Breakfast at the Oakroom Restaurant and Lounge

BACON IS LOVE. PERIOD.

Breakfast is one thing that I look forward to everyday. It can either make or break my whole day ahead. A good cup of brewed coffee, preferably with beans that are grown locally, can easily uplift my mood at one sip. Put slices of perfectly browned bacon on my plate and you’ll see happiness on my face.

When we recently had a staycation at the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila, I was so excited for breakfast simply because I know it’ll be at the Oakroom, one of the celebrated hotel restaurants in the metro. And dear, I must say it did not disappoint us.

The buffet might not be as expansive as other hotel buffets, but it has all the cult favorites and staples on offer. The bacon station is, like in any other hotel or resort, a blockbuster, so better make sure to grab some slices before it disappear into thin air.

For starters, choose from any of the cold cuts, cheeses and salads. I got some strips of smoked salmon, pork loin, and cheese, which are all good palate teasers. In fact, I even got second helpings of smoked salmon! I was also surprised to see Yakult (my energy drink!) sitting on crushed ice.

Appetizers

There are also a variety of freshly-baked breads, of which the croissant is noteworthy. The flaky, melt-in-your-mouth-soft-on-the-inside-crunchy-on-the-outside croissant works well with butter and jam, or Brie!

Breads galore

There is also a pancake station where Akisha indulged in soft, milky mini pancakes drizzled with syrup.

Mini pancakes

Juice station

After munching on smoked salmon and croissant, the next thing I tried was the congee, which I loaded up with tofu, garlic, spring onions, sesame oil, and chili sauce. It was so hearty that I almost ended up so full!

My congee

Condiments

There are a variety of dishes in the buffet station but I was not able to try all as I was already stuffed by the time I finished my congee. Hubby though was able to try some greens and fruits.

Hubby’s plate

My hearty plate =)

There’s also my favourite Aloo Gobi (Indian potato curry) and roti. the curry is not overwhelmingly spicy, so it’s just perfect. The dim sum station on the other hand offers siomai and siopao, which are all good. I slathered my pork siomai with sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili paste and I’m all good.

Pork siomai, Aloo Gobi and roti

For desserts, surprisingly, there were no cronuts here, but a variety of cupcakes and mini cakes were on offer. Akisha, of course got all the sugar fix she wants, and I got a bowl of plain and blueberry yogurt topped with chocolate chips and blueberry preserves. Yum!

Cupcakes

Petit cakes

Blueberry slash chocolate chip yogurt

Overall, breakfast was good and something that you should look forward to when checking in at the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila. If this is included in your room package, then the cost is all worth it.

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Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila

17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, 

Pasig City 1600, Philippines

Tel: +632.637.7888 / +632.910.8888

Fax: +632.706.7777

Email: premiermanila@oakwoodasia.com

http://www.oakwood.com

Cronuts Fever at the Oakroom Restaurant and Bar

On the night of our stay at the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila, we checked out Oakroom’s famous Saturday Night Fever and Cronuts Buffet. Yes, CRONUTS BUFFET. Do I  need to explain more why we were so excited to try this out? =)

The bar

Oakroom, located at the 6th floor of the hotel, is the signature bar and restaurant of the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila. With the executive chef Jerome Cartailler at its helm, the restaurant  offers a panoply of flavors from around the world. For dinner, Oakroom opens at 6:00 pm and closes at 10 pm.

At the entrance, an array of liquors greet you, tempting you to pair a shot or two with any of the scrumptious offering at the buffet. There’s also unlimited local beer!

Shot?

The bar looks chic and cozy, not dimly-lit and the music, soulful and chill. Obviously, it’s not a party bar, but a place to lounge and loosen up after a hard day at work.

Have a glass?

Going inside, we were welcomed by elegant chandeliers and sleek, neutral-hued chairs and couches. The interiors were sophisticated in a not-so-complicated way. Should you decide to dine here, choose a couch by the glass walls for you to have a nice view of the city.

The interiors

Choose a couch like this for you to have a nice vista of the city

Petit sandwiches and open-faced cronuts

The buffet features a variety of appetizers, mains, and desserts. For starters, there are the delectable and hearty petit sandwiches and open-faced cronuts, of which the smoked salmon bagel and the three-mushroom cronut. Kids will definitely love the mini ham and cheese sandwiches.

