buffet – Jellybeans in the City

Celebrating in style at Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico

As a true-blue foodie, celebrating my natal day somewhere with good food and good vibes is a must.

So to commemorate my 46th trip around the sun, I took the fam to dinner at one of the metro’s most celebrated buffet restaurants: Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico.

It’s not actually my family’s first time at this establishment. Over the years, together with our extended family, we have celebrated several special occasions at Guevarra’s, from birthdays to graduations and balikbayan visits.

Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico — Guevarra’s in 2014

Vintage ambiance with an old-world charm

The place itself would strongly appeal to aesthetes, given its quaint vintage-inspired architecture and decor. Situated in a house built in the 1920s, the restaurant still retains much of the place’s old-world charm from its sprawling courtyard, imposing stairway and the intricate woodwork and chandeliers in the main dining hall.

Decorating the walls are pictures commemorating the restaurant’s namesake: Pedro Guevarra, a Filipino soldier, lawyer and legislator who became Resident Commissioner of the Philippines during the American Occupation. During his term as resident commissioner, he worked tirelessly for the approval of the Tydings-McDuffie Act which paved the way for the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth and its eventual independence from the US.

Also adorning the walls are plates signed by local celebrities which serve as their testimonials to their superb dining experiences at Guevarra’s.

Filipino buffet menu well-suited to celebrations

Chef Rolando Laudico is known for his modern take on classic Filipino dishes, and Guevarra’s menu reflects that. Its expansive array includes well-loved classics in Pinoy cuisine as well as hearty and tasty dishes from international cuisines.

Appetizers.

Breads, Rice and Pastas.

Mains, Grills and Carvings.

Desserts.

Budget-friendly celebrations

Despite its elegant setting and delicious food, Guevarra’s is surprisingly affordable. You can enjoy a sumptuous feast without breaking the bank with these buffet rates:

Regular Buffet: Php759 net (Seniors and PWDs at Php542.14)
Weekend Breakfast: P559 net (Seniors and PWDs at P399.29)

Guevarra’s by Chef Laudico is located at 387 P. Guevarra Street corner Argonne Street, Barangay Addition Hills, San Juan. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 870 1811, +63 2 87051874 or +63 917 3112222, or reserve online.

Buffet schedules are:

Lunch 11:00am – 2:00pm
Late Lunch 2:30pm – 4:30pm (weekends only)
Maagang Salu Salo 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Dinner 7:30pm -10:00pm
Weekend Late Lunch 2:30PM to 4:30PM
Weekend Breakfast 7:30AM to 10AM

Some reminders:

Pets are not allowed (sorry, leave your furry friends at home).
Guests are required to wear face masks at the Buffet Area.
Parking spaces are on a first come, first serve basis. Parking along Mabuhay Lane is prohibited.

Experience the joy of Chinese Hotpot at Champion Hotpot in Santolan Town Plaza

Chinese hotpot is a popular dining option that has been gaining popularity in recent years. This interactive and healthy cuisine allows diners to cook their own food in a hot pot, choosing from a variety of meats, seafood, vegetables, and noodles. It’s no wonder that Chinese hotpot is quickly becoming a favorite among foodies around the world.

If you’re looking for the ideal place to dine and experience hotpot shabu-shabu, look no further than Champion Hotpot in Santolan Town Plaza. One of the concepts under the Tasteless Food Group, this restaurant is known for its high-quality ingredients and impeccable service, providing diners with a memorable and satisfying meal served through a combination of Chinese hotpot and Mongolian buffet. From the wide range of meats and seafood to the delicious broths and sauces, Champion Hotpot offers everything you need to create your own unique and delicious meal.

Simply choose the broth you would like to for your hotpot (I would recommend Champion Hotpot’s newest creamy and flavorful Tonkotsu Broth). Then choose your fill from a wide array of meat (beef, pork and chicken), Champion Hotpot balls, Victory veggies and Slammin’ salad. You can also get unlimited refills of cooked food, drinks and desserts.

Drop by the Mongolian Station to fashion your own Mongolian knockout bowl by selecting ingredients and having them stir-fried together and assembled in a bowl by the chef.

Whether you’re a seasoned hotpot enthusiast or new to this kind of cuisine, Champion Hotpot is the perfect place to enjoy a satisfying and delicious meal. Here are five reasons why:

1. Interactive dining experience

You get to cook your own food in a hot pot, allowing you to choose the ingredients you want and to cook them to your liking, which can be a fun and engaging experience.

2. Wide variety of ingredients

Since you can choose from a wide range of meats, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and sauces, you get to mix and match different flavors and textures to create a unique and personalized meal.

3. Healthy dining option

Chinese hotpot and Mongolian bowls are both considered healthy dining options because both use little oil or fat in cooking. Additionally, you can choose to add more vegetables and lean proteins to your meal, which can increase its nutritional value.

4. Social dining experience

Dining at a hotpot shabu-shabu restaurant can also be a social experience. As you and your companions are seated around a communal table, you get to share food and have conversations with your friends and family.

5. Delicious and satisfying meal

Whether you’re in the mood for meat, seafood, or vegetables, there is something for everyone at Champion Hotpot. And because you get to cook your own food, you can ensure that it is cooked to your liking and is perfectly delicious.

Dining at Champion Hotpot in Santolan Town Plaza is a unique and enjoyable experience that offers a wide variety of ingredients to suit your preferences, healthy options, and a social dining experience. This cuisine allows you to personalize your meals, cook your own food and enjoy a range of flavors and textures.

So why not try hotpot shabu-shabu at Champion Hotpot today? Whether you’re a hotpot enthusiast or new to this cuisine, Champion Hotpot is the perfect place to enjoy a satisfying and delicious meal that is sure to leave you wanting to come back and experience it all over again.

