Friday, April 29, 2016

5 Strategic Eating Tips in Marriott Cafe

1:19:00 PM 0 Comments
The newly revamped Marriott Cafe offers extensive choices on their different stations that will surely make any diner confused on what food to try so I'm listing down my tips on strategic eating at its buffet!

1. Have a warm bowl of soup.
Soup is light, nourishing and easily digestible. It's something which is very common for Asians like us that we take for granted. It is a starter that's easy to digest to relax your stomach before having all the must eat food that you will partake.

The Filipino station offers 2 types of hot soups that's literally hanging out for you!
You may request for Laksa from the noodle station that's amazingly creamy, spicy and flavorful with noodles, vegetables, shrimp, fish and clams.
Freshly made Mushroom Soup that brings alive childhood memories is also available. Don't forget to pair it with Garlic Bread and it will transport you instantly to your childhood!

2. Get some appetizers
Jumpstart your meal with sumptuous appetizers to further extend your eating capacity.

Aside from soup, the Filipino station also offers all-time Filipino street food favorites that is a lot cleaner than street food but with the same flavor so all you need is to just get it and enjoy!
Tokneneng (Deep fried quail eggs in orange batter)
Chicharong Bulaklak (Deep fried pork innards)
The Filipino classic appetizers are offered too!
Lato Salad (Sea Grapes Salad)
Tanigue Kinilaw
(Raw tanigue fish in vinegar with lots of ginger, onions and bell pepper)
Tokwa't Baboy
(Deep fried pork belly with tofu, tomatoes, onions, chili and bell pepper in soy sauce & vinegar mixture)
There is a Ham & Cheese station that offers really nice selections of ham and cheese. It would be perfect with a good glass of wine. Marriott Cafe offers wonderful wine selections so just ask the server if you'd like to pair your ham and cheese with it.
The Japanese station offers a wonderful sashimi selection with unique sushi creations that will let you salivate for more!
Tamasa Sushi
(Tamago, Asparagus, Raw Salmon on top of vinegared sushi rice)
(L-R) Salmon sashimi, futomaki, tamasa sushi, unagi sushi wrapped in nori and ebi tempura.
Only a few places offer Salmon Gravlax since the salmon for the gravlax must be very fresh so I was extremely excited when I saw it in the buffet selections! It was amazingly good so get it when you see it!
Salmon Gravlax
3. Go to the seafood station
Enjoy the sustainable seafood collection that promises all the seafood offered are fresh and sourced from local fishermen. Isn't that wonderful? You get to enjoy fresh seafood and help out the local fishermen as well! It's one of Marriott Hotel's CSR which I believe we must support. Aside from the reason that it helps local fishermen, it will also grow the country's fishing industry.
Clap, clap, clap!!! For yummy seafood and at the same time supporting the local industry.
(Top to bottom) Rock lobsters, mangrove clams, shrimps and oysters
There is also a prawn station where you can choose your own prawns and ask the chef to cook the prawn the way you like it! I asked the chef what was his most difficult request and he said that it's prawns thermidor. Anyway, if you have nothing in mind, there are sauces in front of the fresh prawns for you to choose from to make your choices easier.
I had prawns in herb butter with lemon sauce.
4. Time to hit the main course!
For Muslims, there is a Halal station to make sure what you're eating is ok!
I actually found some good choices at the Halal Station.
The Pan Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Dill Sauce has very crispy skin and soft melt in your mouth meat that has a note of lemon.
The Beef Goulash has a very strong flavor but the meat is soft and tender.
Pan fried sea bass with lemon dill sauce
Beef Goulash
Pasta lovers can head over to the pasta station and let the chef prepare a special pasta dish for you! If you have an idea with what you want, just say it and it will come alive!
The pasta station
Japanese assorted tempura are made fresh in the Japanese station. They cook the tempura in small batches to make sure that it's still hot when guests get it.
My favorite part in Marriott Cafe is their US Prime Ribeye Steak where you can have the steak cut thinly or thickly (depending on your preference), have it grill according to the doneness you like. There are also sauces for you to choose from to smother your steak with. In a lot of buffet, the steak is usually the worse part of the buffet but hats off to Marriott Cafe because their steak is juicy, flavorful and really really soft! I heard that the steak being served is the same type of steak they serve in Cru Steakhouse (the steakhouse of Marriott Hotel Manila)! It's amazing!
Look at that piece of beauty!
My plate.
(L-R) Chicken roulade, medium steak with horseradish & mustard on the side, pan fried sea bass with lemon dill sauce, tiger prawn with cilantro pesto sauce and salmon gravlax with dill mustard sauce, capers and applesauce on the side. 
5. Unwind with dessert
Must I say it's the best part of any meal? I suggest before having all the pastries, ice cream and other sweets, to eat the fresh fruits first. That way, you can still taste the sweetness of the fruits. It also washes the palate to prepare you for all the heavenly sweetness your tongue wants to taste!
The wide array of fruit selections: kiwi, pineapple, caimito, orange, red apples, green apples and dragon fruit.
Gelato
Gelato toppings and syrups
I love that they have sugar free gelato and cakes for those who would like to cut down on sweets which I think is very considerate of them.
Sugar free mango cheesecake
Their halo-halo station also looks very exciting! Almost all the ingredients are in the mason jar, all you need is to put crushed ice, request for your choice of gelato on top, add milk and syrup according to your liking.
There is also a crepe station where you get to choose on how you want your crepe to be: plain, with fruits, sweet or savory!
My dessert choices.
(L-R) Orange, kiwi, chocolate cake, sugar free cheesecake, chocolate creme brulee and mango sans rival.
If I have made your mouth salivate with all these yummy goodness, I have good news for you! Marriott Cafe is selling buffet coupons for PhP1,100 nett that can be used for lunch or dinner at any day until June 2016! The buffet coupons can be used for your life's celebrations except on Mothers' Day and Fathers' Day. What a good catch, right? So call (632)998-9990 for inquiries or reservations.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Treat Your Body at Vibe Cafe

