Let's Eat March Issue by Tammy Mendoza

The BUFFET Issue MARCH 2014 ISSUE NO. 10

FAI R MON T h ot el • F1 HOTEL • DI AMON D HOTEL

MARCH 201 4

WHAT'S INSIDE

04 07 10 15

FAIRMONT hotel

F1 HOTEL

DIAMOND HOTEL

CINQ

ISSUE No. 10

L E T ' S E AT T he B U FFET Issue

e ditor's le tt e r

FERNANDO MIGUEL BELMONTE Publisher

on t h e co v e r

DON JAUCIAN There’s always something about the free flow of food in buffets that shuts off our capability to judge whether we still can go further—in terms of loading our tank—or not. The image of a vast landscape, teeming with cuisine from around the world, is the stuff that instantly fills us with happiness because, almost literally, the world is laid out right before you, and all you have to do is dig in. We’re grateful for the restaurants that we trooped to in this issue. Raffles and Fairmont’s Spectrum was quite spectacular, and its high windows only add up to the sophisticated ambiance that keeps you in check all the time you’re trying not to stuff everything up your face. Diamond Hotel’s Corniche is a welcome treat as well, its great selection of food, particularly their Japanese section, lives up to the storied reputation of its hallowed halls. And with Chef Sau Del Rosario’s headlining F1 Hotel’s All Day Dining, you know that you’re in for something excellent the minute you step inside. Finally, we cap off the issue with Cinq’s delectable desserts. Angela Villoria was such a breeze to talk to, especially with her fabulous cakes accompanying our conversations. Dig in!

Managing Editor

THYSZ ESTRADA Editorial Associate

PATRICK DIOKNO Art Director

SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ Writer

GABBY CANTERO Photographer

LUCIEN DY TIOCO

Head of Sales & Marketing

ANNALYN DELGADO Editorial Assistant

Golden Letter Publishing, 1497 E. Rodriguez Ave., Quezon City For inquiries, call 5277901 local 132 or email letseat062013@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/LetsEatPhilStar Instagram: lets_eat_magazine

A selection from F1 Hotel’s buffet Photo by GABBY CANTERO

LET'S EAT — Feb. 2014

The Gold Standard BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Spectrum ably lives up to the glamorous halls of Raffles and Fairmont

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LET'S EAT — March 2014

ingapore’s Raffles Hotel, immortalized by the writers Ernest Hemingway and Rudyard Kipling, accepted its first guests almost a century and a half ago, in 1887. Its legendary Long Bar is the fount of the classic cocktail, the Singapore Sling. Across the Pacific, in San Francisco, California, the historic Fairmont started operations two decades later in 1907. You’ve seen it featured in the movie The Rock. Sean Connery’s character demanded that he be billeted in its luxurious rooms after his release from prison. The Raffles and the Fairmont, co-located in one prestigious location in Makati, opened in late 2012. Since

More than good, g r e a t n e ss i s expected, and is a given. Spectrum lives up to challenge and rises to the occasion. It ’ s a n e l e g a n t showcase for s o m e o f t h e b e st young Filipino c u l i n a r y t a l e n ts

then, their suites have been the choice of practically every VIP who’s visited the country since, everyone from Aerosmith’s rock stars to culinary superstar Todd English. If a single restaurant provides

the primary dining requirements for guests of two of the most esteemed names in the global hospitality industry, it had better be good. More than good, greatness is expected, and is a given. Spectrum lives up to

LET'S EAT — March 2014 challenge and rises to the occasion. It’s an elegant showcase for some of the best young Filipino culinary talents, preparing world-class dishes daily for the most discriminating guests. One of them, Miko Aspiras, is one of the country’s most promising pastry chefs. His glorious quezo de bola cheesecake is the transcendent example of a flavor profile beloved in the Philippines, elevated into a divine dessert guaranteed to please the palate of even the most jaded traveller. A long, long line of international dishes, a veritable spectrum of tastes, are available in the succession of open kitchen stations that provide not just a view of the cooking process, but more importantly, allow diners to interact directly with the chefs. Want to crisp up that prime rib’s irresistible fatty edges? No problem. Inevitably, every meal here ends in a dessert station sweeter than any other: fresh honey, golden drops languorously dripping from the restaurant’s signature glassed-in hive, buzzing with hundreds of live bees. It is Spectrum’s showstopper, and a sure sign that this new establishment is determined to establish its own history, one worthy of its illustrious forebears.

PRICES Breakfast – P1450 net Lunch – P1800 net Dinner – P2,120 net (Sun to Thurs) P2285 net (Fri and Sat)

RECOMMENDED 1 USDA prime rib 2 Signature Japanese sushi creations 3 Chocolate calamansi cake 4 Honey station 5 Wood-fire oven pizzas

TIPS 1 Reserve one of their long tables if you’re eating with a large group. 2 The dessert is one of the buffet’s highlights, especially the English toffee ice cream, so try to have room for it. 3 Buffet is 50% off for kids between 6-12 years and complimentary for children under the age of 5.

