Spanish influence), Bihud Canapes (presenting caviar from Philippine mackerel served on a mini puff pastry tart), Pasag Yang Manok (an endemic chicken dish to Zamboanga and showing Indonesian influences), and Chinese Hakaw in Seafood Sauce (lobster meat dumpling served with a rich seafood sauce).
Kinilaw Quadro, clockwise from top left: Kinilaw na Dilis, Kinilaw na Tangigue, Kinilaw na Kambing and Kinilaw na Tahong
SECOND COURSE: KINILAW QUADRO. Another quartet of appetizers, this time in cone-shaped containers served in a square glass bowl with ice, this course goes back to the earliest years in Philippine history when the average Filipino’s diet was made up of whatever was found in the seas and everything that roamed the landscape and cooked them with acid. The Kinilaw Quadro consists of Kinilaw na Dilis (Pacific anchovy cooked in tuba or alcohol from coconut wine), Kinilaw na Tangigue (cubes of Philippine mackerel cooked in citrus juice and sea salt), Kinilaw na Kambing (fresh goat meat mixed with turmeric, sugar and palm vinegar), and Kinilaw na Tahong (mussel meat with vinegar and coconut milk).
Inihaw na Kalabaw with Forest Salad
THIRD COURSE: INIHAW NA KALABAW. Our forefathers had fish and crustaceans from the sea making up majority of their daily sustenance, but their protein was also supplied by deer, wild boar, wild cat, iguanas, locusts and carabao. They used open pit roasting and coconut husk was used as a burning agent. Carabao meat can be tough and chewy, but if you hit the right cut, according to Andrew, it can be very good and succulent. This Inihaw na Kalabaw, or Flame-charred Carabao, is served with a Forest Salad, called so because it is made up of ingredients that you find in Philippine forests. It’s mango, coconut and green beans mixed together, with their own natural juices providing the dressing.
Sinigang na Lapu-Lapu sa Mangga with Fish Skin Chicharon
FOURTH COURSE: SINIGANG NA LAPU-LAPU SA MANGGA. Acid cooking endured 1,000 years of Philippines history, and this means sinigang, paksiw and kinilaw. This Sour Soup with Grouper, better known as Sinigang na Lapu-Lapu sa Mangga, has green mango as souring agent, although Filipinos also use guava, tamarind, siniguelas, dayap, santol and duhat as souring agents. This dish in the Philippines on a Plate menu is slow-cooked to extract the natural sourness of green mango, served with fish skin chicharon for crunch, and stylized to look as good as it tastes.
Pato Tim with Mushroom Vermicelli
FIFTH COURSE: PATO TIM. Talk about duck, and the Chinese influence on Filipino cuisine will immediately come to the fore. This Inadobong Pato Tim, or Soy Duck with Mushroom Vermicelli, signifies ties with the Chinese. China and the Philippines have had trade relations since 3200 B.C., and it was Chinese traders who taught Filipinos how to raise ducks and cook them. Sandee’s research reveals that there has been a state visit by a Filipino chieftain to China as early as 1406. This duck dish is served with vermicelli flavored with sesame oil, salt and shiitake mushrooms.
Binagoongang Baboy-Damo at Kare-Kare
SIXTH COURSE: BINAGOONGANG BABOY-DAMO AT KARE-KARE. It’s simply Wild Boar with Fermented Shrimps and Vegetables in Peanut Sauce, but the dish is actually a bit complex. The Kare-Kare, served in a small clay pot, is prepared the Malaysian rendang way; while the rice is wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf cone with bagoong, whose Malaysian version is called belachan, strips of wild boar and fish sauce using Malaysian ketupat cooking technique.
Ensalada de Mais
SEVENTH COURSE: ENSALADA DE MAIS. Now, this one, the Corn Mill Salad, is completely Mexican in nature. All the ingredients used in this dish—corn, tomatoes and onion—were originally grown in the Americas and made their way to other parts of the world, including the Philippines, through the Galleon Trade. So, what’s the Mexican connection to the Philippines in history?
“From 1521 to 1815, there has been only one true Spaniard who ruled the Philippines as governor. The rest were Mexicans. The journey to the Philippines took two years, and the term of a governor was only three years, so it was more practical for Spain to rule the Philippines by Nueva España, which was Mexico,” explains Andrew.
Bacalao Estofado y Arroz Saffron
EIGHTH COURSE: BACALAO ESTOFADO Y ARROZ SAFFRON. This Salted White Cod and Saffron Rice takes diners back to the Spanish era. According to Andrew, among the many positive and negative things that Spain’s influence had on the Philippines, it gave us a sense of nationhood, rule of law (with the Civil Law based on basic Spanish law), discipline of science-based medicine, and food. Almost every Filipino dish starts with sautéeing garlic, onion and tomatoes, then comes the protein, which is a very Spanish thing. This salted white cod fish, which is definitely associated with Spanish cuisine, is served with saffron rice, better known as paella.