12:48:00 PM 0 Comments
Healthy food doesn't have to come in all greens, scary looking and gross. It can be presented in a colorful, cozy and vibrant manner!



This funky and very Instagrammable cafe is ViBE Cafe! Located beside Life Yoga and owned by the same company, the makers of ViBE Cafe just shows how these guys are into health and wellness of their clients. Those who works out in Life Yoga can easily access the cafe to grab a bite after working out. Even if you do not go to Life Yoga to work out, you can still go in ViBE Cafe to eat healthy and feel better after a sumptuous meal!
Look at that amazing mix of people: regular people eating healthy + those who have finished working out and are just hanging there.
Before presenting the food, I'd like to focus on this cute yoga cards for kids that they're selling! Isn't it neat? Makes me want to try out yoga too!
The cafe offers a wide range of drinks from your regular cup of joe to the fancy mixes of healthy juice drinks that are limited and get sold out fast!
These healthy juice drinks are the following mixes:
Agent Orange - Carrot, dalandan, orange, ginger, cayenne, Fuji apple
Green Light - Cucumber, pineapple, coconut juice, lime
Black Magic - Activated charcoal, lemon, honey, herbs
Just Beet It - Carrot, beet root, Fuji apple, cucumber, lemon, red cabbage
All these are preservative free and done fresh in batches. May I just repeat that these get sold out easily?
Crispy and very healthy Kale Chips are also sold here! If you love potato chips or any junk food, this is one bag of chips that is not junk but really good for your body! Yummy, salty and crunchy - what more can you ask for?
Upon seeing that the pesto in ViBE Cafe is Malunggay Basil Pesto, as a breastfeeding mom, I couldn't resist to order Caprese Me Happy to make this breastfeeding momma and my baby happy! Caprese Me Happy is made of Buffalo mozzarella, malunggay basil pesto, salsa and balsamic vinegar. It is served with a side salad and is quite filling for a meal. The serving of the sandwich and side salad is amazingly generous! I love how the malunggay basil pesto is so rich in flavor and magically blends with the melted Buffalo mozzarella cheese to give this dreamy taste of a good sandwich which I think every breastfeeding momma will love!
I also ordered Say You, Sesame which is composed of chicken, mushroom soy, roasted sesame and brown rice since I thought the sandwich won't be filling but it already was. The rice meal is quite aromatic - cooked in sesame oil and the chicken was drizzled with ginger sauce.
If you're working in the BGC area and would like to start a healthy lifestyle or eat something healthy during lunch to treat your body right, you can come over this place. Healthy food with a budget friendly price in a pretty relaxed ambiance cafe!