My appetizer plate

Chicken barbecue wrap

Besides the mini sandwiches and cronuts, the appetizer station also includes cold cuts, salads, and wraps that will surely whet your appetite. I did not see a cheese station, though. It would have been nice to pair my old-time favorite Brie and Camembert with the cold cuts!

The salad which i got but forgot to get the name

Cold cuts

The kid-friendly salad, with hotdogs on it =)

More cold cuts

For the mains, the star of the night was the succulent, well-seasoned slab of rib-eye. I couldn’t resist getting a slab, of course! I paired this with the peppercorn sauce, some tangy Dijon mustard, and a scoop of mashed potatoes — love.

The star of the night

Mashed potatoes and fried chicken

Veggies

Kids will love the hotdogs wrapped in smokey bacon, as well as Oakroom’s version of spaghetti bolognese.

Hotdogs wrapped in bacon and spaghetti bolognese

Another favorite is the barbecued pork ribs. Slow-cooked in sweet-zesty sauce, the pork ribs is fall-off-the-bone tender and is a perfect match to your below-zero chilled beer. Mitos Fritos on the other hand is a melange of fish, squid, and prawns in crispy batter.

Mitos Fritos and barbecued pork ribs

Do not dare miss the spicy chicken wings! It’s simply addicting. (For the record, I am not a fan of wings, or any bony part of chicken. Yes, I’m one of those who would rather have the bland breast part!) But Oakroom’s version is flavorful, and spicy! The kind that will just tease your palate.

The spicy wings is a winner! I forgot the name of the beef dish though

My plate

And now, the cronuts stations. Cronut, a marriage of flaky croissant and doughnuts, was all abuzz since last year, with most of the urban cafes and bakeries having their own renditions. At the Oakroom, there’s a separate station for savories, sweets, and do-it-yourself cronuts. We checked out the savories first.

My heart stomped at the sight of these slices  of duck liver. Men, I felt like my nape got numb only by seeing these sinful, luscious piece of heaven. So, without further ado, I asked the chef to make me a duck liver and balsamic vinaigrette cronut, a Cronut Benedict (smoked ham and poached egg drizzled with Hollandaise sauce), and their best-selling Philly cheesesteak cronut.

Sinful, eh? Duck liver galore

Philly cheesesteak  filling

Smoked ham for Cronuts Benedict

After a few minutes, these babies landed on our table. Love at first sight!

The trio of savory cronuts

I tried the duck liver and balsamic vinaigrette cronut first, and not only it was love at first sight, it was love, indeed, at first bite! The succulent foie gras that seemed  to melt in my mouth together with the flaky cronut is just so divine. The balsamic vinaigrette balances it all. Simple, not complicated, and purist. If I’ll have a chance to eat at the Oakroom again, I’ll make sure to eat  this thing. It’s d-i-v-i-n-e.

Duck liver and balsamic vinaigrette cronut

Next,I tried the Cronut Benedict. The poached egg was runny just the way I like it, and the Hollandaise sauce not too salty, a perfect match to the slice of smoked ham. It’s good but the duck liver version is still the top on my list.

Cronut Benedict

Last of the three savories, we tried  the best-selling Philly cheesesteak cronut. The bits and pieces of meat are so full of spices, and the melted cheese makes for a silver lining here. I would suggest that you eat this first before having your rib-eye so that you won’t feel you’re having meat overload. It’s a nice teaser, believe me! No wonder, it’s their best-seller!

Philly cheesesteak cronut

For desserts, there’s an entire station with cronuts of different flavors that will definitely fulfill your saccharine cravings. My personal favorite: the pistachio toppings!

Sweet cronuts

There is also a  do-it-yourself cronut station where you can put your own preferred toppings. I’m sure, if Akisha was with us, she will never leave this station!

Plain cronuts as your canvas

Select your own toppings

Aside from cronuts, there are also an array of cakes and brownies at the dessert station. Plus, there’s Magnum!!! Magnum all you can!!! Can you hear me say, Magnum all you can?????

the base cake is red velvet if I remember it right

Brownies and bars  galore

Again, MAGNUM ALL YOU CAN!

Oakroom’s Saturday Night Fever Dinner Buffet is available every Saturday (obviously) from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Price is at Php 1,290+++.