1 Some of Spectrum’s recommended dishes 2 Pasta and cheese station 3 Dimsum Station 4 Pastries station 5 Spectrum’s famed Honey Buffet

Spectrum Fairmont Hotel Makati 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue, 1224 Makati 55 9888 ext. 6840

fairmont.com/Makati FairmontMakati

LET'S EAT — March 2014

Staycation Central BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

As one of the metro’s highly recommended hideaways, F1 Hotel also happens to house a stellar buffet by one of the country’s premiere chefs

LET'S EAT — March 2014

1 Hotel is my favorite staycation hideaway. It’s located along BGC’s main drag, 32nd St., and it’s the next best thing to living in a highrise condo in the most vibrant district in the metro. Whenever balikbayans ask me for a recommendation for a hotel in the area, I instinctively recommend F1 and with good reason—it’s centrally located, directly across the street from shopping mecca S&R; just a couple of blocks from all the attractions on Bonifacio High Street and Serendra; and the posh SM Aura is a leisurely twenty-minute stroll

away. There are innumerable reasons to go out and an equal number of reasons to stay in. The hotel’s well-appointed rooms have wonderful scenic views of the cityscapes beyond the picture windows. It also has three—count them—three swimming pools: a shallow wading pool for toddlers, a slightly deeper one for older kids, and for the adults, a full-length infinity pool perfect for long stroke laps. But the best reason to stay in? One of the Philippines’ best executive chefs heads F1’s kitchens. Chef Sau del Rosario, raised in

Chef Sau’s killer dish? His kare-kare. Made from scratch d a i ly , a n d r e m i n i s c e n t of my grandmother’s l u s h a n d n u tt y r e c i p e

03 1 Selected pasta dishes from the buffet 2 Featured Filipino dishes 3 Pastries station

Pampanga and trained in Paris, is the award-winning and highly-respected gentleman who conceptualized and developed the menu of F All Day Dining, the hotel’s very popular dining room, serving up well-curated buffet spreads and a la carte specials from breakfast all the way to supper time. Chef Sau’s killer dish? His karekare. Made from scratch daily, and

LET'S EAT — March 2014

PRICES Breakfast – P888 net Lunch and Dinner – P1399 net

RECOMMENDED 1 Quattro Formaggio Pizza

05 4 F1’s interiors 5 Halo-halo ingredients from the dessert station

2 Bringhe Stuffed Bagnet 3 Carbonara Pasta 4 Osso Buco 5 King Fish in Pumpkin Sauce.

TIPS

reminiscent of my grandmother’s lush and nutty recipe. Sau’s version ups the ante with the protein he includes in the peanut stew: he uses the most decadently rich bagnet, all crisp skin and alternating layers of tender meat and trembling fat. Hey, live it up! What are staycations for, right? “F1” is an intriguing name and it can mean many things to many people. I enjoy explaining it this way: F1 because it’s the Fort’s 1st hotel, established way before the current five-star construction boom. First of all, F1 because it’s a lot of Fun. And most appropriately? F1 because in this perfect staycation venue, food comes F1rst!

1 F1’s buffet is perfect for folks who love Filipino cuisine. Chef Sau Del Rosario’s unique take on our beloved dishes is just the right mix of something new and familiar. 2 Their selection of pastas and pizzas are also quite impressive.

F1 Hotel Manila 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City 928.9888 / 908.7888 f1hotelmanila.com @F1Hotel facebook.com/f1hotelmanila

LET'S EAT — March 2014

STEPPING UP BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

At the heart of Corniche’s vast buffet is a unique dining experience that will take you—and your tastebuds—places

LET'S EAT — March 2014

othing will ever beat the romance of Manila Bay. And it isn’t just about the sunset. It’s the ever-changing landscape and seascape of the baywalk, anchored on the ever-swaying palm trees that line the country’s most iconic boulevard. This is my favorite area of the city I was born in, the city I love. And I have also fallen for a restaurant that stands on the edge of the esplanade, Corniche at the Diamond Hotel. It’s perhaps the most romantic of the many grand buffet outlets in our megalopolis. A mobile sculpture of a flock of gleaming chrome and crystal birds soar towards the restaurant’s cathedral-high ceiling. A towering thirty-foot wall of glass overlooks a lush garden and a waterfall beyond. Corniche is vast and sprawling, yet somehow intimately cozy too. It’s always full of eager diners, but it never seems crowded or noisy— it’s perfect for quiet tête-à-têtes. During the daytime, it’s a sunny and casual venue, while in the evenings, it acquires a sophisticated and classy vibe. I’ve dined here so often— yes, more than in any other five star outlet anywhere— that I have established a routine: straight to the Japanese station for a plate full of splendid salmon sashimi to start things off. Followed by a nibble or two of the roasts: a beguiling porchetta, crispy duck, and inevitably, lechon macau.