Get your knockout hotpot experience today. Check out Champion Hotpot’s updated rates below

Hall of Fame Champs (Adults):

Weekday Lunch (Monday to Thursday) (Php788). Unlimited hotpot, cooked food, drinks and desserts.
Unlimited Mongolian Knockout Bowl for Lunch (Php450). 90 minutes of unlimited Mongolian bowls and drinks.
Weekday Dinner, Weekend (Fridays to Sundays), Holidays (Php988). 90 minutes of unlimited hotpot (including fresh seafood), Mongolian Knockout Bowl, cooked food, sushi, sushi, tempura, drinks, beer and desserts.

Young Champs (Kids):

below 3 feet: FREE
3 feet to 4 feet: Weekday Lunch at Php288 | Weekday Dinner, Weekend and Holidays at Php388
4 feet or taller: Weekday Lunch at Php488 | Weekday Dinner, Weekend and Holidays at Php688

Note: Be sure to only get what you can consume. Leftovers are charged Php100 per 100grams.

Champion Hotpot is located at Ground Floor, Santolan Town Plaza, Col. Bonny Serrano Avenue, Little Baguio, San Juan, open daily from 11.30am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, contact +63 917 703 4517.

Champion Hotpot also delivers hotpot kits via the Tasteless Food Group’s website.

To stay updated on its menu and offers, follow Champion Hotpot on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: I attended a food tasting held at this restaurant wherein food items were served for free to facilitate this feature.

Experience the ultimate Japanese feast with Ogetsu Hime’s Oget All You Can Promo at SM Megamall

Feel up to filling up on tasty Japanese food? Well, you need to hie yourself over to Ogetsu Hime then!

Whether it’s for a special occasion or a regular family dinner, Ogetsu Hime’s exquisite dishes, excellent service, and welcoming atmosphere make it a perfect dining destination for families looking to bond over delicious food.

Thanks to its Oget All You Can Buffet, Japanese food lovers can fully sate their craving for just Php1,288.

This jampacked all-you-can-eat menu includes US Angus Tenderloin and US Angus Rib Eye expertly cooked by the chef on the teppanyaki grill in small batches to ensure freshness and flavor.

The buffet also includes premium sushi made using the freshest seafood and are prepared by skilled chefs right in front of the customers. The rolls come in a variety of flavors, from classic tuna and salmon to more unique combinations.

It also includes different variants of the ever-popular crunchy and flavorful tempura (buffet lovers simply could not get enough of this!), together with 130 Japanese food specialties and free-flowing drinks.

With so many food choices, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and feel like you’re not making the most of the dishes laid out. Well, here are ways to fully enjoy Ogetsu Hime’s Oget-All-You- Can Buffet:

Come hungry. The buffet offers unlimited servings of sushi, sashimi, rolls, and other Japanese specialties. It’s best to come hungry and ready to eat to get the most out of the promo.
Come with a group. The buffetis ideal for groups, as it offers a wide variety of dishes that everyone can enjoy. The more people in your group, the more dishes you can try, and the more enjoyable the experience will be.
Try everything. The buffet includes a wide variety of dishes, including sushi, sashimi, tempura, teppanyaki, and sukiyaki. Try different combinations and flavors to fully enjoy the experience.

Order in small portions. To ensure that the food is fresh and of high quality, customers are encouraged to order only what they can consume at a time. In fact, some of the buffet items are not laid out on the buffet table and are available for ordering in small batches, especially if they are best enjoyed freshly cooked. You can always order more as you finish their dishes, ensuring that the food is always fresh.
Don’t waste food. While the buffet offers unlimited servings, it’s essential to avoid food waste. Order only what you can consume and avoid ordering more than you can eat. Be mindful of the environment and the restaurant’s efforts to reduce food waste.

Come early. The buffet offer is quite popular and the restaurant tends to get crowded, especially during weekends and holidays. It’s best to come early to avoid the crowds and enjoy the food and ambiance in a more relaxed setting.
Take advantage of promos for more savings. You can save on a few bucks by taking advantage of offers such as Kids Eat FREE (for kids 4’6″ in height or below accompanied by two full-paying adults) and FREE Birthday Buffet (for birthday celebrants accompanied by two paying adults dining in on the exact day of their birthday, three days before and three days after).

With these tips, you have no reason to hesitate to take the fam on a Japanese food trip at Ogetsu Hime!

This Ogetsu Hime branch is located at Level 3, Mega Fashion Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 86377510 or +63 917 5762377.

Another branch is located at Level 5, Sky Park, SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 85199840, +63 2 85199740 or +63 917 8096585.

Stay updated on its promos and offers by following Ogetsu Hime on Facebook and Instagram.

3 reasons to go on a family food trip at DADS World Buffet, SM Megamall

It’s so nice to finally be able to eat out, right?

During the height of the pandemic, community quarantine restrictions specifically prohibit buffet-type setups due to the difficulty in maintaining physical distancing, especially as diners tend to congregate in various food stations to fill their plates.

Nowadays, however, all-you-can-eat buffets are making their comeback. One of these eateries is DADS World Buffet.

Having been around for over thirty years, DADS was among the first dining establishments to make buffet dining popular and accessible to more Filipinos.

Growing up in the 90s, I recall that most of my family’s celebrations such as birthdays, reunions and more were held at DADS. Its a great way to ensure that everyone can eat their fill of their preferred menu items, while keeping to a budget. DADS’ group and birthday promos also came in handy to this end.

Fast forward to today, I can say the DADS has not lost its appeal. In fact, I can cite three reasons why the family’s food trip should be held at DADS World Buffet.

