Street Food in a Five-Star Hotel?

          Could street food ever find its way in a hotel? And not just any hotel -- a FIVE STAR hotel. No way, you say? Well, the adventurous Marco Polo Plaza Cebu never fails to amaze. To kick off the year and to commemorate with the most festive time of the year in Cebu (Sinulog!), Cafe Marco's Culinary Journeys aptly brings you Sugbusog 2013: Street Food Classics, a walk through street food right in the hotel's buffet! 

          I excitedly anticipated this event when I was invited because I was so curious how it would look like in the hotel. Ms. Jessica Avila, an icon of native/Cebuano cuisine who has been the food consultant of Marco Polo for four years now, was the genius behind this promo among the many things she has contributed to the hotel's gastronomic triumphs.

THE Ms. Jessica Avila, culinary icon in Cebu

A regal welcome to our street food feast.

           The street food display is located at the El Viento poolside restobar; it is an extension of the Cafe Marco buffet. Guests are welcome to take their pick (WARNING: Once you pop, you can't stop.) among the tantalizing spread and dine at the poolside to have the outdoor vibe of eating on the streets. It may not be as rugged but you're sure to get yourself perfumed by the grill and a little sweaty from the absence of air conditioning. 

        My, the spread was grand! It had all the works -- popcorn, "dirty" ice cream, kwek-kwek, tempura, squid balls, balbacua, bbq, hotcake, balut, peanuts and more! You name it, they have it! Such nostalgic classics that bring to mind those days when we would spend loose change on these irresistible legends. You almost wouldn't believe you were dining in a five star hotel. I got so excited I couldn't wait to take my plate. I  had to have everything.  

      I most definitely had a taste of everything and it was impeccable, even guilt-free,  because you know it's squeaky clean with five star sanitation. And believe it or not, everything was made from scratch -- even the balot (that notorious boiled duck egg, a favorite in the Fear Factor show)! :D

          Excuse my orange tinted photos from my poor 10-yr-old camera but here are a few snips from the lavish spread:

balut and mani (peanuts)

our national flower, chicharon bulaklak

puso (hanging rice)

           Ah yes, the queen of all street food -- chicharon bulaklak, known to Cebuanos as ginabot. This is pork intestine deep-fried to perfection and forbids you the consumption of just one puso. 

mais na kan-on (corn grits)

           The adobo corn grits or mais was stunning. It was a perfect match to the bulad (dried fish). I wish I could have had more but I got so full from tasting everything.  

Lambay (Halabos)

Balbacua!

The grill station: isaw, pork bbq, chicken, squid, fish, and saang 

         Pinoy barbecue is among my favorite food! I especially loved the grilled saang (a seashell) and chicken gizzard that night. :D

The ever present trio: tempura, squid balls and kwek-kwek!

DESSERT

          This station was just irresistible! I loved the pancake and biko! :D

masi, budbud kabog, banana que, biko, caramelized banan chips, bibingka, torta

another one of my faves: Camote cue! :D

        And of course, who would miss this station? DIRTY ICE CREAM AND POPCORN! :D

gotta have 'em all: chocolate, ube and mango! 

         The Christmas ensaymada was selling like hotcakes last season and now, they have another version for this season -- a specially-made Fiesta Ensaymada for Sinulog! Bite into it and be surprised as you get a mouthful of halo-halo filling. This is something you might want to bring around the streets as snack or share with friends during Sinulog. 

         Now, you don't have to go running around the streets looking for these. They got it all here! This is seriously one of the best spreads of the year by the Marco Polo! What a great way to start the year. Imagine high class people eating this kind of food. What an amusing sight that would be. You shouldn't miss this either. Of course, I don't have to tell you that. I'm sure you're drooling by now. Sugbusog 2013: Street Food Classics promo is from Jan 11-20; only comes one week in a year! 

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills

Lahug, Cebu City 6000

Contact: (032) 253 1111

Email: info@marcopoloplazacebu.com

Facebook: facebook.com/MarcoPoloPlazaCebu

Twitter: @5StarInCebu

"To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D"

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

Nothing Like Christmas at the Marco Polo

          Oddly this year, I didn't really feel the Christmas spirit when the celebrated day was approaching. But when I was invited to visit the Marco Polo for the festive buffet at Cafe Marco, Christmas was all over the place. I felt a warm welcome from all the beautiful and lavish decors and of course, the food! Actually, it felt nostalgic. This is the place to be if you want a great Christmas feast. You'd think Santa was your host! 

       The highlights of this festive buffet are the Glazed Ham, Stuffed Turkey Roll, and Chicken Relleno. My, oh my, these babies are not to be taken lightly. They're so good you'll want to keep going back for more. A personal favorite is the Chicken Relleno. Nom nom! :D   

Marco Polo's very own glazed ham

Stuffed Turkey

Chicken Relleno
(sorry, the photo doesn't do it justice at all... but it's sooo good!)

       And of course, if you know me well, dessert is my favorite part of the meal. The dessert station was just so eye-catching! It was my first time to see a display chiller decorated with edible ornaments such as these! The station was also adorned with  chocolate santa's and gingerbread houses. My favorites here are the mango crepe and leche flan! I never miss a slice of leche flan whenever I'm here.