Grilled Cheese with Spam
NINTH COURSE: GRILLED CHEESE WITH SPAM. America bought the Philippines from Spain for $50 million in a Buy One, Take Two deal that included Puerto Rico and Cuba. During its rule, which lasted until 1946, America gave the Philippines the concept of having three branches of government, the public school system which meant free education for all, and a love for canned food. Spam is one of them. So this course, which has a generous slice of Spam meat with melted grilled cheese covering it, served in a ciabatta sandwich with fried marble potatoes, is typical of what Filipinos loved to eat during the American period.
Sweet Potato Pie with Coconut Sauce
TENTH COURSE: SWEET POTATO PIE WITH COCONUT SAUCE. Through the years and despite all the foreign influences, Philippine cuisine has remained basically unchanged and resilient. On the contrary, dishes of foreign influences were Filipinized, and indigenous ingredients, such as camote or sweet potato, were used in recipes. The dessert in XO46’s Philippines on a Plate menu exemplifies this, as the slice of Sweet Potato Pie is bathed with coconut sauce and served with a scoop of mantecado ice cream. A fitting end to a hearty meal!
Launch of the Philippines on a Plate degustaćion dinner at XO46 Heritage Bistro in Capitol Commons
The three chefs–Ronnie Rosario, Tanya Dizon and Rustan–who prepared the 10-course meal during the launch
Chefs and staff of XO46 Heritage Bistro
The restaurant’s good-looking and solicitous wait staff
Diners can now enjoy the 10-course Philippines on a Plate degustaćion dinner at XO46 Heritage Bistro in Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City; Century Mall, also in Makati; and the recently opened Estancia Mall in Capitol Commons, Pasig City. There’s no minimum number of diners required, but prior reservations must be made. Prices for the degustaćion menu is Php3,200 for the 10-course meal per person and Php4,700 with wine pairings. And while Andrew and Sandee Masigan annotated each course as it was served during the launch dinner held at XO46 Heritage Bistro in Capitol Commons last March 10, 2015, for the regular service, annotation cards will be provided to diners to guide them along and help them better appreciate each course with its role in Philippine history.
“Through time, Filipino cuisine has kept its integrity and dynamism. It has been enriched based on everything we, as a people, have gone through. It is a reflection of who we are as a people. Now it’s time the world gets to be influenced by Filipino cuisine,” says Andrew.
He adds: “Each dish will tell you the story of our forefathers. The Philippines on a Plate degustaćion is a culinary journey that will take you back in time, an epoch in our history stretching back to the tribal times, all the way to the Spanish and American colonial periods. History never tasted better!”
(XO46 Heritage Bistro branches are located at Valero St., Salcedo Village, Makati City; with telephone numbers 553-6632 and 553-6635; Century City Mall, Makati City; with telephone number 556-8143; and Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons, Pasig City; with telephone number 532-1652.)
IT’S graduation time—so it’s time to treat our dear graduates to some gastronomic delights and weekend relaxation packages after a whole school year of information overload in school coupled with homework and projects! Here are some of the available graduation treats in the metro to help you plan your graduation surprise.
APPETIZER PLATTER FOR FREE!
Burgoo celebrates with the graduates of 2015 with a free Supreme Sampler. No minimum purchase needed. Just dine in any Burgoo restaurant—located at Tomas Morato, Squezon City; Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City; The Podium; Robinsons Galleria; SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City; Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City; The Block at SM City North EDSA; SM City Marikina; Fairview Terraces; The District Ayala Mall in Cavite; SM Southmall, Alabang; and Starmall, Taguig City—and present any proof of graduation, such as diploma or certificates, to get the free appetizer platter.
Burgoo’s Supreme Sampler appetizer platter which combines, clockwise from top left: Onion Rings, Cheddar Cheese Fries, Buffalo Wings, and Mozzarella Sticks
The sumptuous Supreme Sampler is a combination of Burgoo’s well-loved appetizers Buffalo Wings, Cheddar Cheese Fries, Mozzarella Sticks and Onion Rings.
For inquiries or reservations, call 927-7424, 898-1815, 687-5565, 726-4663, 913-6112, 556-0091, 633-6256, 442-0115 or 477-1932.
