MARRIOTT CAFÉ: OCEAN’S HARVEST MARKET STYLE BUFFET

Local scallops galore from Capiz.

.

I hardly have time to eat out as much as I want to because of my erratic schedule. But when I choose to eat out, I like to go to a place where I can sit among my friends, and enjoy food that is genuinely good without any frills. We recently discovered Marriott Café’s Ocean’s harvest—a delightful dining experience with fresh bounties from the sea cooked just the way you want it. The Ocean’s harvest dampa-and-paluto market style of dining at this restaurant allows diners to choose from the outlet’s fresh seafood or better known as “Catch of the Day” section, and request the chefs to have it cooked the way they want it and simply indulge in the glorious taste of the bounty of the sea.

Blue crabs transformed into yummy meals!

Marriott Café takes its dining delights to greater heights by including seafood paluto style buffet, giving diners an even more satisfying meal. Presenting an exciting mix of innovative dishes, classic cuisine, comfort foods and personalized a la minute cooking, the buffet spread brings delectable gustatory possibilities to anticipate the craving of any foodie. Still evoking the Marriott Café signature style of degustation-like choices that seek to entice and gratify.

Tiger prawns and squids

Fresh Catch station

Selected bloggers were recently invited to bask in this sumptuous seafood buffet. Marriott Manila’s executive Sous Chef Elmer Fabella happily guided the bloggers on how it works: “Just choose anything you want from the “catch of the Day” station and tell the chef how you want it to be prepared. No recipes required. You’ll then be given a number, placed it on your table and wait for the food to be served.” To ensure that all seafood we buy is always fresh, we source our hotel’s fresh seafood from Navotas fish port daily,” adds Chef Fabella.

The noodle atelier with the chefs.

So if you love eating seafood at buffets, but you also want the freedom to order off the menu, this is the perfect place to go. Trust me, take a look at their wide variety of seafood’s, it will really leave you with all the choices. And don’t forget to look at other meals on their buffet spread; it’s also very enjoyable. 

Our first bite into what I now declare as seafood buffet heaven came in the form of freshly baked scallops. The scallop literally melts in your mouth.  Among their selection of seafood, the Seafood Lasagna is really a must-try. Its creamy cheese is really good!

My baked scallops order

The buttered garlic prawns is such a simple dish bursting with flavor. No need to use your hands to peel off the shells and enjoy the tiny bits of garlic and herbs into the dish.  Same thing goes for the Singaporean Chili Crab—perfectly made with its tangy sweet and spicy sauce with the texture of pungent onion leeks for a contrast. 

Tiger prawns in garlic buttered sauce.

Chili crabs with onion leeks

The Laksa Soup was impeccable. In the steaming, fragrant coconut cream based soup lies a balanced mix of fish and veggies incorporated with spices, all contributing varying degrees of bite and flavors. Such an opulent take, it makes my mouth water just thinking of it.

Grilled dory is a visual delight with the fillet grilled to beautiful golden brown color without the slightest bit of charring, and drizzled with some creamy lemony garlic sauce. The fillet is very tender and moist with a pronounced citrus taste from the lemon.

These are some of the delectable cakes at the buffet.

Marriott Café is also a good place to chow down fresh sashimi, a good spread of sushi rolls and a healthy serving of other Japanese fare. The thing I most love about it, is the speedy service, cordial and cool staff—the kind that always make you feel comfortable even if you’ve order enough for an army. Oh, by the way, the greens and fruits at the salad bar as well as the gelato and dessert station are also worth checking out for. The greens that came with my herbed based arugula salad was so good that I didn’t feel bad at all for having eaten so much. 

Fish in sinigang (stew)

Lemony buttered crabs.

Sorbet and homemade gelato ice cream to choose from

Finally, the sweetest of endings, Marriott Café, for all its entree’s’ worth, had the Chocolate Soufflé cake, and Chantilly cream—it will render you speechless the entire time you’re eating, if only to savor every single bite. The Chocolate Marquise, on the other hand, chocolate terrine drizzled with vanilla custard sauce—is pure indulgence! And did I mention the various panna cotta creations and tiramisu cakes? OMG! There are simply no words. 

The giant chocolate fountain with marshmallows and candies to drive the child in you.

Executive Sous Chef Elmer Fabella

A chef sautes my order infront of me.

Guests will love the ambiance at the cafe.

Well lighted and comfy seats will make one feel right at home.

The dining experience in Marriott café is likewise and unhurried just as it should be. It’s also unusual to spot this age’s version of royalty—high-powered politicians or A-list celebrity dining at the café. But you’ll probably be enjoying your food too much to even care. One thing’s certain though; tummies will surely come out of the Ocean’s Harvest Marriott Café experience happy and full.  

Ocean’s Harvest is held every Friday and Saturday nights from 6:00PM-10: 30PM at Php2, 300/paxFor inquiries and reservations, call 988-9999.

Marriott Café is located at the Marriott Hotel Manila, 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City

Security Blanket thanks Marriott Café, the lovely women of Marriott Hotel Manila Ms. Michelle Garcia, Marketing Communications Director, and Ms. April Gonzales, Marketing Communications Assistant. 

