Buffet Breakfast at F Restaurant Lounge

Our weekend staycation isn’t complete without having a sumptuous buffet breakfast together. If there are two things that my  husband and I agree on, it’s our love for food and our desire to travel. So, having buffet breakfasts and sampling different cuisines from the world over are just some of our favorite bonding moments. We love to share insights on food, (and don’t kill us) but we love to replicate these dishes at home if time permits.

Without further ado, let me take you to where we had our breakfast this morning — F Restaurant Lounge at the third floor of Best Western Premier F1 Hotel. Last night, we had the chance to lounge by the poolside, and on our way back, we passed by the hotel’s lone restaurant where these stunning artful furniture took our attention. The swirls in vivid red add drama to the dining area, and the ceiling details are just so beautiful!

Natural light bathes the dining area through wide glass sheets. Lines are almost everywhere — on the ceiling, walls, and buffet counters. These lines balance the circular patterns of the furniture at the entrance. Pardon me if I had to blur the people on the photo, as I highly respect everyone’s privacy.

We entered the restaurant trying not to be confused on where to start. The no-frills buffet spread looks enticing, and so we can’t wait but dig in our forks into some delish fare. I roamed around first to see what I can munch on. There’s a spread of the usual bacon and eggs, as well as an omelette station, a soup and dumpling station, a noodle station, a salad and sushi bar and another station dedicated to artisanal breads.

The assorted artisanal breads look tempting, but I tried not to give in yet. Well, on the contrary, hubby wasn’t able to control his desire for these little cuties. So, his first plate comprised of mini pancakes and waffles and some slices of cheese.

How cute was the presentation of the mini glazed donuts. If Akisha were with us, I am sure, she’ll go back to this station again and again.

As mentioned, here’s hubby’s first round of breakfast basics. The pancakes were tempting, and so were the cheeses. So I got some cheese for myself, too. I’ll repeat this again — I can eat cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Any kind. Hard. Soft. Gourmet. Basic ones. Name it, as long as it’s cheese, I will surely love it.

While hubby started with the sweet ones, I, on the contrary, started with a steaming bowl of miso soup. There were two choices actually: miso soup and arroz caldo. I am not so fond of arroz caldo except when it’s raining or when I’m doomed with fever, so that made me decide to have the former. Plus, my palate is craving for something Japanese, and this miso soup was a nice start. I added some silken tofu and spring onion for some zest.

After I finished my miso soup, I went back to the buffet spread to get something “sinful”. Yes, you guessed it right… I had slices of bacon, scrambled eggs, mashed potato and a small portion of roast chicken. The bacon and scrambled eggs were so hearty…and addicting! The roast chicken was just average, though. It could have been more tasty on the inside, but nonetheless, it went well with the creamy mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes by the way were thin shavings of potato with a rich texture — almost like a gratin, only, it wasn’t baked (or at least I thought it wasn’t).

Breakfast isn’t complete without caffeine boost, so we each had a cup of coffee. It was lighter than expected, but I am sure you can ask them to give you a stronger blend if you wish.

Hubby’s second plate comprised of luncheon meat, sausage, scrambled eggs, mashed potato, sauteed spicy shrimps and veggies, and plain rice. I got tempted with the plump shrimps, so I got some, too. The spiciness was just perfect to wake us up!

Towards the other end of the dining area is the salad, cold cuts and sushi bar. I got some kani sushi and indulged in tangy wasabi-soy dip. I also got some feta cheese, croutons, cold cuts, olives, parmesan and Caesar dressing. This is the closest I can get to a leafy salad, as I don’t really eat veggies. =)

For hubby’s third plate, he got some fresh melon slices, half a banana, and some greens.

And for his fourth plate (I am sure he’ll kill me now for sharing to the world how big his appetite is, hehe), he got some sweets again — banana bread, cupcakes and danish.

F also has a great selection of red and white wines but we figured out it’s too early for some tannins! This might be perfect for a night at the poolside bar, while having some cheese (yes, cheese again!) and cold cuts.

Overall, our breakfast was great and indeed,  it started our day right. C’est la vie!

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Best Western Premier F1 Hotel

32nd Street Bonifacio Global City

Telephone: (63.2) 928.9888

Fax: (63.2) 928.1888

Email: inquiry@bwpf1hotel.com

http://www.bestwesternpremierf1hotel.com

Scrumptious Breakfast at Cafe d’Asie

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I just can’t live without it. I usually eat heavy breakfast, except at times when I know I’ll be doing a lot of physical activities in the morning. So, when we go out of town, or when we stay at hotels, I really look forward to a hearty, tummy-filling breakfast!