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Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila

17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, 

Pasig City 1600, Philippines

Tel: +632.637.7888 / +632.910.8888

Fax: +632.706.7777

Email: premiermanila@oakwoodasia.com

http://www.oakwood.com

A Staycation at the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila

Our well-appointed bathroom complete with a free-standing tub, steam bath, rainshower, and premium bath amenities

Let’s admit it — back to back trips can be exhausting, too! But don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining.Yes, I love to travel. I love it when I got to see new places and meet new people. Travelling keeps my sanity intact. Travelling is the breath that keeps my body and soul alive. But sometimes, just packing and unpacking my stuff alone in between trips can be so stressful! And jumping from a plane to a van or bus to another mode of transportation can be so tiring. Agree, travelistas?

So, when  I feel like I’m having a travel overdose, I try to squeeze in some staycations in between. Staycations give me some sort of a breather from the daily grind without the need to travel far, or without being away from my loved ones.

After our Holy Week escapade in Biliran and our quick getaway in Bauan, Batangas, I felt like it’s time to have some quality time with my family, so we spent a night in Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila on LaborDay weekend. Located at the heart of Ortigas Center in Pasig City, the hotel is just about 20 minutes away from where we live. Perfect!

Our one-bedroom deluxe suite

We got a one-bedroom deluxe suite which has a spacious living room, a kitchen, and a separate bedroom. The suite is just perfect for us (we were three adults with my five-year-old foodie and travelista daughter, Akisha). Ideally, the suite is good for two adults and two kids but you may opt to add an extra bed for the additional adult.

A welcome gift for Akisha. So sweet!

The living room

The living room features a plush sofa and an ottoman where you can lounge, take a nap or have some snacks while watching your favourite TV series at the suite’s 40″ LCD TV. With its floor-to-ceiling walls, the living room also commands a beautiful view of the Ortigas skyline.

A view of sunset from our living room

The kitchen

The kitchen is fully-equipped with a fridge, oven, stove, microwave, coffeemaker, as well as pots, pans, utensils, and dinnerware. There’s also a washing machine for your laundry just in case you need it. The suite is actually designed to accommodate long staying guests.

A Black & Decker coffeemaker to make their house brew

Kitchen cabinets are loaded with stuff you can use for cooking during your stay

The bedroom

The bedroom features a cozy king-sized bed, an ottoman, and another LCD TV. The room is so spacious that putting an extra bed did not even make it look cramped at all. A glass wall also serves as a divider between the bedroom and the toilet and bath but don’t worry, there are blinds should you prefer some privacy. There are also cabinets and full-length mirrors available.

The LCD TV and the writing desk

Oh, and did I tell you we have the ever reliable Angie on call?

The bathroom is my favorite part of our suite. Why? With this bathroom I felt like I have my own, private spa without having to go elsewhere outside our room. It has its own freestanding tub complete with bath salt and gel, and another LCD television; and it has its own steam bath which I LOVE. Guests can also easily book a room massage from the concierge.

The steam bath/glass shower enclosure

Premium bath amenities

The water closet

After settling our stuff at our suite, we went around the serviced residence to check out what activities we can do and what facilities do they have. 

The gym

At the seventh floor is the gym complete with state-of-the-art fitness machines and an instructor that can guide you throughout your routine. The gym also offers seasonal group classes like yoga, etc.

Some of the equipment at the gym

At the sixth floor is their lone restaurant, Oakroom (which I’ll be writing about next), indoor swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and the locker rooms which houses the sauna.

The indoor pool is so Pinoy-friendly as it is not directly exposed to the heat of the sun, so there’s no need for you to slather on a bottle of sunblock here. Perhaps, just a shot-glass-amount of sunscreen would  do. The pool starts at 4 feet. Guests are advised to wear proper swimming attire.

The indoor swimming pool

Poolside loungers

At the pool area, my favorite spot is the huge Jacuzzi where the water is warmer and the depth is just right for Akisha and I. They also turn on the water jets from time to time so you can indulge in a rejuvenating soak and hydro massage.

The Jacuzzi

After having a dip at the pool, I went to check out the sauna and the locker room. It’s clean and well-maintained, I must say. Even the individual shower rooms were cleaned right after someone uses it. 

Lockers  for the guests’ convenience

The shower room

Overall,  our stay was a blast and indeed a relaxing one. Our suite was so adorable that it was such a heartbreak to leave the day after. The food is another thing to rave about, so I am dedicating a separate post for that. Stay tuned!

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Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila

17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, 

Pasig City 1600, Philippines

Tel: +632.637.7888 / +632.910.8888

Fax: +632.706.7777

Email: premiermanila@oakwoodasia.com

http://www.oakwood.com