1. It’s easily accessible.

Located in SM Megamall, DADS World Buffet is a short ride from most parts of the metro (not counting traffic, that is!). Also, anyone who’s organized a family party know that half the battle is getting the people to the venue. Since this restaurant is situated in one of the city’s most popular malls, getting lost along the way won’t be a problem.

2. It offers a world of culinary choices.

DADS World Buffet brings together celebrated dishes from all over the world, including local favorites. These include:

Philippines. A delectable curation of Kamayan’s roster of heritage dishes.
Asia. Includes dishes from Chine, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand
The Mediterranean. An epicure’s dream which includes dishes from Spain, Italy and Greece
The Americas. From hearty all-American viands from the United States to South American favorites from Mexico and Brazil.

Personally, the sheer magnitude of food choices available at DADS World Buffet have the added benefit of eliminating food envy. That’s the feeling of looking over to what other people are eating and wishing that you ordered the same. At DADS, you can easily load your plate with whatever catches your fancy.

3. Its promos will give you more bang for your buffet buck.

Walk-ins are charged P958/person but you can enjoy savings when you dine at DADS World Buffet by taking advantage of these offers:

Fully Vaxxed Reservation Promo: Php758/person Mondays to Thursdays | Php858 Fridays to Sundays and Holidays
Birthday Promo: birthday celebrants eats for free if accompanied by two adults at Php958/person
Group of 10 Promo: for every group of ten, one eats for free while the other nine are charged at Php958/person

Kids also enjoy discounted buffet rates at DADS:

0 to 3 feet: FREE
3 feet to 4 feetL Php330
4 feet to 4’6″: Php380

Senior citizens are also charged the discounted price of Php684.29/person.

Note: These promo prices require no leftovers. Leftovers are charged Php200.

So go ahead and take a journey of culinary discovery at DADS World Buffet!

This DADS World Buffet branch is located in the Fourth Floor Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Epifanio de los Santos Ave, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 3pm and 4pm to 8pm and Fridays to Sunday from 11am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 86363785, +63 2 86331758 or +63 917 8961757.

Another branch is located at 523 Merchant Building Padre Faura Street corner Adriatico Street, Ermita, Maynila. (Tel: 63 2 85281724 or +63 917 8971722).

DADS also collaborates with Saisaki, Sambo Kojin at Kamayan, featuring over eighty dishes at 15 West Avenue, Quezon City (Tel: +63 2 89212873 or +63 917 8988844).

To know more about its promos and offers, follow DADS World Buffet on Facebook and Instagram.

Top of the Morning weekend breakfast buffet at Timberland Highlands Resort’s Ridge Cafe

Weekends are for leisure and enjoyment, do you agree? That should certainly include your breakfast.

Weekend breakfasts provide you with the opportunity to take things slow – in contrast to the mad rush during workday mornings – and spend time with your loved ones.

At Ridge Cafe in Timberland Highlands Resort, you can do that and more!

Ridge Cafe is one of the resort’s dining venues which boasts of well-appointed interiors, definitely an elegant venue to enjoy a show-stopping meal.

It also has an al fresco dining area where diners can enjoy the crisp and clean mountain air as well as the magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and the Metro Manila cityscape.

Aside from its usual menu of Filipino and international dishes available ala carte, Ridge Cafe also serves a sumptuous buffet on Saturday and Sunday mornings, dubbed as the Top of the Morning buffet.

Curious as to what you can look forward to at this weekend buffet spread? Check these out:

Imagine waking up to your true-blue almusal faves: the silogs! Pair your choice from viands such as Corned Beef with Potatoes, Tocino, Longganisa and Tocino, with Garlic Fried Rice and your choice or fried eggs from the Egg Station.

Want to break your fast with something wholesome and healthy? You can opt for locally-grown fresh produce for salads or fruit desserts.

If you prefer baked goods for your first meal of the day, then you can have your fill from a woundrous variety of freshly baked breads and pastries. These include four types of pan de sal (regular, ube, cacao and malunggay), cinnamon and fruit Danish, as well as various jams, cheeses and butter to spread on them.

There’s something for the kiddos as well, thanks to continental breakfast choices such as cereals, chicken nuggets and breakfast sausages. You might as well let them indulge in sweet treats that include mini pancakes (with syrup!) and cookies.

Of course, the best part about having so many choices available in the buffet spreas is that you can pick and choose your favorites or explore a totally new cuisine for a weekend breakfast experience that you assembled for yourself.

Whether you’re on your first breakfast buffet at Ridge Cafe, or on your umpteenth visit, you can count on a delicious meal that you can savor with your nears-and-dears.

Top of the Morning breakfast spread is priced at Php650 per person, and is served at Ridge Cafe from 7am to 10am on weekends.

To reserve a table, email timberlandfbm@timberlandresort.com or message 0999-889-2659 | 0995-840-3206 | 8891-8288 local 1030 and 1032.

Ridge Cafe is located at Timberland Highlands Resort, inside Timberland Heights, Barangay Guitnang Bayan II, San Mateo, Rizal 1850 Philippines.

Book your room via Klook today to enjoy great savings!

#ItsAnIllosThing: Buffet Weekends at Illo’s Home, Greenhills

During the past two years which saw the world reeling from the pandemic crisis, celebrations at home offered a few, much-needed bright spots for Pinoys.

These occasions modestly spent with family and a few close friends gave us a look back into what our pre-pandemic lives used to be and a promise of what we can look forward to once this crisis is behind us.

For many of us, Illo’s Party Trays were a great part of these home celebrations during quarantine. Founded by food connoisseurs Chef N and Anne Rovillos in December 2019, this venture showcased the possibilities that good food presents to people who are stuck at home for celebrations.

Guided by its principle of families dining at home as they celebrate life everyday, Illo’s Party Trays launched its “Dine at Home,” “Celebrate at Home,” and “Date at Home” concepts.

