Marriott Cafe's Ocean Surf Buffet

February 22, 2013

Marriott Cafe
Manila Marriott Hotel
Newport City Complex
10 Newport Blvd.,
Domestic Airport, Pasay
988-9999

Dinner: 6:00pm to 11:00pm

Last Friday, my girl friends and I checked out Marriott Cafe upon the recommendation of C who fell in love with its Ocean Surf Buffet. Due to heavy traffic and the distance from our place, we arrived at half past eight in the evening. Most of the other guests were already starting with their desserts ; p

 with my homemade gelato

My other friend, R, made the reservation. We were given a spot near the carving station. We wasted no time, some of us went straight to the buffet area ; p

For photos of the buffet, read after the break...

Valentine's Day Celebration at Luxent Hotel Garden Cafe

February 8, 2013

Luxent Hotel
Garden Cafe
51 Timog Ave.,
South Triangle, Quezon City 1103
9228888

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

My friends and I were able to buy Luxent Hotel's Eat-All-You-Can Buffet and Drinks for only PhP 599 instead of PhP 999 from MetroDeal. The voucher is not valid on February 14 to 16 (Valentine's Weekend) so use it last Friday instead. Based on my previous experience, traffic would be terrible if we celebrate it on the day itself anyway.

 here piggy, piggy!

There's only four stations - Lechon, Japanese, BBQ Grill and Dessert. Well, five, if you count the ice cream fridge located at the farthest side of the room near the entrance. 

Read more after the break...

HwaRoRo Korean Grill Buffet Only PhP 399!

January 26, 2013

HwaRoRo Korean Grill Restaurant
76 Scout Tobias St.,
South Triangle, Quezon City
4102793   0917 5091756

My brother knew that DH and I are fans of Korean BBQ Grill. He suggested a restaurant along Scout Tobias St. called HwaRoRo Korean Grill. The signage is well-lit at night so if you are going there for dinner, you won't miss it!

 aside from unlimited serving of Korean BBQ Grill, there are other Korean dishes available

While DH was busy grilling, I had already picked my favorite Korean dishes like Korean Beef Stew and japchae from the buffet table. 

Japchae is a Korean dish made from sweet potato noodles, stir fired in sesame oil with various vegetables like carrots, onion, spinch and mushrooms), sometimes served with beef and flavored wiht soy sauce and sweetened with sugar.  - SOURCE


Continue reading after the break...

Vikings Luxury Buffet: Eat for FREE On Your Birthday!

December 10, 2012

Vikings A Feast From The Sea
Bldg. B, By The Bay, Seaside Blvd.,
SM Mall Of Asia Complex
8463888   8464888   8465888

Monday to Friday (11:00am -2:30pm) - PhP 688+
                              (5:30pm-10:00pm) - PhP 888+

Saturday to Sunday (lunch & dinner) - PhP 1088+

Celebrators can get to eat for FREE when they celebrate their birthday in Vikings Luxury Buffet on the day itself. Eat and celebrate that's what my SIL did together with the rest of the Martinez clan ; p

 Eat like a VIKING on your birthday!

Her birthday fell on a Monday and yet the restaurant was fully booked. If it was not for my BIL who knew the owner of the restaurant, we would not be able to get a reservation.

For Vikings Eat for FREE terms and conditions and also photos of the luxury buffet, read after the break...

Buffet 101 in Robinsons Magnolia

August 18, 2012

Buffet 101
Level 2 Robinsons Magnolia
Aurora Blvd. cor Dona Hemady Ave.,
Kaunlaran, Quezon City
6977379   8610477

Monday to Friday

Lunch PhP 699

Dinner PhP 950

Saturday / Sunday / Holidays 

Lunch PhP 799

Dinner PhP 1050

I was not kidding when I told you that I was in Robinsons Magnolia every other day in my previous entry ; p I was in Magnolia Flavor House on Tuesday night, Adobo Connection on Thursday afternoon and for my Saturday date night, DH and I dined in Buffet 101 before watching last full show of The Expendables at 10 pm ; )

Stir fried garlic crab

We went back to Buffet 101 the week after to celebrate my nephew's birthday ; ) Even though the restaurant is still in its soft opening phase, the service on both occasion is commendable.

Warning! You might get hungry after reading this post ; p

Buffet 101 International Cuisine in SM MOA

My visit: January 31, 2012

Buffet 101 International Cuisine 

Bldg. K, Seaside Blvd.,

SM Mall Of Asia Complex

Pasay City

5562888   5563888

Mon- Fri 

Lunch PhP699

Dinner PhP950

Sat- Sun/ Holidays PhP1050

Kids 

4ft up PhP499

under 3ft FREE

Leftover PhP1350

Buffet 101 is now open in Robinsons Magnolia!

