Buffet Love at Marco Polo Ortigas' Cucina

Last December was a dizzying dervish of parties and get-togethers. Buffets are popular for these gatherings, and one resto I was keen on trying was Marco Polo Ortigas' Cucina. I've tried Marco Polo Cebu and Davao (click here and here) before, so I wanted to know how the Ortigas branch measure up against them. 

I took a page from my friend Rush and started with the soup station. I had a tasty, spicy soup with flavorful mussels, siomai, shrimps, and ham, freshened by calamansi. I dialed up the heat with chopped red-eye chilis or labuyo. Finished it off with a topping of sliced boiled eggs. This was yum--a fortuitous beginning.

Next I had tasty rib-eye steak in pepper steak sauce coupled with sweet cherry tomatoes--a nice pairing. 

The pork chops were moist and the pizza, which has been sitting on the counter for quite some time, was still flavorful. 

The pork and beans was just lovely and the seafood stew was divine.

Another winning platter: slipper lobster, mussels, and shrimp which I dipped in vinegar. 

Of the excellent gelato, I was partial to pistachio and vanilla which I topped with mango and blueberries.  

Of the pastries, I love the choco tart the best--rich dark silky balanced by tart strawberries--but Marco Polo Davao's version is more exquisite. 

Cucina
24F Marco Polo Ortigas Manila
Sapphire Street cor. Meralco Avenue
Pasig City
(+63) 02 7207777 local 6622

Tagaytay's Marcia Adams's Tuscany for Grilled Orange and Vanilla Ice Cream

This is my second visit to Marcia Adams. Per usual, the food was great. Each course entitles one to an appetizer, a main dish, and a dessert. I've already featured my favorites here. For this visit I was impressed with this dessert combo: grilled orange + vanilla ice cream + mint + honey = delicious!

Can't resist taking a picture of the Amalfi Prawns, which I also featured here.

Marcia Adams's Tuscany
JP Rizal Street, Tagaytay City
0917-8011456

Cyma's Tonnos Salata, Yemistes, and Flaming Mangoes

I usually gravitate towards favorite items when dining out, so sometimes I make a conscious effort to seek out recommendations from other people or the wait staff so I'd have something different. For this post I was happy I went out on a limb, because not only were what I ordered pleasing to the eyes, but they were delicious as well. 

The tonno (Italian for tuna) salata was lovely salad. I love how they treated the tuna, different from what I'm used to, you just have to try it. I love the tangy sauce with the salty pop of olives and wholesome white cheese.

The yemistes (stuffed pepper) was a lovely non-meat option. Imagine nutty and creamy rice inside peppers. It was smoky and sweet from the raisins. 

Cyma's flaming mangoes is awesome. Imagine skinned ripe mango swimming in syrup on a hot plate. Then scoop wholesome vanilla ice cream into the mix, adding warm tones to the caramelizing syrup

Cyma Greek Taverna
2F Robinsons's Place Malate
(+63) 02 353-3909

Sweet Treats: New Bombay's Lassi and Fog City and Carmen's Best Specialty Ice Creams

For this post I'm grouping together serendipitous finds for those who have a sweet tooth like me. Many times I have an item in mind when I go to a restaurant and end up being smitten with another. 

I've visited New Bombay a couple of times, and I fell in love with its lovely lassi concoctions. Lassi is a popular yogurt-based drink from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 

The refreshing mango lassi is creamy and not too sweet, and tart as yogurts go. 

The almond lassi, on the other hand, is refreshing, tart, and sweet.

Focaccia Italian Restaurant at A. Venue Mall, Makati sells the Fog City Creamery Artisan Ice Cream line. I tried the Rocky Road and it was melt in your mouth creamy. In the picture it looks frozen stiff, but trust me it's silky. It is the best rocky road I ever had.

Kitchen 1B at Gamboa Street Makati carries Carmen's Best Ice Cream. We ordered the salted caramel ice cream and it was salty, sweet, and caramelly in one spoonful.