These feature great-tasting, hotel-quality food delivered by Illo’s own fleet from its cloud kitchens and commissaries to anywhere in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Antipolo, Cavite, Laguna, Tagaytay, Batangas and some parts of Pampanga and Quezon, enabling people to have the means for merry-making with their nears-and-dears in the safety of home.

Illo’s Party Trays’ novel concepts generated social media buzz which further drove this food delivery service to remarkable growth.

With the pandemic slowly but surely easing its hold on the country, and with more urbanites looking for reasons to go out for their celebrations, Illo’s now offers venues where they can enjoy a superb dine-in experience: Illo’s Home.

The first of these restaurants opened in BF Homes Paranaque in February 2022, bringing an excellent selection of local and international cuisines to its dining public.

The second outlet of Illo‘s Home opened a month later at Greenhills Elan Hotel, where diners can enjoy the same menu of scrumptious fare that Illo’s has become known for in a homey yet decidedly posh setting, which include walls with cascading water feature and displays of paintings by local artists.

To add one more reason for the metro‘s foodies to venture out of their homes and dine out, Illo’s Home hosts Weekend All-Day Buffet at its Greenhills branch.

Here, foodies can enjoy a delicious all-you-can-eat spread of appetizers, entrees and desserts for just Php1,200++ per person. These include crowd favorites from Illo’s Party Trays such as: Crispy Binagoongan, Paella Valenciana, Paella Negra, Seafood Paella, Baked Penne, Baked Salmon, Beef Kare-Kare and Roast Beef.

So treat yourself and your loved ones to a memorable celebration of food and life at Illo’s Home Greenhills. You will discover that the moment you spend with great food and great company, is, well, an Illo’s thing.

Illo‘s Home Greenhills is located at the Upper Ground Floor, Greenhills Elan Hotel, 49 Annapolis Street, Greenhills, San Juan. All-Day Buffet is served during weekends: lunch from 10am to 2pm and dinner from 5pm to 9pm.

Book your table by calling these numbers:

0969 230 0735 – Dan
0956 508 7588- Mau
0947 594 4117 -Alex

To stay updated on Illo’s Home’s offers, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

To order from Illo’s Party Trays, visit its website or call 02 8522 9268. For more details, follow it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Tiktok.

Disclosure: I attended an Influencer Event held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were not paid for by the attendees.

Treat mom to Manila Ocean Park’s Under the SEAfood Buffet for an advanced Mother’s Day celebration

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I’m sure we’re all looking for ways to make it a day to remember for our moms.

The most important women in our lives deserve nothing but the very best on their special day, right?

The traffic jams during the mad scramble for our go-to restaurant haunts on May 8 will also stress our mamas out.

So why don’t we treat our moms to a truly memorable time at Manila Ocean Park the day before Mother’s Day?

On May 7, from 4pm to 9pm, with Manila Ocean Park’s Under the SEAfood Buffet (Php2,299/adult | Php1,839/kids 11 years old or younger), our moms and our loving families can look forward to:

A Scrumptious and Sustainable Seafood Dinner.

The whole fam can feast on the sea’s bounty with a delicious buffet spread laden with classic faves and fresh takes on Philippine and Asian seafood dishes as well as local produce, all ably catered by Hotel H2O’s Makan Makan Asian Food Village.

A Tour of the Park’s Well-Loved Attractions

Awaiting the family’s enjoyment – both the young and the young-heart – are six of the park’s educational and interactive attractions. From a trip into the watery depths at the Oceanarium and Jellies Exhibit, a sojourn to Antarctica for the Penguin Exhibit and the Christmas Village, to the playful forays into the Super Toy Collection and World of Creepy Crawlies, there’s something to catch everyone’s fancy.

Manila Ocean Park Reopening — Christmas Village

Meet and Greet with Manila Ocean Park’s Mermaid

Let’s make our moms’ fairytale fantasies come true with an encounter with Manila Ocean Park’s mesmerizing and magical mermaid.

Plus, our moms also get their very own special flower souvenir from Manila Ocean Park to commemorate their special day.

A pre-Mother’s Day celebration at Manila Ocean Park is a great way to trear our mamas to new and exciting experiences while showing them our love and appreciation.

So what are you waiting for?

Set up your family’s advanced Mother’s Day celebration at Manila Ocean Park today. Book your tickets here.

Do take note of these details:

Event will be held on May 7, 2022 from 4pm to 9pm at the Oceanarium Area.
Registration starts at 3pm.
Tour of attractions starts at 4pm and ends at 6pm.
Dinner buffet will be served from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Children below 2 feet are free of charge.

Manila Ocean Park is located behind the Quirino Grandstand, Luneta, Roxas Boulevard, Manila. Book your tickets for your Manila Ocean Park visit via Klook.

For more news and updates on its attractions and offers, follow Manila Ocean Park on Facebook and Instagram.

Check out my previous posts about Manila Ocean Park:

Manila Ocean Park's Francis Low — Profile: Manila Ocean Park’s Francis Low

Photo Credits: Images of the Seafood Buffet and Mermaid were taken from Manila Ocean Park’s Facebook Page. Used with permission.

The Manila Hotel’s Café Ilang-Ilang and The Champagne Room reopens

The Manila Hotel’s dining outlets, the famed Café Ilang-Ilang and the iconic Champagne Room reopens soon after undergoing a few weeks of general maintenance. The hotel chose to suspend dining operations as the holiday festivities died down to ensure food quality and guest safety, as well as spot-checks on its facilities.