       For the festive season, Marco Polo has the most festive ensaymada's. Soft, moist, creamy, fluffy... and colorful! It's a fruit cake kinda ensaymada. Perfect as gifts. :D 

       The buffet includes free flowing coffee which has a perfect match -- THE malicious cookies! I do not know why they are called so but I guess because these secret, notorious cookies are to die for. You'll never have enough of these. You can even get them freshly baked upon request and you can order them for takeout. I bought some to give to my friend for her birthday. :)

        So, I've pretty much mentioned a lot of dishes you shouldn't miss at the Cafe Marco this season. If that's not enough to get you going there, I don't know what can. That's not all that's happening at the Marco Polo though. Here's a schedule of events you might want to spend with your family and friends at the Marco:

Christmas:

Cafe Marco

Dec 25         - Lunch & Dinner buffet:            P1,699 nett per person

                         w/ free flowing drinks

Dec 26-30    - Lunch buffet                          P1,099  nett per person

                    Dinner buffet                         P1,499  nett per person

                         *no drinks included

Blu Bar & Grill

     At 1,000 feet high, indulge in a luxurious festive set dinner with wine pairing on Dec 25 for P2,800 nett per person.   

New Year's

      Feast on the buffet at Cafe Marco and get a complimentary entrance to the New Year's Countdown and spectacular fireworks display at the Grand Balcony.

Cafe Marco & Lobby Lounge

Lunch buffet: P1,099 nett per person

Dinner buffet: P1,799 nett per person

*w/ free flowing drinks

El Viento

      Al fresco buffet dinner with a live band Serendipity for P1,799 nett per person with free flowing drinks.

Blu Bar & Grill

     Celebrate New Year's at greater heights with an unmatched view of the city and fireworks. Set dinner with wine pairing at P3,800 nett per person. Music by Royal Plus band.

Grand Balcony

      This is where the party's at! Join the fun with popular band Leandro Zayco and Patiqueros as you dance the night away and gaze at the fireworks for only P600 nett for walk-ins with a free glass of sparkling wine. 

Jan 1

Lunch buffet:        P999 nett per person

Dinner buffet:    P1,299 nett per person

*no drinks included

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, FOODIES! :*

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills

Lahug, Cebu City 6000

Contact: (032) 253 1111

Email: info@marcopoloplazacebu.com

Facebook: facebook.com/MarcoPoloPlazaCebu

Twitter: @5StarInCebu

"To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D"

oink oink, 

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

The Philippine Master Chefs at the Marco Polo

                September flew by so fast and now it’s time for the next theme of Marco Polo Plaza’s Culinary Journeys at Café Marco. I am proud to say this is my most awaited event of the year at the Marco Polo. This is because my local culinary icons, celebrity chefs father and son tandem, Chefs Gene and Gino Gonzalez are back! They are the guest chefs I look forward to most every year because I’ve personally watched them live in action in the kitchen when I was an intern. They are the heavyweights in the culinary industry, having several awards as individuals and with their restaurants. Not surprisingly enough, they never fail to pull out some magic from their sleeves every time they’re here.

(from left) Chef Red, Chef Gino and Gene Gonzalez, Chef Toto Erfe 

                This year’s theme is Culinary Impressions of China. Common as it (Chinese cuisine) sounds, don’t be prematurely disinterested just yet. It’s not traditional Chinese cuisine (not that it’s bad) but an adventurous contemporary take, making you feel like you’re dining with an emperor. With the Philippine Master Chefs Gene and Gino Gonzalez, anything they get their hands on is a spectacular show for the eyes and a party in the mouth. It’s their 6^th visit but their tricks never get old! :D

                I’ve never had a complete and perfectly satisfied culinary journey at the Café Marco as this. And by that, I mean smooth sailing from appetizers to dessert! Here are some of the gems I had a taste of in the buffet:

APPETIZERS

Chilled Tofu with Century Egg

                   Slices of soft silk tofu swimming in a broth with century egg and topped with a beautiful medley of pork floss, chopped cilantro and an edible orchid, "Dancing Lady". This melted in my mouth and slid down my throat like I had a spoonful of fairy dust. And what's more awesome is, it's low in calories! Oh yesss. :D  

Seaweed Salad with Century Egg 

                       Three kinds of seaweed of which I could only identify guso (that thick branched seaweed), with slivers of jellyfish -- my favorite Chinese cold appetizer. The textures were playful, having smoothness, crispness and chewy.   

Cold Spicy Noodles

                      Probably the only cold "palabok-like" noodles I ever enjoyed, with strips of pork belly. It was a substantial and creamy noodle dish.  

Lechon with Chive Cake



Ox Tripe Salad

DIMSUM

Red Curry Dumpling and Pork & Lemongrass Dumpling

                 Both dumplings were heaven in the mouth and matched perfectly with their dipping sauces. The pork and lemongrass dumpling went with the sweet and sour Vietnamese vinegar dip (right side on the sauce plate) and the red curry dumpling which was soupy like xiao long bao went with the raspberry soy dip. I wouldn't stop popping these in my mouth if I had a bottomless stomach.          