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio's Mango and Suman Ice Cream

If you're a regular visitor to my blog (thank you), you'd know I'm a fan of Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio. I love their take on flavors, which ranges from festive holiday fare, to unusual variants that are meant to be tried at least once. For this feature, I chose another rice-cake inspired flavor, the mango and suman ice cream. Suman is made from glutinuos rice cooked in coco milk, and wrapped in palm leaves. They're either sprinkled with sugar or paired with ripe mango. 

My verdict: they had the texture and mouth-feel right. I can't quite decide if I'm eating ice cream or the rice-cake. I love that the mango component was sweetish-tart. Honestly, I prefer this to the real thing.

Sebastian's Ice Cream Studio
SM Mall of Asia, North Parking
Seaside Boulevard, Pasay City
(+63) 915 489 5753

Cagayan de Oro's Missy Bon Bon for Durian Gelato and Nutty Nutella Cronut

Whenever I travel, I always seek out home-grown restaurants. Usually I'm pressed for time during my work-related trips, thus eating local is how I experience the culture pronto. At Cagayan de Oro, I made a beeline for Missy Bon Bon's dessert selections. From their frozen items, I ordered their excellent Durian Gelato. I love the real fruit goodness and the creamy, silky texture. It was also not too sweet. It was one of the better duran ice creams I had.

I must admit I'm not crazy about food fads, so it took me only now, in faraway Cagayan de Oro, to sample a cronut. Missy Bon Bon's Nutty Nutella is quite good, if a bit oily and tough from sitting too long. I love the mix of nuts and Nutella, and the pockets of cream and Nutella. This is more croissant than donut.


Missy Bon Bon
Centrio Ayala Mall
Corales Ave
Cagayan de Oro

Romulo Cafe's Chocnut Ice Cream

Romulo Cafe is named after famed multi-hyphenate Carlos P. Romulo, best-known as a former president of the UN General Assembly. The restaurant's modern interiors are in black and white, with splashes of green courtesy of plastic coiffured plants. Pictures of the diplomat are everywhere. Like in most of my research expeditions, I came for a well-regarded dish, only to find out that another one is more note-worthy. The chocnut ice cream belongs to the latter.

Chocnut is made of chocolate and crushed peanut. Romulo Cafe's chocnut ice cream is a good translation of this Filipino childhood staple into ice cream. Imagine bright creamy peanut and choco ice cream with real chocnut bits. I'm smitten.

Romulo Cafe
148 Jupiter Street cor Comet Street
Bel Air Village, Makati
(+63) 02 478-6406

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

Sebastian's Sapin-Sapin Ice Cream

I'm feeling festive. Not only is this the first week of birth month, but I stumbled upon a good find last night. I'll post on the latter soon, once I get through my mounting paperwork (smile).

This post was also culled from spontaneous research, since I usually plan out my blog-related activities. Notice I only used my smartphone photo for this post and not one from my trusty Canon camera. My good friend June alerted me to Sebastian's sapin-sapin ice cream a few years ago, and since I just came from a satisfying meal at nearby Santouka SM MOA, I decided to drop by. For my earlier post on Sebastian's Ice Cream, go here. 

Sapin-sapin is a local rice-cake made of differently-colored layers, topped with coconut flakes. It's a pretty dish, and so I was quite apprehensive at first if this can translate well as an ice-cream, but it works. They even had the consistency of glutinous rice right down pat.  

Sebastian's Ice Cream
SM Mall of Asia
Diokno Boulevard, Pasay City
(+63) 915 489 5753

New Zealand Natural Ice Cream's Hokey Pokey

hokey pokey (bottom), and the choco hokey pokey variant

hokey pokey paired with macadamia supreme

One of the best memories I had of childhood was the non-stop supply of ice cream my mom provided us. That was where my love story with this frozen treat started. I love most flavors, and lately I've been partial to caramel and vanilla.