Come visit Café Ilang-Ilang

Café Ilang-Ilang is scheduled to reopen on January 28, 2022 (Friday). The dining outlet enjoys a loyal following among local and foreign guests as it offers authentic international fare as well as family-friendly dining experience. It continues to draw diners with its daily offering of gastronomic delights coupled with the culinary team’s passion to create an amazing spread of dishes that is in keeping with its acclaimed status as one of the best buffet restaurants in the country.

The Manila Hotel’s Café Ilang-Ilang and The Champagne Room reopens

Diners can indulge in Café Ilang-Ilang’s wide range of food selections for lunch and dinner daily. This brings together Italian, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and even certified Halal dishes under one roof for an indulgent eat-all-you-can feast featuring crowd favorites like the US Beef Rib Roast; items from the Churrasco station like meats and salmon; seafood like prawns and crabs; a glorious spread of different sushi and sashimi; Filipino favorites like Lechon with truffle rice; Chinese highlights like duck and various dimsum; an array of desserts including bibingka, puto bumbong, and halo-halo; and many more.

Fine dining at The Champagne Room

Meanwhile, Manila’s premier destination for exquisite fine dining will start accepting diners again on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. To date, The Champagne Room is a premier restaurant whose timeless beauty remains, coupled with fine dining of choices for discriminating diners who put a premium on impeccably prepared dishes, outstanding service, and luxurious ambiance. The most romantic room in the country marks the return of its fine dining just in time for Valentine month.

The Champagne Room will welcome guests with an option for walk-in and reservations four days a week (Wednesday through Saturday), with select a la carte items and special multi-course degustation menus to choose from—conceived by the hotel’s Executive Chef to showcase what this dining outlet is all about. Think generous servings of Black Angus Tenderloin, US Prime Beef Rib, the Chilean Sea Bass, or the satisfying Seafood Medley; there are also choices of starters; and for dessert, don’t miss out on the indulgent sweet delight—its signature Baked Alaska.

Safety standards

Both The Manila Hotel premiere outlets elevate the dining experience: broadening our palate with flavors from global cultures and cuisine and applying elevated standards of safety that allow guests to dine comfortably and with peace of mind.

Café Ilang-Ilang and The Champagne Room still implement physical distancing and reduced capacity measure that are compliant with the IATF and DOT guidelines for restaurants.

For more information regarding reservation and dining rates, please call our hotline numbers at (02) 85270011 or 0998-9501912. You may also email restaurantrsvn@themanilahotel.com; or check and book online for Café Ilang-Ilang via https://www.manila-hotel.com.ph/dining/cafe-ilang-ilang/ and The Champagne Room via https://www.manila-hotel.com.ph/dining/champagne-room/.

Details and images provided by The Manila Hotel in a recent press release.

The Jelly List: Top breakfast finds at Lamp Quarters, Marikina

Foodies in Marikina and nearby places, it’s time to rise and shine, especially with the sumptuous breakfast choices awaiting you at Lamp Quarters!

This food hub nestled in the quiet suburb is a perfect place to enjoy the first meal of the day because:

It houses a diverse collection of restaurants offering various cuisines
It has a spacious outdoor dining area where you can meet up and dine with family and friends in comfort (you can also bring your fur-babies with you)
Its San Diego-inspired decor will make you feel like you’ve stepped into sunny Southern California

So if you’ve been feeling cooped up at home for the past few months, you can definitely step out and enjoy the morning in the great outdoors with these fab breakfast finds from Lamp Quarters’ restaurants.

Dampa sa Cogeo Marikina Branch

Get a taste of the sea’s bounty with Dampa sa Cogeo’s various seafood dishes plus more for a wonderful start to your day.

Breakfast Bilao (Php599, good for 2-3 people). What’s Pinoy breakfast without the silog? Enjoy a hearty meal with this breakfast staple along with daing na bangus, tocino and beef tapa, all classic flavors we just love to wake up to!

Seafood Stir-fry (Php699, good for 2-3 people). For breakfast with a bit of zing, check out this sumptuous seafood dish made with fresh crab, squid, mussels and shrimp stir-fried with veggies in a slightly spicy tomato sauce. You’d definitely be asking for extra rice to go with this!

Dampa sa Cogeo also delivers its seafood bilao and party trays. For more details, call +63 945 8646423 or +63 961 4207400 or follow it on Facebook.

Night & Day Restorante

A fusion of Italian and American flavors await you at Night & Day.

With its Breakfast Buffet (Php299, available on weekends from 8am to 11am), you can feast on a whole slew of tasty, all-you-can-eat breakfast dishes. This July, the breakfast buffet consist of beef salpicao, corned beef, daing na bangus, aglio olio, pancakes and waffles, sanwiches and sliders, eggs, roasted sesame salad and breads, accompanied by iced tea, lemonade or hot chocolate.

Night & Day is open everyday from 8am to 10pm. To reserve your slots for its Breakfast Buffet, call +63 917 1079678.

For updates on its offers and promos, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Kebomb

A wise man once said “Why have abs when you can have kebabs?”

Why, indeed, when you can indulge yourself with delicious yet very affordable Mediterranean-inspired food that will also appeal to Pinoy tastebuds!

Widen your morning meal horizons with Kebomb’s breakfast dishes such as beef shawarma tapa, kebab longganisa meal and chicken tocino meal, as well as its best-sellers like beef or chicken kebab rice plates, keema, keemadilla, hummus, Persian burgers in shawarma wrap and my newest favorite: chicken skin nachos!

Kebomb also delivers via Grabfood and FoodPanda. Pickup options are also available. For more details, call +63 956 9781805 or follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

So if you want to catch the sun’s early morning rays as you fill up on tasty breakfast meals with family and friends, drop by Lamp Quarters in Marikina!