Our stay at The Bellevue Manila includes buffet breakfast for two at Cafe D’Asie. The buffet spread is quite impressive, as it offers an array of Filipino, Continental and American breakfast favorites. There was  an entire corner with Filipino specialties like danggit (dried fish), dilis (anchovies), longganisa (local sausage) and dried squid. To complete the Filipino breakfast experience, sinangag (garlic rice) is also available.

Hubby’s Pinoy Breakfast

While hubby opted to kickstart with his favorite Filipino fare, I chose to start with a warm bowl of congee with garlic, egg, sesame oil and spring onions. My dear Akisha loved it, too!

Congee

After savoring my bowl of congee, I got some Western favorites like bacon, Hungarian sausage (a bot spicy but I love it) and potatoes. I also had fried rice and dried fish. An egg and omelette station is also on standby, so I asked the chef to make some ham, cheese and mushroom omelette for us. The serving size is good to share.

My sort of a Western plate

There are also some healthy breakfast options like yogurt, peaches, lychees and who;e table full of assorted breads.

Healthy options

Fruit bowl

The dessert buffet is almost similar to the night before, only with the addition of some Danish pastries and cheesy ensaymadas.

Breads galore

Buffet breakfast at Cafe D’Asie also comes with a choice of refillable coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh fruit juices. My baby indulged in the delectable hot chocolate, while I had tea and apple juice. What a way to start the day!

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The Bellevue Manila

North Bridgeway, Northgate Cyberzone, Filinvest Corporate City, 

Alabang, Muntinlupa City

For more inquiries, please contact 7718181 or email tbmnl@thebellevue.com

Special thanks to Mr. Ryan Chan and Ms. Jehn Domingo for this wonderful staycation

Birthday Dinner at Cafe d’Asie, The Bellevue Manila

Cafe d’Asie’s All-Day Buffet After our rejuvenating massage at the Mandarine Reflexology and Spa, we prepped up and had our dinner at Cafe d’Asie. We opted to have the buffet so that we can sample every dish on the spread. Cafe d’Asie is located at the second floor of The Bellevue Manila’s main wing. It offers all-day buffet, featuring myriad international culinary creations.

Freshly-tossed salad

We started with a warm bowl of seafood  chowder topped with crispy bacon and croutons. It’s a hearty start I must say. Akisha loves the soup that she even got my bowl!

Seafood chowder with croutons and bacon

There is also a salad bar with good choices of crisp veggies, toppings and dressings.

The salad bar

There is also a wide spread of appetizers that includes fresh mussels, shrimps, cold cuts and cheeses. I requested the chef to cook buttered garlic prawns and mussels for us. When it landed on our table, it just smelled so good! We finished it in a snap.

Appetizer buffet

Buttered garlic shrimps and mussels

I have also indulged in fresh sushi and sashimi at the Japanese station. I got salmon, tuna, California maki, ebi and a lot more. 

Assorted sushi and sashimi

Hearty steaks are also on offer. The chef made a sumptuous 2-slice steak for me with a delicious peppercorn sauce and mashed potatoes. The succulent steak is a bit heavy, but we love it nonetheless.

Steak with Peppercorn Sauce

There is a pasta bar and a dimsum corner as well, but we weren’t able to try it because we were already so full by the time we saw it. A good selection of grilled seafood skewers are also available.

The dessert buffet has a wide variety of cakes and sweets, though we opted to have the classics like the bread pudding and brazo de mercedes. 

Pudding and Brazo de Mercedes

Assorted desserts

 We have also tried the drinks of the  month – Gazpacho Bloody Mary and Three-Berry Smoothie. It was my first time to try bloody mary, and was so surprised at its ingredients! The lady staff said it has tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, tomato gazpacho, pepper, sea salt and lemon juice. Wow! I never even thought that Worcestershire sauce can be mixed with a drink! 

Gazpacho Bloody Mary doesn’t taste like tomatoes at first, perhaps because of the tinge of spice from tabasco and the hint of saltiness from the  sea salt. But as you continue sipping it, it eventually reveals that “tomato-like” after taste. A good and interesting mix though.

The Three-Berry Smoothie is a concoction of assorted berries on a creamy yogurt smoothie. It’s kinda sweet so it can serve as your desert, too! These drinks came with a special edition The Bellevue Manila tumbler.

Gazpacho Bloody Mary and Three Berries Smoothie

When we were about to leave, the lady staff came in with another surprise for hubby — another birthday cake this time from Cafe D’Asie! Sweet!

Birthday cake for hubby

So when were finally full to the brim, we called it a night and went back to our Tower Grand Deluxe room to have some glasses of Manny O and a few last bites of cheese and nuts. What a way to celebrate our birthdays! Thank you so much The Bellevue Manila!

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The Bellevue Manila

North Bridgeway, Northgate Cyberzone, Filinvest Corporate City, 

Alabang, Muntinlupa City

For more inquiries, please contact 7718181 or email tbmnl@thebellevue.com

Special thanks to Mr. Ryan Chan and Ms. Jehn Domingo for this wonderful staycation

Good Morning, Aplaya!