1 Salads station 2 An array of sushi 3 Carvings station 4 Corniche’s kebab 5 Sushi from the Japanese station 6 Assorted sushi, Meat Terrine, Lemon Meringue Tarts, Pata Tim, Shish Kebab, and Lamb Tandoori with Biryani Rice 6 Corniche’s famous dessert station

LET'S EAT — March 2014

PRICES Breakfast – P1500 net (daily) Lunch – P1500 net (Mon-Sat), P1600 (Sunday) Dinner – 1580 net (Mon, Wed, Sun) Italian Night – 1950 net (Tuesday) Steak Night – 2350 net (Thursday) Salmon Night – 2395 net (Friday) Cena Mexicana – P1750 net (Saturday)

RECOMMENDED 1 Sushi and sashimi 2 Grilled a la minute steak and seafood 3 Baked Salmon at the Carving 4 Diamond homemade ice cream and cakes 5 Dishes at the Asian section such as hot prawn salad or naan bread filled with cream cheese

TIPS 06

Then on to the Indian specials, a spoonful of the curry of the day and a pappadum. Next, a plate of select cheeses, a first dessert, if you will, followed by a deep dive into the regional and seasonal specials concocted by Corniche’s head chef, Jerry Cruz. The highlight follows: a plate of the plumpest raw oysters, freshly shucked, with just a squeeze of lemon to complement the taste of the sea. Dessert is never an afterthought here. Unpararelled homemade ice cream, and a plethora of cakes and pies and every possible sweet ending imaginable. This is the hotel that gave us the Cake Club, after all. Corniche, in French, means ‘ledge’. It’s an apt name for this fine restaurant, a step up from the usual, a destination so worth the drive up for dedicated foodies in search of a most exciting dining experience.

1 Corniche has a wide buffet area with a lot of options. Better scout the stations first then decide how you’ll work your way through. 2 They are also reviving their midnight buffet soon, which is perfect for late night outs, especially if you’re around the Malate and CCP area.

Corniche Diamon Hotel Manila Roxas Boulevard, Corner Dr. J. Quintos Street, Manila 528-3000 ext. 1121

@DiamondHotelPh facebook.com/diamondhotelphilippines

' S E AT L E TTREATS

Free one Ligaya mini Dayap tart for a minimum single receipt purchase of P1000.

Get complimentary free-flowing champagne to go with the meal during Luxe Sunday Brunch. Present this coupon for the Champagne Brunch upgrade.

' S E AT L E TTREATS

Get P300 rebate on your total bill for a minimum purchase of P1500 on food and drinks at Canary Lounge.

50% off on the Sunday Dinner Buffet at Corniche

L E T ' S E AT

Valid only on Sundays at Spectrum’s Luxe Sunday Brunch. Coupon is valid from 28 March to 28 April 2014. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed. Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

Coupon is valid from 28 March to 28 April 2014 for a minimum single receipt purchase of P1000. Only one (01) coupon can be redeemed per transaction. Use with other discount or promotion is not allowed. Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

L E T ' S E AT

Coupon is valid from March 30, 2014 to April 27, 2014. Minimum of 2, Maximum of 20. May not be used in conjunction with other offers. Advance reservations required. Coupon must be presented to the receptionist. Only one coupon per table. Not valid in conjunction with other promotions and discounts. Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

Coupon is valid from March 25 to May 31, 2014. Valid every Thursday and Friday. Presentation of the card is a must. Not valid in conjunction with other promotions and discounts. Not replaceable when lost and non transferable to cash. Only the coupon from Let’s Eat print edition will be entertained.

LET'S EAT — March 2014

E AT LE T ' SEE T S W S

THE FRENCH CONNECTION BY SPANKY HIZON ENRIQUEZ PHOTOS BY GABBY CANTERO

Hit your sweet spot with Cinq’s delectable delights

Clockwise from top:

Mayumi chocnut truffle cake; Louise pecan tart; Ligaya dayap tart; Louise mini pecan tart; Lexi cheesecake mousse with strawberry topping; Rose pomelo cake

he messieurs’ boulangeries have landed. Two of them, famous the world over, have opened in our very own city of lights one after the other these past few months. Their bakeries are indeed divine, but faire attention! A Filipina named Angela Villoria Tolentino is baking some of the most heavenly cakes, tarts, pastries, and croissants this side of Paris. All of them, classically French: extremely buttery, fresh and fruity, and decadently chocolaty. But many are intrinsically Filipino too: delightful surprises of sweet pomelo, bright dayap, and our childhood choc-nut flavors infiltrate the familiar and elevate them to the sublime. Très bien!

Cinq Dessert Botique is located at G/F CEO Flats ., cor. Jupiter St., Makati. Call 09176252611/8900886 or check facebook.com/cinq-dessert-botique 15

LET'S EAT — March 2014

L E T ' S E AT The BUFFET Issue MARCH 2014 ISSUE NO. 10

R AFFLES hot el • F1 HOTEL • DI AMON D HOTEL