ViBE Cafe is located at 2/F Eight Forbestown Center, BGC and is open from 10am - 10pm daily. It also offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals. Just tell the server if you like these options! For orders or seat reservations, you may call them at 886-7500. To know more about ViBE Cafe, follow them on Instagram @vibe.cafe or Facebook Vibe.cafeatLiFE.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Bespoke Meals by Chef Eric Weidmann

9:24:00 PM 2 Comments
Sage Bespoke Grill presents a new a la carte menu of innovative dishes by its new Chef de Cuisine Eric Weidmann. The menu is available for lunch & dinner.

It's actually my first time at Sage Bespoke Grill so I was in awe with how tasteful the interiors are. I loved the lights whose fibers can be seen. I'm not sure what these lightbulbs are called but looking at them awakens the senses that something exciting is coming up!

For starters, we were served personal size warm baguettes that is very crispy on the outside but easy to bite and soft in the inside with butter, tapenade and marinara spreads.

Appetizers

Ceviche Scallops
Thinly sliced scallops that has the enough firmness texture in every bite smothered in lemon juice and basil oil with sundried tomato, capers and pine nuts. This is quite a treat! It signals a start of a good meal that is to come!

Waffle
Smoked salmon, boiled quail egg, basil oil, onions, tobiko and spring onions on top of a warm & soft Belgian waffle. I love how the components mixed well together. It's salty and sweet in every bite. My personal recommendation: Request for maple syrup, put a little drizzle on top, it's fantastic!

Josper Appetizers
Appetizers that was cooked in a Josper Grill. According to Chef Eric, the Josper Grill is quite difficult to handle but gives food that cooked in it a whole new bold flavor. The grill has a higher temperature which makes grilling fast but preserves more flavor than the regular grill.

Grilled Bacon
Bacon slab smothered with garlic, parsley, red vinaigrette, lemon, onion and sun-dried tomato. The sourness of the toppings, complemented the soft and smokey taste of the pork!

Bone Marrow

The bone marrow is cooked 3 ways. The top bone marrow has bread crumbs that gives it an extra crunch, the left bone marrow is cooked in green peppercorn sauce and the right one is good old plain bone marrow. I'm not a fan of bone marrow but I was brave enough to try this. I would say that I loved the bone marrow cooked in green peppercorn mixed with the green salad on the side. The bone marrow gives an aromatic beef taste which complements the greens! Sinful yet it's a must-try!

Salad

Iceberg Lettuce Salad
This is my first time to be served salad as raw looking as this. The iceberg lettuce is chopped but not disassembled and topped with sour cream, bacon bits, blue cheese, tomatoes, onions, spring onions and candied nuts. I love how it looks so organized and easy to cut (and eat too!). The dressing just goes through all the space between the leaves making each leaf flavorful.

Chef's Specials

Pork Short Ribs
Glazed Iberico pork short ribs that's full of flavor, fall of the bone meat which melts in your mouth. You'll definitely forget your name when eating this. It's just rib perfection!