We went there on a weekday to celebrate my BIL's birthday. We have a table reserved for our group of 16. We were a big group so our table was long and on the side. It was a long walk to the buffet set up but I don't mind. 

unlimited fresh juice, coffee and tea

This is just our first two drinks lol Kiwi is good but the watermelon is too sweet. After the first glass, I requested that no syrup will be added on my second glass of watermelon ; p

Christmas Eve at Sorak Park Hotel & Casino

My visit: December 24, 2011

Sorak Park Hotel & Casino
74-3 Sorak- Dong,
Sokcho- Si, Gangwon- Do,
Korea #217- 120
033-636-7711

On our second night, DH and I were popping pills to battle our colds and muscle pain from skiing. One of the important things that travelers should bring is a medicine kit. Once when we were in San Francisco, DH suffered allergy from eating crabs. We were walking along the deserted part of Chinatown looking for a 24 hours pharmacy at 2 a.m. After that incident, I see to it that I never run out of Claritin in my kit again.

DH in our Korean room

After enjoying the whole afternoon skiing, we boarded the bus to our next destination, Mt Sorak. It was around 5pm when we arrived at our hotel. After checking in, we went straight to our room to prepare for the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner. 

Our room came as a surprise! It has a small anteroom where the toilet is located. A sliding door separates the bedroom from it. It has heated floor, a small TV, a personal refrigerator and best of all free WIFI/ LAN connection.

Travelogue: Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club Accommodation

My visit: September 17- 18, 2011

Anvaya Cove Beach & Nature Club

Brgy. Mabayo, Morong,

Bataan, Philippines

7939000   

Over a week ago, I was with my friends vacationing in Anvaya Cove- a Members Only resort in Morong, Bataan. I am not one to pass the chance to go this exclusive vacation spot so I went with my friends even without DH ; p

golf cart- transportation

It was pretty gloomy the afternoon we arrive. The rain was nonstop. How terrible, right?! I was glad that the sun showed up the next day.

Golf Cart was our means of transportation to and from our hotel room during our entire stay in Anvaya Cove.

Celebrating My Parents' Anniversary at Heat EDSA Shangri-la!

Last Wednesday, July 20, my parents celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary at Heat, a restaurant inside EDSA Shangri-la Manila Hotel. I was the designated driver for the day so I get to eat for free hahaha

surprise wedding anniversary cake from EDSA Shang-ri la

I asked one of the staff if she can write the words "Happy Anniversary" on a plate with a slice of cake for my parents. I was informed that the kitchen will just give them a round cake which is way better!

Chronicling our second day in Boracay!

My visit: May 17, 2011

Boracay

I slept like a baby so the next day we woke up at 6 a.m. for a swim. Except for a few families wading near the shore, we have the beach all to ourselves . We had an opportunity to take solo pictures on top of Willy's Rock where the Grotto can be found. 

life guard post

At around 8 a.m., we went back to La Bella Casa to eat our breakfast. Afterwards, we went back to exploring the stretch of Stations 1 to 3 again.

The day before, Gevi saw the life guard post and wanted her photo taken on top of it. She says it's pretty scary once you reached the top. When it was my turn, I calm and brave myself to reach the top. It was a success!

We pretty much splurge on food on our first day so today we plan on eating in some cheap restaurants and taste some street food.

Domo Maguro Unlimited Tuna Sashimi!

My visit: April 22 and May 8, 2011

Domo Maguro
Tomas Morato cor Sct. Limbaga Sts.,
Sacred Heart, Quezon City
6972220   5031544

Domo Maguro is a fairly new restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. When my family and I had dinner last Good Friday, I was surprised to know that this Japanese restaurant is Korean owned. Another thing, it is open until 5 in the morning. If you are hungry in the middle of the night, you have another option aside from Jollibee and Mc Donald's haha

 yakiniku PhP150

We had a very late dinner and were still quite full from the late lunch we had in The Stock Market that's why we only ordered a few dishes from the menu. I like the way the yakiniku was cooked. We only ate half of the order and took home the rest. I ate this as a sandwich the next day and still love the yummy barbecue taste.

Yakiniku- bite sized grilled meat; Japanese Bulgogi style

Relaxing Weekend in Quan Spa Marriott Hotel Manila

My event: May 1, 2011

Quan Spa

Marriott Hotel 

Manila

quanspamanila@mariott.com

9889999

This is my pre- birthday present from Pevonia Botanica. Quan Spa inside Marriott Hotel Manila is a relaxing retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. I am so happy that I get to share this experience with DH. 

Quan Spa

Quan literally means a source of pure water. It also refers to all things good and pure. At Quan Spa, the miracle of water lies ahead of you.

DH and I love spas! You can tell by my tweets and on my FB wall that we have weekly massages. We even recently discovered a home massage called Spa Amansala but that would be another post haha 

While Jen and I were direct messaging thru FaceBook about having Pevonia as one of my sponsor for my birthday blowout giveaway, topic about spas crop up. Apparently, Pevonia distributes organic spa products in prestigious spa like The Spa and Quan Spa. That's how DH and I were able to try Pevonia's Summer Temptation- a full body ritual that includes a body scrub, massage, 30 minute facial and bath soak. Tempting indeed!

Taiwan Chronicle: Jogoya

The entire content of this entry has been transferred in my new blog, xoxo MrsMartinez visit the link here.  