Lamp Quarters is located along Gil Fernando Street, Centro de Buenviaje, Bgy Santo Nino, Marikina City. For updates on its special promos and events, follow Lamp Quarters on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Together with my foodie friends, I attended a food tasting held at this venue. Food items mentioned here were served to elicit honest feedback and were not paid for by the attendees.

Hotpot, Yakiniku and Buffet at the re-opened Hosaku, SM North Towers

One of the restaurant openings I was most looking forward to last year was that of Hosaku.

Hosaku – from the Japanese word which translates to “bountiful harvest” – is managed by the Fredley Group of Companies, the same conglomerate behind restaurant brands such as Macao Imperial Tea, Mitasu Yakiniku, Nabe and Liang Crispy Rolls.

Hosaku is characterized by an exciting combination of three all-you-can-eat dining concepts.

Nabemono or Japanese Hotpot. A cooking method wherein raw foods are added to a pot of simmering soup stock to be cooked while at the table.

Yakiniku. Grilling prepared raw ingredients on a grill built into the dining table, and dipped in sauces called “tare” before eaten.

International Buffet. Various cuisines from all over the world are showcased in specified stations for diners to view and select which they want to consume.

I found this combination gastronomically intriguing, its food offerings fresh and tasty (especially the sushi!), and it service crew helpful and accommodating.

Plus, it also incorporated some novel equipment to facilitate its unique food service method such as its conveyor belt that delivers the raw ingredients to the tables, as well as its mechanized hotpot which makes it easy to get items seemingly lost in the broth.

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Having attended its soft-opening with some of my foodie friends almost exactly a year ago, I was excited to see how the restaurant will figure in the local food scene.

However, the pandemic hit the metro and Hosaku had to put its grand opening on hold.

A year later, Hosaku finally opens it doors on Valentine’s Day, giving sweethearts in the metro a novel venue to celebrate the Day of Hearts, with protocols in place to keep everyone safe.

These include:

Temperature checks at the entrance
Health declaration and contact tracing
No facemask, no entry policy
Provision of hand sanitizers and alcohol for hand cleaning and disinfecting

To maintain physical distancing within its premises, it had to re-think some of its operating procedures. For example, hotpot and yakiniku ingredients are no longer delivered via conveyor belt, nor are diners allowed to help themselves to the buffet items at their stations. Instead, these are served directly on their table by the wait staff upon order.

Dining Rates at Hosaku are:

Weekday Lunch: Php699 for adults | Php349 for kids
Weekday Dinner: Php899 for adults | Php449 for kids
Weekends/Holidays Lunch & Dinner: Php899 for adults | Php449 for kids

All prices have an additional 5% service charge and are VAT inclusive. Children below 3 feet in height will eat for free while the adult rate will be applied to kids above 4 feet in height.

For its grand opening on February 14, the first fifty customers in line will eat for free while the rest of the customers for the day will dine at 50% off. (Terms and conditions will apply.)

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Hosaku is located at Ground Floor, North Towers, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City.

My top 6 faves at Six Doors BBQ Buffet

It has been a year since Six Doors BBQ Buffet opened its doors at Uptown Mall in BGC. Since then, it has won the hearts of foodies (including my parents when they treated one of my mom’s amigas here!) with its expansive showcase of European, Asian and Brazilian dishes, its 3D VIP dining rooms and now, a teppanyaki station!

I recently dined here together with Pat of ThePatKidInside and we spent an enjoyable time catching up as we ate our fill.

If you haven’t been to Six Doors BBQ Buffet, let me share with you the top six things I enjoy the most during my dining experiences there.

One: The well-appointed and sprawling dining area

Depending on their concept and design aesthetics, some buffet restaurants tend to feel crowded and cramped. Some tables are located too close to each other and diners would sometime jostle each other when they get up to get food or when they come back to their respective tables.

Well, that’s not the case here at Six Doors BBQ Buffet.

You and your companions can dine in comfort and style with its spacious open dining area with tastefully laid out tables and couches.

Parents with young (and energetic!) kids can also rest easy because there’s a playroom where the little ones can play and enjoy themselves after eating.

If you feel like splurging and got yourselves one of the country-themed VIP dining rooms, you won’t just enjoy a 3D projection of the sights of the country you’ve chosen to transport you as you enjoy a top of the line menu selection, you can also enjoy the services of a butler so you won’t have to leave your table during your meal.

Two: The carving stations

One of my rules of thumb when dining at a buffet restaurant is to head straight for the food you don’t usually get to enjoy at home or in other restaurants, or those that would cost a lot elsewhere.

That’s why I make a beeline for the carving station where I can get generous slices of roast beef, grilled pork and other meats again and again to satisfy my inner carnivore.

Three: The unli sushi

I so love Japanese food and I just can’t get enough of my faves: salmon sashimi, Tuna Maki and California Maki. Plus, there’s a huge array of sushi rolls for some variety.

Four: The new teppanyaki station

Did you know that teppanyaki came about after World War II?

Cooking steak, chopped vegetables and rice on a flat metal plate called teppan became popular among tourists in post-war Japan who found the skillful maneuvers of the chefs preparing the teppanyaki entertaining.

Six Doors BBQ Buffet launched its own teppanyaki station last December so I was able to witness a fiery display as the chef fired up the teppan with my chosen ingredients.

And the buttery, garlicky teppanyaki beef and rice are just so delish!

Five: The Korean BBQ Grill

Unli samgyeopsal restos abound in the Metro but at Six Doors, there’s a wide array of plain and marinated meats and seafood to choose from that Pat and I grilled at our table.

Six: The dessert station

Given that I have a sweet tooth, I can definitely appreciate the array of cakes, sweets and creams that Six Doors’ pastry chef have whipped up.

Plus, I get to have all the avocado ice cream I want at the ice cream bar. Yummy!