COMPLIMENTARY PIZZA
Gumbo salutes the graduates of 2015 by giving away free Pepperoni Pizza to graduates who dine with their respective families in any of Gumbo’s restaurants. To enjoy the free Pepperoni Pizza, groups of diners simply have to present any proof of graduation. No matter what the total amount of their bill is, they get a free Pepperoni Pizza.
This, they can enjoy with Gumbo’s other specialty dishes, such as Cajun Blackened Salmon, Barbecued Shrimps, Family Feast, Baked Artichoke Formaggio, Cream Dory with Mango Salsa, Seafood Jambalaya, Fish & Chips, Ultimate Seafood Feast, Halibut Pesto, delightful pizzas and pasta and must-try desserts.
Gumbo restaurants can be found at SM Mall of Asia’s Entertainment Hall, SM City North EDSA’s The Block, Robinsons Place Manila’s Midtown Wing, SM Megamall’s Atrium, Gateway Mall and Robinsons Magnolia. For inquiries and reservations, call 556-0238, 442-0106, 567-1820 or 635-3015.
GRADUATES EAT FOR FREE!
Got graduates in the house? This calls for a celebration, and what better way to celebrate this momentous event than with a sumptuous feast for the entire family. At the Eastwood Café of Eastwood Richmonde Hotel, there’s even a special treat for the graduate—he (or she) gets to eat for free when dining with at least four family members or friends availing of the restaurant’s lunch or dinner buffet at a regular rate of Php1,080 nett for weekdays and Php880 nett for weekends. Simply present any valid proof of graduation in 2015, such as diploma and graduation program, to enjoy the buffet, which boasts of a feast of Asian-inspired and Filipino dishes.
Eastwood Cafe offers sumptuous lunch and dinner buffets
This graduation offer is good until March 31, 2015, for lunch buffets from Monday to Sunday and for dinner buffets from Friday to Sunday. For inquiries or reservations, call 570-7777.
ROOM AND BUFFET OFFERINGS
Over at Crimson Hotel Filinvest City in Alabang, a grand feast and a splendid retreat await graduates this graduation season with the hotel’s special room and buffet offerings.
Available until April 30, 2015, the special Rewards of Success room package lets graduates stay in a Deluxe Room for Php5,800 net per night or in a Premier Room for Php6,800 net per night, inclusive of a bountiful buffet breakfast for two at Crimson’s Café Eight.
Crimson Hotel’s Executive Room
Crimson Hotel Filinvest City’s all-day dining restaurant, Cafe Eight
Graduates get the chance to unwind and celebrate with a choice of six bottles of beer or a standard five rounds of party drinks served with pica-pica at the Pool and Deck Bar.
Graduates who avail of Café Eight’s lunch buffet (Php1,125 per person), dinner buffet (Php1,375) or Sunday Brunch (Php1,600) with a minimum of four members of his or her family or friends are treated to a free graduation celebratory cake or a bottle of wine. All these buffet offerings feature a sumptuous buffet spread of delectable international cuisines.
To avail of the Rewards of Success room package or the graduation cake of bottle of wine when dining at Café Eight, graduates just have to present a valid school ID or graduation diploma. Prior reservation is encouraged, so, for inquiries and reservations, call 863-2222.
TWO DINING PACKAGES TO CHOOSE FROM
Graduates of 2015 can party with family friends over a lavish commemorative feast at Diamond Hotel Philippines, which offers two dining packages to choose from: Keeping It Simple and Making It Big and Memorable.
The Keeping It Simple package is a lunch or dinner buffet for four persons at Corniche or Kaiseki set lunch or dinner for four at Yurakuen, which comes with a free gift certificate for an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room for Php12,000 nett.
Priced at Php19,999 nett, the Making It Big and Memorable package offers a grander fete which lets the graduate delight in an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast for two, plus a choice of either a lunch or dinner buffet for eight persons at Corniche or Kaiseki lunch or dinner buffet for eight at Yurakuen.
Both the Keeping It Simple and Making It Big and Memorable graduation packages are available until the end of April 2015.
Graduates can also opt for a relaxing stay at Diamond Hotel with the Graduates Room Package priced at Php5,500 nett for an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room. Stay for two nights and the rate goes down to Php5,300 per night. This package includes breakfast buffet for two at Corniche, free Internet access for three hours in the room per stay, 20% off on massage and reflexology, 10% off on beverage at the Sky Lounge and Poolside Bar, use of Health Club and Spa facilities, use of the swimming pool, and free shuttle to the mall from Friday to Sunday. This room package is available until the end of March 2015.
Diamond Hotel also offers banquet packages for graduation parties. For inquiries or reservations, call 528-3000. Diamond Hotel is located at Roxas Blvd. corner Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila.