Today I'm sharing with you the best-selling flavor of New Zealand Natural, the Hokey Pokey or Butterscotch Candy Ice cream--creamy vanilla with small solid lumps of honeycomb toffee. I love the unmistakable taste of honey in every scoop, the pop of caramel, and the unusual texture. I'm also taken with the chocolate hokey pokey--the rich dark choco and pop of toffee do not overshadow each other but go well together.

Go for two scoops. Th first will set you back at P95; the additional scoop is a steal at P50.

New Zealand Natural
2F Robinsons Place
Ermita, Manila

Top Picks from Tagaytay's Marcia Adams's Tuscany

Some meals are magical they are forever etched in your mind: Ka Lui's. My Kitchen. First Colonial Grill. Rafael's Farm and Garden. Here's another: Tagaytay's Marcia Adams's Tuscany. Just being there is an event (I'll post about this later).

It's with a tinge of sadness that I write this. An earthquake and a super-typhoon has just wrecked havoc on the Visayas, and having visited some of them, Leyte in particular (see here, here, and here), I'm not sure if the restaurants I wrote about are still standing after these twin tragedies. As of this writing news is slowly trickling in, and I do hope that the people behind these establishments, as well as the general populace, are safe.

But life must go on, we must soldier on. Tragedies have a way of bringing people closer. For a date or dinner with family and friends, I could not recommend this enough. Below are the highlights of our Tagaytay dinner, which consists of a three course-meal including an appetizer and a dessert. Every dish was cooked by Marica Adams herself. Since we went as a group, we were spoilt for choice. Be prepared to pay more, but with food as good as this, it's money well-spent.

For appetizers, we chose:

Amalfi prawns--crispy prawns marinated in salt, pepper, olive oil, parsley, coated with bread crumbs, and pan-fried. Amalfi is a Italian coastal town and a tourist draw.  I wrote in my notes: "fat, crunchy prawns."

The provone, melon and aragula salad is the bomb. Refreshing, pretty salad. At first I thought the yellow orbs were tomatoes.

Warm cheese-filled salad with walnuts and pistachio.

The Aaegean (vegetarian) salad consisted of grilled pear, mixed greens, grilled Italian ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and roasted pistachios in herby, tangy dressing.  Very flavorful. You can do no wrong withe either of the two salads.

For mains we had

The Al-funghi--spaghetti with mixed fresh mushrooms, basil, and garlic. This vegetarian pasta disappeared in seconds.

The Italian pork chop--grilled loin chop seasoned with fennel and pepper, accompanied by organic rice made with leeks and chives.

We also had the shish kebabs. These were wonderful  even without the sauce. The lamb was not gamy at all.

For dessert we had

the lovely grilled banana split. Warm thick choco was poured over the bananas.

We also had the delicate panna cota with lemon sauce. Lovely lemon rinds. Don't forget to bite into the mint.


Marcia Adams's Tuscany
JP Rizal Street, Tagaytay City
0917-8011456

Diamond Hotel's Ensaymada, Pretty Pastries, and Homemade Ice Cream

Starting this blog has been such an awesome ride. Although my resources are limited, the opportunities to sample what could be the topic of the next post appear to be endless. What it requires is being open to possibilities, and this could be simple as saying yes more. When an invitation came my way to join a series of planning meetings at Diamond Hotel, I readily accepted.

If there are two things that Diamond Hotel is known for food-wise, these would be the ensayamda and the delightful confections of its Cake Club. Once the first meeting ended, I trooped to the dark and handsome Lobby Lounge and ordered the bestselling Diamond Ensayamada, which you can see below, was drowning in butter and melted cheese. It was pillow soft and melts in your mouth, with just the right sweetness. I wished that the saltiness of the cheese came through more. There was ube but it was muted by the rich butter. I paired my order with green tea, and allowed my mind to wander. 

I've been to the Bonifacio Global City branch of the Cake Club, and I know I'm in for a treat. You can check my post on that visit here. I ordered Danielle, first, because it was pretty, and, two, it was sugar-free, to assuage my saccharine-overload guilt. The cheesecake component was not overly sweet, and there was enough raspberry to tart the pastry up.