So there you have it, my six faves at Six Doors BBQ Buffet. Check it out and let me know what your faves are!

Six Doors BBQ Buffet rates are:

Weekday Lunch Buffet: Php699 (Php299 for kids 3 to 4 feet tall)
Weekday Dinner, Weekend Lunch and Dinner and Holiday Lunch and Dinner: Php999 (Php599 for kids 3 to 4 feet tall)
Kids below 3 feet: FREE

Book your table at Six Doors BBQ Buffet using Eatigo to get up to 50% off your food bill. Sign up using my referral link to get additional perks.

Six Doors BBQ Buffet is located at 2nd Floor, Uptown Mall, 36th Street corner 9th Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, open daily from 11am to 2.30pm and from 5.30pm to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 79559905 or +63 967 2819403.

Maximize your buffet restaurant visit. Read the tips in my buffet survival guide.

Check out my blog posts on other buffet restaurants in the Metro:

Lunch Buffet at Vanilla Cafe, Tomas Morato

The Tomas Morato area is definitely a foodie haven. At practically every corner is an old and familiar or a new and exciting food destination, something that will spark a foodie’s curiosity and appetite.

One such destination is Vanilla Cafe along Mother Ignacia Avenue. Formerly known as Vanilla Cupcake Bakery, it has expanded its repertoire from cupcakes and pastries to pastas and classic Filipino food.

Enter its doors and you will be taken to a place of fun and cuteness with pastel-printed walls, plush floral couches and dainty chandeliers.

Guess what: come around lunchtime and you can eat your fill at Vanilla Cafe’s Lunch Buffet where you can enjoy a delightful curation of Vanilla Cafe’s food offerings served with delicate country style flair.

Have a sampling of these dishes:

Prettily prepared canapes and veggie dips.

Freshly made pastas.

Binagoongan and Tinapa Rice.

Classic Pinoy Favorites: Sizzling Tofu, Sizzling Sisig, Bagnet, Fish Sarciado, Chop Suey, Chicken Adobo, and of course, Vanilla Cafe’s famous Kare Kare.

And since there’s always room for dessert, have a cupcake (or two… or more!) because, why not!

This buffet is best enjoyed with pals as a barkada lunch date…

Or as part of a festive celebration!

So check it out: the Premium Lunch Buffet is available at Vanilla Cafe Tomas Morato on weekdays from 11am to 2pm for only Php398 per person (+10% service charge).

This branch also has a Boomin’ Breakfast Buffet available everyday from 7am to 10am at Php228 for adults and Php114 for kids ages four to eleven (plus 10% service charge). Kids below four years old eat for free.

This Vanilla Cafe branch is located along Mother Ignacia Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open Sundays to Thursdays from 7.30am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays from 7.30pm to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2 83743783 or +63 918 8264552.

Other branches are located at:

Second Floor, Garden Wing, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Second Floor, Evia Lifestyle Center, Daang Hari Road, Almanza, Las Pinas City
20 Villamor Street, Lualhati, Baguio, Benguet

Planning a get-together? Why not order one of Vanilla Cafe’s Party trays? Pastas, entrees, salads and rice trays are available for order at any Metro Manila branch.

Maximize your buffet restaurant visit. Read the tips in my buffet survival guide.

Check out my blog posts on other buffet restaurants in the Metro:

The Alley by Vikings, UP Town Center

It’s great to have officemates who love to eat (not as much as I do, but still).

Before we took our holiday break, my boss decided to treat our team to dinner at The Alley by Vikings in UP Town Center.

What sets this buffet restaurant apart from the others is that it takes the form of a street-style food hall which incorporates concepts from around the world. Walking around the stations, you get a feel of touring the streets of the countries where the featured food items originate.

Instead of filling your plates yourself, you can request for small servings of the dishes from their respective stations, similar to the street food tripping experience. For example, our “food trip” here included the following stations:

Hao Chi – for Chinese dimsum and Peking Duck
Yatai – for Japanese sushi, sashimi and okonomiyaki
O’Sean Eleven – for seafood chowder
Just Steak a Minute – for freshly grilled steaks and other meats
Ferino’s Bibingka – for freshly made puto bumbong
Hunnycomb – for cakes and pastries

Buffet Rates:

Weekday Lunch: Php738 for adults, Php188 for kids 3ft for 4ft, Php388 for kids 4ft to 4ft 6in
Weekday Dinner/ Weekend or Holiday Lunch and Dinner: Php938 for adults, Php288 for kids 3ft for 4ft, Php588 for kids 4ft to 4ft 6in
Kids below 3ft eat for free

There are a lot of food choices, and more food stations than the ones I mentioned, which can be quite overwhelming. Refilling the more popular stations such as the sushi and the muscovado sugar for the bibingka took a long time.

I would also guess that the air-conditioning couldn’t cope with the volume of diners as it was quite warm where we were seated.

All that said, it was still a good time spent with my office buddies.

This branch of The Alley by Vikings is located 2nd Level, Phase 2, UP Town Center, Ayala Mall, Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, open daily from 11am to 2.30pm and from 5.30pm to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82771888, +63 2 82772888, +63 917 6735888 or +63 918 9078888.

Other branches are located at:

2nd Level, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, A. Bonifacio Street, Brgy. Balingasa, A. Bonifacio, Quezon City
C1, Upper Ground Floor, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Planning a visit to The Alley by Vikings? Here are some promos you can take advantage of:

20% off Weekday Lunch for every group of 5 pax from January 2 to February 28, 2020

Birthday celebrants eat for free on the day of their birthday if accompanied by one full paying adult, or within their birth month if accompanied by four full-paying adults

(Note: Terms and conditions apply for the above-mentioned promos.)

Maximize your buffet restaurant visit. Read the tips in my buffet survival guide.

