Century Park Hotel's Bibingka

Yes, this is another bibingka entry. Bibingka is a rice cake traditionally served during the Christmas season. It is made of rice flour, coconut milk or water, eggs, and milk, cooked with coal both belwo and above, and infused with the aroma of toasted banana leaves.For Tootsie's version, click here. For bibingka from SIDCOR Sunday Market, click here.

Century Park Hotel's bibingka is so good. It is decadent--buttery and so soft, melts in your mouth, and the toasted portions are bursting with flavor. I love the mix of coconut brown sugar and coconut meat shreds. This for me is best bibingka I've tasted so far. The sweet crust is cut by salted egg and cheese. The order came with a cup of traditional thick chocolate drink. This duo warms you up instantly, making you feel so festive.

Century Park Hotel
Ocampo Street, Manila
(+63) 02 528 8888

Mabuhay Palace's Choco Buchi (Fried Balls) and Salted Egg Ice Cream

Taste is personal. I went to Manila Hotel's high-end Chinese restaurant, Mabuhay Palace, to try the Salted Egg Ice Cream, which came well-recommended  online. It was good, the novelty factor is there, making it good copy. But I was more smitten with the Chocolate Buchi (fried balls). Buchi is usually filled with custard--cooked mixture of milk or cream or egg yolk, but Mabuhay Palace's buchi is filled with warm, dense, dark chocolate. This buchi is so luxe: crisp outer shell contrasts nicely with the soft buttery filling. 

The Salted Egg ice cream is no slouch--there's the subtle hint of salted egg and even the texture of yolk. It was actually good, not weird at all, operating in the same salty-sweet principle as salted caramel and pineapple slices or even duhat sprinkled with rock salt. 

I plan to return and order the savory items in the menu.

Mabuhay Palace
Manila Hotel
#1 Rizal Park, Roxas Boulevard, Manila
(+63) 02 527-001

Naga City's Avenue Plaza Hotel for Laing and Banoffee Crunch

While looking at my archives, I decided to share with you some of the more memorable dishes I had while staying at Naga's Avenue Plaza Hotel. What I love about the hotel is that their food is delicious, not the usual bland characterless meals most hotels serve. They also serve excellent desserts.

 I love their laing--it was creamy spicy salty, and best with big mound of freshly cooked rice.

Their banoffee crunch, an English dessert pie made from banans and toffee, was sweet and creamy. It was hard to stop at one serving.

Happy eating!

Avenue Plaza Hotel
Magsaysay Ave., Naga City
(+63) 54 473 999