FLAVORS OF ASIA AT MARRIOTT HOTEL MANILA: ONE TRULY AMAZING ASIAN FOOD TRIP

The lobby of the Marriott Cafe

 They say that the best ways to experience Asia is through food—notable, mind-blowing, and immeasurable. Especially for the Southeast Asian region that boasts a multi-cultural and hard-hitting influence with the way we enjoy cooking and eating, it’s no wonder why dishes that hail from these regions are considered a feast for the senses.

Marriott Manila pays tribute to the most revered cuisines of the world as it brings home four of the Asia’s finest chefs and most famous cuisines. From Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam—Marriott Café entices everyone with a masterpiece through a month-long celebration of Oriental flavors that’s uniquely Marriott.

Chef introduces his dish.

What else could be more exciting that flying four of the finest chefs in Asia with Renaissance Kuala Lumpur’s Ruhizad Muri, Renaissance Riverside Saigon Phan Tien Hoa, Indonesian chef Dadang Wahyudi, and JW Marriott Bangkok Thantorn Krobsuay? Boasting with culinary career track that is dynamically diverse, expect only authentic and a palate tickling adventure anyone could get.

Chef enjoys the media.

 Back by popular demand, Thai food deserves all the hype for its fundamental tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Chef Thantorn Krobsuay, who led the first two consecutive most-talked about Thai Food Fest at Marriott Café, will still dish out appetizing Thai specialties foodies regularly crave for. Discover his new line up of mouthwatering dishes such as deep fried sea bass with chili sauce, sautéed squid with pineapple and cucumber, beef balls cooked with Malaysian sauce, braised beef spiced with turmeric and coconut.

Chef tells the crowd what his dish was all about. 

 For only P2, 300 net from Sunday to Thursday and P2, 500 net for Friday and Saturday, enjoy a charming Asian dinner that assures an enjoyable age-old tradition of bonding through delicious mix of aromatics, spices, rich, sweet and hot Flavors of Asia.

Beef Rendang melts in your mouth.

More than its legendary nasi lemak, chef Ruhizad gives foodies a taste of Malaysia’s noteworthy nyonya cuisine. A signature Penang-type of cooking that uses roots (blends and spices of galangal, turmeric, and ginger), leaves (pandan, lime and laksa), fruit (lemon, tamarind and green mangoes) along with other ingredients like shrimp paste and chilis.

Yummy Vietnamese Spring Rolls.

Chef Ruhizad also puts an interesting twist to time-honored dishes in Malaysia. This buffet section invites diners to get creative with blue crab, tiger prawn shrimps, steamed fish, beef tenderloin, chicken, fresh clams, barbecue chicken, and assorted veggies peppered and spiced the Malaysian way 

Fresh catch: Curacha crabs galore!

 For the more adventurous, Indonesian cuisine are also made available. Carnivores will surely enjoy chef Dadang Wahyudi’s take on grilled meats in skewers—with a wide selection of beef, lamb chops, chicken, shrimps, calamari, pork and fish! Another must-try is the bebek betutu klung klung—an all-spiced up Balinese dish enhanced by a host of pungent ingredients. Locals and visitors will also love the heavenly roasted duck recipe that’s considered a dish specialty for big banquets and special ceremonies.

Chef's specialty with galangal, lime and ginger.

Chinese station with dimsums and dumplings.

Sweet Asian delicacies

Seafood and meat skewers with sauce.

Fruits abound.

The giant chocolate fountain for the sweet tooth.

The Japanese Station boasts of sushi and sashimi.

Tiger Prawns

 For Vietnamese cuisine lovers like me, chef Phan Thien Hoa presents a variety of specialty and oh-so-delectable Vietnamese specialties that’s known for being one of the healthiest foods. Try the heavenly steaming bowl of Pho (chicken or beef). It bursts of flavors, herbs and spices. I instantly fell in love with it the very first time I had a spoonful of it. This one’s a whole lot better than Pho Hoa. Topped with lemon citrus, this pho soup is probably the best I have ever tasted. It’s very refreshing! Made from the finest broth, rice noodles, meat, herbs such as fresh basil leaves (unlike others that uses mint leaves). It promises to leave you wanting for more.

The Vietnamese Noodle Station..

The perfect rainy day companion--Vietnamese Pho.

 A Vietnamese food trip will never be complete without Vietnamese spring rolls—soft rice wrappers filled with meats like shrimps, chicken, beef and veggies with tofu, served on a sweet peanut buttery sauce. It feels like transporting you to the streets of Saigon. For seafood fans, there are curacha crabs, (big crabs) tiger prawns, and lobsters.

Chef with Vietnamese spring rolls.

Those with sweet-tooth need not frown, a wide range of choices are in store for you all. Glutinous rice or fruits, pandan crepes rolled in caramelized coconut, stewed green bean with palm sugar, banana in sweet coconut, pandan jelly plus other Asian sweet delicacies.

As if these yummy treats aren’t enough, Marriott has partnered with other Marriott Asian properties in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia and they’re giving away three days and two nights gift certificates to four lucky diners of Flavors of Asia! That’s all you need to fully experience Asia!

The author with the International Chefs

Experience this once-in-a-lifetime amazing culinary treat as Marriott also brings in four distinguished chef guests to conduct special cooking classes for only P1, 500 net inclusive of a hearty lunch.

The schedules are as follows:

Thai—July 9 and 16

Malaysian and Vietnamese—July 23

Indonesian—July 30

For inquiries or reservations, please call Marriott café at 988-9999.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated for this post. Opinions expressed are 100 % my own.