Check out my blog posts on other buffet restaurants in the Metro:

Unli Japanese fusion dishes at Yakikai Buffet Restaurant

Bid adieu to your diets, Quezon City peeps, because here’s another reason to eat all you can!

Hidden away in one of the streets in Quezon City’s Scout area is a newly opened restaurant offering unli servings of Japanese fusion dishes: Yakikai. Its name is a combination of the Japanese words “yaki” (which means “grilled”) and “kai” (which translates to “meeting or gathering”).

Set in a renovated two-story house along Dr. Lazcano Street, Yakikai offers diners comfortable seating options indoors or al fresco.

Here, families and friends can meet up and enjoy each other’s company while indulging themselves in refillable yakiniku and a buffet of Japanese and Korean dishes.

And thanks to Yakikai’s Opening Promo, you and your gang can gorge yourselves on its set meals at discounted rates this December!

Premium Set (Php339 from Php499). Includes chicken teriyaki, spicy chicken yakiniku, samgyupsal, galbi sauce pork, peppered pork shoulder loin, sliced beef, beef tare yakiniku, spicy beef and fresh shrimp.

Emperor Set (Php599 from Php699). Includes chicken teriyaki, spicy chicken yakiniku, samgyupsal, spicy samgyupsal, galbi sauce pork, peppered pork shoulder loin, sliced beef, beef tare yakiniku, spicy beef, fresh shrimp, beef steak (chuck eye roll), jjamppong nobe, salmon sashimi and ebi tempura.

Both already sets include unli refills of cheese as well.

Plus, birthday celebrants can eat for free within their birthday month as long as they’re accompanied by seven full-paying adults and can present a valid ID.

With its comfortable surroundings, wide array of dishes and its accommodating wait staff, Yakikai seems poised to be the new destination of choice for buffet hunters.

So go ahead and schedule the next barkada meet up or family celebration at Yakikai! And be sure to wear something loose (wink! wink!).

Thanks to Bunny of AlwaysTheFunnyGirl for extending the invitation!

Yakikai Buffet Restaurant is located at 122 Dr. Lazcano Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City, open daily from 4pm to 2am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 927 1383980 or +63 929 8235452.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare to facilitate honest reviews and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other Japanese restaurants:

Union of cuisines at Four in Love BBQ Hotpot Buffet, SM Manila

Good food and good company come together in this newly opened restaurant at SM City Manila called Four in Love.

A joint venture of four restaurateurs formerly based in Singapore and Thailand, this new dining venue seeks to introduce new and exciting food concepts to the Pinoy foodie while still offering familiar items.

Here, diners can give in to their cravings for four Asian cuisines, all at the same place and at the same time:

Korean samgyeopsal and Japanese yakiniku share the space on the table’s built-in grill.

Japanese shabu-shabu and Chinese hotpot have pride of place in the hotpot area

Thai mookata combines the grilling and hotpot in one crafty cooking method.

Together with my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH, I joined in on the resto’s opening day celebrations. There, we found some old favorites and new appealing tastes as we explored all that Four in Love has to offer.

Four in Love is designed for groups with tables that can seat as few as two people to as many as ten, interacting and eating together, with all the action centered on the meats, seafood and vegetables being cooked right on the table. The place is frenetic with activity, with servers hurrying to and fro to deliver refill requests.

Diners can choose from three tasty and filling meal sets for their beyond unli-meat-ed food adventure:

Harmony Set (Php399/person). Plain, sweet and spicy pork slices.

Wealth Set (Php599/person). Plain, sweet and spicy pork slices; plain, sweet and spicy beef chuck: plain, sweet and spicy chicken thighs: pork belly, beef rib eye, squid, mussels, salmon belly, shrimps and Korean spicy noodles.

Abundance Set (Php799/person). Plain, sweet and spicy pork slices; plain, sweet and spicy beef chuck: plain, sweet and spicy chicken thighs: pork belly, beef short plate, short ribs and rib eye; squid, mussels, salmon belly, tuna belly, shrimps, scallops and Korean spicy noodles.

(By the way, those Korean noodles sure are spicy!)

All sets come with unlimited refills of six hot dishes, cold dishes, fresh fruits and dessert. The Wealth and Abundance Sets also come with creamy mozzarella to be melted on the grill for dipping of the grilled meats.

Do try Four In Love’s dipping sauces (from Thai peanut sauce to Japanese shabu sauce and more), mixed and matched with herbs, chilis, aromatics and other condiments which will add new dimensions to your food. Not sure how to make your own sauce? Easy-piece-y! Just follow the guide provided at the sauce station.

If your group wants to taste some exotic soups through the hotpot steamboat, just add Php99 for one soup or Php159 for two soups for hotpot per table. To experience a mukata and shabu-shabu combo, just add Php99 per table. The mala soup, for instance, with its distinctly Sichuan flavor, is definitely a must-try!

Oh, and be sure to coat that mookata grill with some fat before grilling your meats so they won’t stick! Also, the juices from the grill will fall from the mookata straight into the boiling soup which will add more flavor to the broth.

All those bold and spicy flavors are sure to work up a thirst. Fortunately, you can just add Php39/person for free-flowing softdrinks!

You and your group can enjoy all these for two hours, more than enough time to eat your fill of your favorites. Be sure to finish off all your meats, though; leftovers will be charged Php300 per 100 grams.

So if ever you and the gang are in the mood for a four-in-one foodie adventure, just hie off to SM City Manila and have your meal at Four in Love! Take advantage of its Grand Opening promo and enjoy 20% discount on your food bill until October 7!

Many thanks to the management and crew of Four in Love for the warm welcome and the delicious and filling meal!

Four in Love is located at Unit 30, Lower Ground Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 2923095.

Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I attended a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.