MAIN DISHES

Wok Fried Beef with Wolf Berries

                  Tender slices of quality beef with a rich, savory sauce. Again, if I had a bigger appetite, I'd have more. 

Boat People Noodle

                    I don't have much clue about the name but this was also really good. The shrimps were fresh, sweet and easy to eat. 

DESSERT

Asian Marshmallows (Coconut and Green Tea)

Asian Crème Brulees (Coconut, Green Tea, Ube, Muscovado)

Mandarin Orange Roll

                 Would be interesting to throw some of those marshmallows into a cup of hot chocolate to jazz it up. And the orange cake, oh wow, it looks so luscious yet it isn't an irritable sweetness at all. It's a light chiffon cake with a balanced flavor and aroma from the oranges; a must have! 

                  I've said it already and I'll say it again -- I enjoyed every single dish of Chef Gene and Gino's creations. Even if I was quite late for the buffet, with only a few minutes left til the closing time, none of the dishes seemed to be degraded with exposure time. 

            That's not even the complete menu. There will be a variety of dishes from Chef Gene's menu as the promo runs along the week. You don't wanna miss this. Culinary Impressions of China will leave a lasting impression of invigorated palates on anyone who gets a taste. Catch this from Sept 28-Oct 7. 

the babe with (from left) Chefs Gino and Gene Gonzalez and Toto Erfe

Café Marco

Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills,

Apas, Cebu City 6000

For reservations:     (032) 253 1111 loc 8353

                              mpplaza@marcopolohotels.com

Follow them on:

Twitter -- @5StarInCebu

Facebook -- facebook.com/marcopolocebu

You can also visit their website for ongoing promos: www.marcopoloplazacebu.com

“To know Cebu, eat Cebu!” :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

-  your BFF in Cebu dining! :)

Treasured Recipes at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu

         On another culinary journey at Marco Polo, they bring us "Treasured Recipes" from two legendary culinary icons of Cebu, Madame Teresin Mendezona and Madam Tina Ebrada. 

         I was invited to the launching last Friday, June 8. Ah yes, another time to mingle with food bloggers and indulge in five star food. Nom nom! :D


         Guests were welcomed with fresh lemonade (I loved it and wanted more! So refreshing!) and carrot cake. 

          Before entering into the garden-like Cafe Marco, GM Hans Hauri made a welcome speech and passed on the introduction honors to Ms. Jessica Avila, the food consultant of Marco Polo. She introduced her dear friends who worked with the chefs of Marco Polo to give Cebu a taste of their heirloom recipes only at the hotel's buffet. 

Marco Polo GM Hans Hauri

Ms. Jessica Avila
"My grandmother once told me that cooking is an art and eating is a habit."
"Cooking is not only a fine preparation for marriage but an inheritance sthat stays on for generations to come."

I couldn't have agreed more. Very well said by Ms. Jessica Avila.

legendary culinary icons Madame Teresin Mendezona, Madame Tina Ebrada and Ms. Jessica Avila with GM Hans Hauri and the culinary team of Marco Polo

         Senyora Teresin Mendezona is a Cebuana with Spanish and Palestinian roots. She is known for her impeccable event organizing skills where traces of her intricacies are found even in the minute details such as the flowers to the table cloth.  


         Madame Tina Ebrada is an Ilongga by birth and Cebuana by heart. She is the founder of Golden Cowrie, one of the best Filipino restaurants in the country.  
        

             We were then encouraged to scour the buffet at Cafe Marco for the treasured recipes from these two amazing women, much like a treasure hunt for recipes supposedly exclusive to their own home kitchens. 

Mammol, the date cookie :D
Said to be an heirloom recipe from Madame Teresin's Palestinian grandmother

a lovely "date" with coffee

            My favorite among all the dishes had to be the Baked Tahong of Madame Tina Ebrada. There was just something about it that lingered in my tongue and is now buried in memory til the next time I taste something similar. It is now my basis for standards on baked tahong. 


            The rich Cassava Bibinkga of Madame Teresin Mendezona, which Madame Amparito Lhuiller enthusiastically encouraged me to try (since it was her best friend's dish), was also a sweet surprise. I have never tasted anything like it and I loved how it melted in my mouth. 


           My, was I awed by these women. Just the fact that I was tasting their dishes was so surreal and it was such an honor. How I wish I could be like them when I grow to be their age. 


          This is definitely a promo you shouldn't miss at the Marco Polo. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to taste some signature dishes from notable socialites and culinary legends of Cebu. Treasured Recipes by Marco Polo's Culinary Journey runs from June 8 - 17, 2012.




Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Cebu Veterans Drive, Nivel Hills, Apas
Cebu City 6000


Contact:
Phone:          +63 (32) 253 1111
Facsimile:     +63 (32) 234 8170
Email:            info@marcopoloplazacebu.com

For promos and online booking at Marco Polo, log on to www.marcopoloplazacebu.com/. 


To know Cebu, eat Cebu! :D

oink oink,

Babe for Food

- your BFF in Cebu dining! :)