Nothing beats a hearty breakfast for me. Some opt to skip the first meal of the day, but for me, it’s a must to have a sumptuous, heavy breakfast to kick start my day. So, before we said hello to the corals and fishes of Balicasag Island in Bohol, we filled ourselves to the brim with Aplaya’s morning buffet.

There was a bountiful spread of healthy delights. A salad bar with crisp veggies and fresh fruits, a bread station with a selection of jams, marmalade and butter, and my favorite – a create your own pancake station.

While hubby and I were browsing at the buffet stations, we pre-ordered our brewed coffee. The aroma alone made me awake! 

There are also some Oriental finds available like congee complete with condiments, siomai, and another create your own – a stir-fried noodle station.

I asked the wait staff to whip some stir-fried egg noodles for me. I selected some mushrooms, shrimp. squid, chicken, lots of garlic and spring onions. The finished product was a super yummy Pancit Canton! I love it that I even asked the wait staff to create the same for me the next day.

For heavy breakfast eaters like me, you might ask, do they have rice? Of course! There’s plain and Shanghai rice perfect to combine with these sinful bacon slices! 

And the Visayas is known for seafoods and dried fish,  so at Aplaya, a fine selection of dried stuff is the  main attraction. Name it: dried dilis, dried danggit, dried pusit!

Are you wondering how my plate looks like? Here is a glimpse:

Of course, I had cheese slices, too! 

To cap our hearty breakfast, I got three pieces of rice cakes and dipped it into a warm and thick tablea chocolate sauce. The rice cake (or is it the tablea?) has a hint of lemongrass in it. Yum! This is the reason why I made sure I have  some tablea from Bohol to bring home!

Special thanks to Ms. Margie Munsayac for making our stay at Bluewater Panglao all worthwhile.

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For reservations, please contact:

BLUEWATER PANGLAO

BEACH RESORT

Danao, Panglao Island

Bohol, Philippines 6340

Phone: (63 38) 416 0695 or 416 0696

Fax: (63 38) 416 0697

panglao@bluewater.com.ph

http://www.bluewater.com.ph

MANILA SALES OFFICE

Rm. 704 Cityland Herrera Tower

Rufino cor. Valero Sts., Salcedo Village

Makati City, Philippines

Phone: (63 2) 817-5751 / 887-1348

Fax: (63 2) 893-5391

rsvn03.manila@bluewater.com.ph

Mangan Tamu at Bale Capampangan

Capampangan cuisine is perhaps the most eclectic and unique under the Filipino cuisine umbrella. Why? Have you tried eating camaru (crickets) or Bistig Damulag? There, now you agree. =) The dishes are mostly Filipino-Spanish in origin, but has some influences from Cantonese cuisine. 

Warning: People on a diet may have to declare a cheat day to pave way for some rich, oily yet sumptuous offers.

Bale Capampangan is an eclectic restaurant in San Fernando, Pampanga. the interiors are warm and fancy, with drapes and lamps adorning the ceiling. 

The buffet has 30 interesting Capampangan dishes, reasonably priced at Php 295 for lunch and Php 225 for dinner.  My favorite among the Capampangan dishes on offer is this – Crispy Crablets!

To make the experience more worthwhile, sushi, sashimi and tempura, as well as  lechon carvery are also included in the buffet.

So next time you’ll be in San Fernando, devote time (and tummy space) for Bale Capampangan! Mangan tamu!

Barrio Fiesta Themed Dinner at Allegro Restaurant and Bar

Cebu Lechon (Roasted Pork)

On our last night at Maribago Bluewater, we had dinner again at the Allegro, but this time, it is a themed dinner called “Barrio Fiesta”. A fiesta or a feast is a tradition that usually involves street dancing, parade and food festivities which Filipinos inherited from the Spaniards. Usually, fiestas are of religious nature. It is a Filipiniana way of partying.

The  Barrio Fiesta themed  dinner at Allegro includes no other than the famous Cebu Lechon. 

Lechon in Cebu is so tasty and tender. It is the best lechon I have tasted so far. It does not have “sarsa” or sauce because the meat itself is generously seasoned with herbs and spices. If you wish to bring some home, you can go to CNT Lechon near SM Cebu. They will pack it in such a way that it will be allowed aboard the plane.

Bibingka (rice cake) is made of rice flour, red and white eggs, butter and sugar. It is usually available during the yuletide season or during Simbang Gabi. Allegro’s bibingka are in bite-sizes. 

The buffet also includes yema or candies made of caramelized condensed milk.

They also have sorbetes or home-made ice cream (ube, keso and chocolate flavor). You can also request for halo-halo (caramelized fruits with crushed ice, ube, leche flan and milk). 