My visit: December 28, 2010

Jogoya

3rd flor NEO 19

Taipei City Hall Station

NTD798/pax

5:30pm- 11pm

My first buffet in Taipei was with Jogoya. I was accompanied by my expat friends. I was amazed with the variety of food displayed. The following year, another friend invited DH and I to another food fest and you guess it, it's in Jogoya once again! So year after year, every visit to Taipei is not complete without a trip to Jogoya. 

eating in Jogoya always makes DH happy

People used to literally wait in line to be seated. And upon assigning a seat, you will then be given a notice that there is an alloted two hour period inside the buffet area. But recently, things have changed. We were not given the two hour time frame inside. After we paid, yes you pay first before getting inside, and handed three metal clips we were ushered right into our table. No long lines now. The three metal clips are used for placement of cook-as-you-order food like fish and steak.

To read the full entry, visit Jogoya Japanese Buffet Taiwan

145˚ Fahrenheit Prime Steaks and Seafoods

My visit: July 31, 2010

145˚ Fahrenheit Prime Steaks and Seafoods

UG Floor, Il Terrazzo

35 Tomas Morato cor. Scout Madrinan,

Quezon City

3321955

After a lack luster dimsum snack at King Bee Chinese Food, we met with a couple of friends to have dinner at 145˚ Fahrenheit Prime Steaks and Seafoods. It's a good thing though that we have eaten merienda because the order took so long to arrive at our table. Ok, if 45 minutes isn't long enough, I take it back.

bread on the house

Boracay Chronicle: Sea Wind Barbeque Dinner Buffet

My visit: April 25, 2010

Sea Wind 

Station 1, Boracay 

After DH took a nap and my shopping therapy, DH and I decided to walk along the stretch of powdery, white sand of Boracay. Reaching the cul-de-sac of Station 1, we don't have a choice but to go back. 

DH spotted this al fresco restaurant as we were walking our way back. The waiting staff were very attentive and would fill our glasses with water every time it's half empty.

 dinner buffet PhP595

You should know what we did last night!

My visit: December 30, 2009

Heat

EDSA Shangri-la, Manila

1 Garden way, Ortigas Center

Mandaluyong, Metro Manila 1650

PhP1210++/pax

At the last day of the year, I want to leave you with these pictures...

tempura

Christmas Party 2009 #2

My visit: December 14, 2009

Market Cafe

Hyatt Hotel and Casino

1588 Pedro Gil corner MH del Pilar,

Malate, Manila 1004

2451234

manila.casino@hyatt.com

Just two days after my first Christmas party of the year, here I am dining buffet style with DH's Canadian friends at Market Cafe.

group picture

E, wearing polo right next to me, and G, wearing checkered black, were spending the holidays here in the Philippines. With hectic holiday, only Monday can fit in everyone's schedule.

Japanese section

The chef poses for my camera. I was just asking for permission if I can take a picture of the buffet area but he seem to have misunderstood me lol Hence, the pose.

kimchi among others

DH at the red meat section

leg of lamb

dessert bar

fruit selection

buffet area

dining area

nice color combination

very spacious dining area

toilet

medium well steak

lamb kebab

my plate- tamago, sushi and tempura

I got the last two tempura and I was disappointed because its already a bit soggy. The tamago was just alright but the sushi... I like!

salad with balsamic vinaigrette and blue cheese caesar salad dressing

I had to request for a refill of their fresh vegetables. I wonder why with many staff roaming around the buffet area and only a few diners how come they neglect to refill the plate and had to wait for diners to call their attention. The veggies were nice and crunchy though.

baked oyster

This was yummy even though the garlic was a bit toasted.

slice of leg of lamb well done

I find the lamb a bit dry, actually most of what we ate tasted dry. No juice overflowing from my slice of lamb.

creme brulee

I was just asking for a small slice but I got a whole plate of creme brulee. I was not able to finish this because it's too sweet!

mango and banana crepe with walnut and vanilla ice cream

The crepe was already made and not cooked/ prepared as you order. Nevertheless, I like it.

l-r strawberry cake and dalandan sorbet with strawberry ice cream

I had a couple of bite of strawberry cake. The dalandan sorbet was on a bitter side. I like the strawberry ice cream the most.

ooops... sorry E for blocking you

The canned soft drinks and beer on our table were included in the cost of the buffet. I still heart Sofitel's Spiral buffet. It's still my best bet.

Cost: PhP1336++/pax

Cookie's celebration at Spiral, Sofitel Philippine Plaza

My visit: October 19, 2009

Sofitel Philippine Plaza
CCP Complex,

Roxas Blvd.,
Pasay City

5515555

Reservation was at 7 in the evening but we were there 20 minutes earlier. Fortunately, cars were moving fast that night. Stars are with the birthday boy lol

We had buffet that night. The waiters in Spiral are much more attentive and efficient than in any other 5 star hotels that I have been too. I love that they fill the water as soon as your glass is half full. Or fold the table napkin for you when you leave your table to get more food lol And of course, taking the used plate once your done with your food.

DH and I

Cookie's birthday!

it's Cookie's birthday!