"danielle-white chocolate raspberry sugar-free cheesecake"

I also bought pastry Mont Blanc, which reminded me of an upside down beehive. After scarfing down the humungous ensaymada, I decided to bag the two pastries. I ate one the next day, and kept the other one in the ref for almost a week. Did the Mont Blanc hold up? I was doubtful, but it was still good. It was delicate, not too sweet. My very Pinoy palate detected hints of sweet potato and a lovely, sweeter center of tamarind. Read the caption below. Ang layo! :) 

"mont blanc--made of fresh chestnut paste, chantilly cream,
prunes soaked in dark rum on almond tart"

When it comes to buffets, I need no convincing when it comes to home made ice cream. Pictured below, clockwise from top, are scoops of vanilla, salted caramel, and raspberry. Lately I've been leaning towards butterscotch and caramel, and thus I was sold with the salted caramel. I wasn't keen on vanilla at first but it was the best seller, and now I know why. I's not a one note variant--I sense a touch of mint. It went well with the salted caramel ice cream. 

Diamond Hotel
Roxas Blvd. cor. Dr. J Quintos St
Manila
(+63) 02 528 3000

Cyma for Grilled Marinated Octopus, Spinach and Artichoke Fondue, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I'm writing this while the country is braving for the coming of a strong typhoon. It's been raining and the weather is cool, perfect for snuggling in bed after a hearty meal. My thoughts linger on a meal I had at Cyma, one of the more reliable restaurant chains around.

In that particular trip the aircon was not working, but one taste of the smoky grilled octopus lifted my spirit. I've been coming to Cyma several times before (the first visit was way back in the early oughts), and I always order this.

ktapodi xidato (grilled baby octopus, drizzled in extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and oregano) 

My friends were raving about the spinach and artichoke fondue, and so I ordered it. The warm goodness of what I thought was eggplant was very seductive. It also tasted like creamy laing. The lime and the tomatoes cut through the rich taste. Best with smoky garlic bread, pictured on the left below.

The mint choco chip with almond and honey is a sure-fire way to beat the heat, whether induced by summer or the aircon bogging down. This is one superb dessert, second only to this.

Cyma has quite an extensive menu, and this early I'm plotting my next meal. 'Til then, to my country-based readers, keep safe.

Cyma

2F Robinsons Place Manila

Adriatico St., Ermita

(+63) 02 354 3909

Tagaytay's Mochiko for Mochi Ice Cream

Lately I have taken a liking to mochi ice cream. This confection is made of mochi (pounded sticky rice) on the outside and ice cream filling. The dough reminds me of palitao. The first time I ate mochi ice cream was from Mochiko's outlet in Cliffhouse Tagaytay, and every chance I get I try out the different flavors. Featured here are my favorites so far. Tip: wait for a few minutes for the mochi to soften before eating

red velvet and blueberry mochi. 

bestselling oreos and milk mochi 

this is my absolute favorite--durian mochi. very authentic, like eating frozen durian

Mochiko
Cliffhouse Tagaytay
Maharlika East, Tagaytay City
(+63) 917- 831 0624

Camarines Sur's Avenue Plaza Hotel for Excelente and Mango Royale Ice Cream Cake

My favorite hotel in Naga City is Avenue Plaza Hotel, not only because of its great hospitality and excellent design, but also because they serve wonderful meals. Their desserts are to die for, and it's quite difficult picking the best from the lot. My colleagues and I agree, though, that these desserts are a must-try: 

everyone's favorite: the aptly named excelente. reminds me of black forest--vanilla ice cream
coated in choco syrup, surrounded by milk and white choco dips and strawberry drizzle

the mango royale ice cream cake. just the right sweetness. and quite addictive, too.
my office-mate, who wasn't into sweets, wasn't able to resist another serving

The Avenue Plaza Hotel

Magsaysay Ave., Naga City 

(+63) 54 473 999