The themed dinner also includes a cultural show showcasing Filipino songs and folk dances.

Desserts, etc. at Allegro Restaurant and Bar

After our sumptuous seafood dinner at The Cove, we checked out some desserts at the Allegro Restaurant and Bar which coincidentally is hosting the themed dinner “Fisherman’s Village”, so we were also able to watch the Tahitian dancers.

We wanted to order some booze but since our baby is with us, we decided to just grab some sweets. We ordered three kinds of desserts: A fruit-infused creme brulee, a chocolate cake and another chocolate piece with ice cream.

Passion Fruit Coconut Creme Brulee is not like your ordinary creme brulee (or burnt creme, almost similar to leche flan). This one is served on a coconut shell and infused with passion fruit. The berry-like taste of passion fruit perfectly balances the creamy texture of the creme brulee. Love the plating, too!

Passion Fruit Coconut Creme Brulee, Php 150

Allegro’s version of the classic Moist Chocolate Cake is heaven on a plate. It’s a combination of chocolate, coffee and dulce de leche.  And when the label says it’s moist, it means it.

Moist Chocolate Cake, Php 150

My followers know for sure that I love choco lava cakes ala mode, so when I saw the Sunken Chocolate with Coffee Ice Cream, I know for a fact that this is going to be my favorite of the three. And I was not wrong. Though the sunken chocolate cake was not as chewy as Purple Oven’s, the coffee ice cream made the difference. Plus, it is topped with pecans!

Sunken Chocolate with Coffee Ice Cream, Php 150

I would also like to share a glimpse of Allegro’s posh Filipiniana-inspired bar. 

I also checked out the buffet spread and saw these yummy Baked Oysters. I was so tempted to grab some! This will go perfectly with a glass of wine.

Baked Oysters

They also have Crispy Pork Belly. 

Crispy Pork Belly

And some pica-pica like Ebi Tempura and Fish Fingers with a variety of dips.

Fish Fingers and Ebi Tempura

What a perfect way to end the night!

Grill and Pasta Buffet at Sands Al Fresco, The Lighthouse Marina Resort, Subic

When you are in Subic and you are hungry (or craving), drop by the Sands Al Fresco at The Lighthouse Marina Resort inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and have a sumptuous grill and pasta dinner while you are being serenaded with live piano and bossa nova.

The starters include an asparagus soup and a salad bar with fresh veggies, fruits and a variety of dressings.

I don’t eat much fruits. But their melon is something that I couldn’t forego. It’s so sweet and crisp that I imagine dipping it in vanilla ice cream.

They also have a pasta bar where you could choose from marinara, bolognese or carbonara. You also got to pick what you want in your sauce. There’s anchovies, mushrooms, ham, bacon, pepper, olives, etc. Just select and they will cook it for you the way you want it.

Here’s my pasta. I chose bacon, ham, black olives, white onions and mushrooms on white sauce. I selected linguine. The serving is huge than I expected, so if you want to focus on their grill offerings, tell the staff to give you just half a serving of the pasta.

The grill selection is broad enough. You can choose from pork belly, porkchop, baby back ribs, chicken and sausages.

 It also include a wide variety of seafoods like mahi-mahi, squid, cream dory, and tuna.

There is also a corner where you could find different kinds of sauces like garlic yogurt, barbeque, honey mustard, toyomansi (soy sauce and local lemon), etc.

Of course, the most awaited part of the buffet, the dessert!

They have creme brulee (my favorite), banana cake and brownies. 

After indulging, you may want to have a cup of hot tea or coffee to cap the night. 

How to go to The Lighthouse Marina Resort:

TRAVEL BY LAND 
SBFZ is 110 kms. North of Manila, the Philippines ‘ capital city. It is about two hours to two and a half hours drive from the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) gateway of Balintawak. Take San Fernando Exit and pass thru the provinces of Pampanga ( towns Bacolor, Guagua, Lubao) and Bataan (town Dinalupihan) to the Subic Bay Freeport Expressway. ( Tipo Road , Bataan ). Once you have entered the free port zone after the toll gate and check point, drive all the way to Rizal Highway , turn right up to Manila road all the way to Waterfront road, turn right and drive straight down up to The Lighthouse Drive, final left turn and you have arrived! There are alternative routes and there are directional signages along the way. Saulog Transit and Victory Liner provide regular transport air-con bus services to Olongapo City from their various terminals in Pasay City , Quezon City and Caloocan City .. A short jeepney ride or taxi takes you from the Victory Liner terminal in Olongapo City to the Freeport , while Saulog Transit terminal is just a stone’s throw away and walking distance to the Gate of SBMA where a taxi can take you directly to The Lighthouse. A shuttle service to and from the Gate can be arranged with any of our resort hosts. 

http://www.lighthousesubic.com