Lobster Roll
My love for seafood has made me look forward for this dish during our lunch! As described in the menu, it's made with Boston lobster, celery, mayonnaise and topped with spring onions. The lobster is cooked perfectly soft & chewy at the same time blended in a sweet and salty sauce that's put in sweet bread. The best part of this dish is the bread which is soft with a clean bite (no crumbs!) but toasted just right and very absorbent with the sauce from the lobster! A very well thought combination! No doubt, this has become my favorite dish served! Will definitely come back to have this as a snack!

Josper Grill Specials

Australian Wagyu
Chateaubriand steak served with grilled garlic and gravy. It's my personal preference not to put gravy on steak. I like it by itself with salt and pepper to be able to taste the flavor of the meat. Since this is the tenderloin part, it is very soft but needs a little garlic spread to give it a bit of flavor.

US Certified Angus Beef
A bone-in ribeye steak! Also known as the small tomahawk. Has a little fat marbling that gives the steak its rich flavor! The steak is also served with gravy and grilled garlic but I did not use them. The steak itself with a little salt and pepper is good already.

Dry Aged Beef
Aged bone-in striploin steak. For me, this is the best out of the 3 steaks that were served! Even though it's served with gravy and garlic, there's no need for these since the meat is already very much flavorful from the aging process. The meat melts in your mouth that makes chewing effortlessly. Surprisingly light but very filling!


Signature Side Dishes
These are the side dishes that comes with every order of steak. Please note that the side dishes below are big for photo purposes. They're really served in personal portions just enough for one serving.

Bourbon Creamed Corn
Sweet, creamy and juicy yellow corn kernels that relaxes the tongue after a bite of stimulating steak!

Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Peas
A different twist of the usual comfort food. The burnt parmesan cheese on top is actually the best part of this dish! It gives the pasta a salty, cheesy and smokey flavor with a little crunch!

Pan-roasted Vegetables from The Market
The natural crunch and flavor of the vegetables are well preserved! Surprisingly, this is my top pick for side dishes! I hate carrots but ate the carrots here because they're cute! (Yes, it's true! Haha!) I was put into a gastronomic treat by the crunch and sweetness of the carrots! If I can have this daily, I will!

Twice Baked Potato with Bacon and Spring Onions
I was so full that I almost skipped this until my friend said that it's so good that it brings you to potato heaven! What, potato heaven?! I had a spoonful of this baked potato that has a smooth mashed potato texture with cheese and a touch of sour cream. Voila! It's an explosion of potato goodness! I regret a bit that I didn't get to eat this first and got full with the other food servings. Definitely in the must eat in Sage list!

Desserts
Best part of any good meal! Agree?

Traditional Warm Tarte Tatin
Classic apple turnover with vanilla ice cream! It tastes as good as it looks. Must eat this right away if you don't want your ice cream to melt. A hot and cold treat to end a wonderful meal!

Chocolate Sphere
It's a show and meal in one! My favorite out of all the desserts! Pour in hot chocolate over chocolate over chocolate!
See what I mean? Yummy goodness of chocolate in all levels!

Caramelized Pineapple Crumble
Pineapple crumble flavored with star anise and vanilla ice cream on a side! When I saw that this dish is flavored with star anise, I was really interested on how it'll taste like! My mom usually puts star anise on meat dishes but with something sweet, I was keen on how it'll be. Apparently, it's very good. The star anise covered the acidity of the pineapple and boosted its sweet taste. Good pairing!

Meet Chef Eric Weidmann, the one responsible for all these dishes to create a bespoke meal! He is French but born in Spain with a last name sounding like German Weidmann (pronounced as Veidmann). Chef Eric said that he started cooking at age 7 and has never stopped cooking ever since!
Joyfullyurs with Chef Eric Weidmann
All the glorious food featured above was personally hand crafted by Chef Eric. Come and visit Sage Bespoke Grill located at Level 2, Makati Shangri-La, Manila to have a taste on any of these dishes!
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