Café Ilang-Ilang at Manila Hotel Buffet Dinner (Manila, Metro Manila)
1 Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila, 0913 Metro Manila, Philippines
After a decade since my last buffet dinner at Café Ilang-Ilang so it's was time for a long overdue revisit!
As expected, everything has changed from interiors to food selections.
Food
Bread Station
Café Ilang-Ilang's Bread Station has offers delicious baked breads selections which includes Black Sesame Rolls, Hard Rolls, White Sesame Rolls, Wallnut Rolls, Laugen, Rye Roll, Sour Rolls, Rye Bread, Original Six Grains, High Fiber Bread and French Bread.
Charcuterie Station
There's also a Charcuterie Station featuring a Cheeseboard (with Gruyère, Emmental, Manchego, Blue Cheese and Brie Wheel), olives, dried fruits, and honey.
Cold Salad Station
Cold Salads include Coleslaw, Shrimp Salad, Macaroni Salad, Kani Salad and Mangang Hilaw with Bagoong. There are also Cold Meats like Beef Pastrami, Chicken and Pork Terrine.
There are also some cocktail-style appetizers like the Melon Lassi, and Shrimp Mango Salad.
Fresh Salad Station
Admittedly, the Fresh Salad Station isn't my favorite in the past. Now, its my first stop in every buffet so having so much variety of fresh greens and sauces is much appreciated!
Seafood Station
The Seafood Station offers Butter Garlic Prawn, Butter Garlic Crab and ♥ Cheese Baked Mussels.
Churrasco Station
Café Ilang-Ilang has a different dinner theme per night. Since it was Surf and Turf Night, we were fortunate to have the ♥Blue Marlin available at the Churrasco Station. There's also heavy meats like Smoked Pork Loin, Churrasco Beef and Sausages.
Korean Station
The Korean Station ranged from main dishes like Spicy Mud Crab and Korean Grilled Lamb, a soup — Beef Radish Soup, and side dishes like Pajeon, Fried Zucchini, Fried Tofu, Kimcheon, Dried Squid, Fishcake, Kongnamul (soy bean sprout), Spinach and Kimchi.
Chinese Station
The Chinese Station highlights Chinese Dimsum of Pork and Shrimp Siomai, Choco Bun, Chicken Feet, and my favorite — ♥ Century Egg. There's also Chinese Corn Soup.
Japanese Station
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| Sushi Station |
The Japanese Station is the biggest food station. Check out the Sushi Station with Vegetarian Maki, Cheese Tamago, Spicy Kani Maki, Salmon Cream Cheese, California Maki and the must try ♥ Aburi.
There's also fresh Tuna Sashimi, Salmon Sashimi, Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon, Kani Salad and Tamago.
For the mains, there's Vegetable Tempura, ♥ Shrimp Tempura, Yasai Itame, ♥ Miso Cream Chicken, Salmon Teriyaki. And, to complete your Japanese meal experience, pair them with the Miso Soup and Japanese Fried Rice.
Italian Station
Among the popular stations is the Italian Station because of the specialty pasta dishes such as ♥ Gnocchi with Truffle Sauce and ♥ Pasta Al Forno. There's also an inviting display of Mixed Cold Cuts, Bruschetta with Basil and Tomato, Panini, Sacciata Sandwich, Salad Caprese, Foccacia Bread, Parmesan Cheese Wheel. I also loved the ♥ Leeks Potato Soup.
The pizzas are freshly oven-baked. Highly recommend the ♥ Spinach Pizza and ♥ Mushroom Pizza!
European and Mediterranean Station
Like other stations, there's a soup — Swiss Barley Soup, mains — Honey Garlic Prawns, ♥ Shepherd Pie, side dishes —Butter Vegetables, Marble Potato, and staple — Brown Rice.
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| ♥ Lechon |
For every Filipino feast, there's the Lechon.
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| ♥ US Angus Beef |
With the longest line, the US Angus Beef with your choice of sauce mustard, horse radish or mint is what you can't miss!
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| ♥ Foie Gras on Brioche |
Best to save space for dessert because there's many to consider. The spread includes a Cathedral Gelatin, Pistachio Sanrival, Carrot Cake, Mochi Buttercream, Ube Cake and Red Velvet. Then, there's the Artisanal Ice Cream Station and Crepe Station. So happy that there are gourmet ice cream flavors like Pistachio, Matcha, ♥ Durian and ♥ Black Sesame.
On the side shelves, there's Fruit Tarts, Mixed Berries Pavlova and Kakanin. The Bibingka and Puto Bumbong are no longer part of the buffet though.
Instead, there's Assorted Chinese Cookies, Assorted Cookies, Assorted Fruits, Chocolate Truffle, Marshmallow and Chocolate Fountain.
Drink Station
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The Drink Station can be found by the entrance and beside the Halo-halo Station. Drinks include Detox Water, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice and Apple Juice.
The drinks above go well with your meal. To complement your dessert, enjoy a cup of coffee—choose from Brewed Coffee, Cafe Americano, Decaf Coffee, Cafe Latte, Cappucino and Espresso.
Café Ilang-Ilang has long been a distinguished destination for premium international buffet. With its comprehensive buffet selections, you're sure to leave feeling satisfied.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Cafe Ilang-Ilang Rate | |
| Ambiance | ★★★★ | Lunch Mon to Sat 3,295 php Sun 3,445 php Dinner Thurs to Sat 4,090 php Sun to Wed 3,445 php *Child Rate - 50% off |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Cafe Ilang-Ilang | |
| Business Address | The Manila Hotel, One Rizal Park, Manila Metro Manila |
| Business Hours | 11:30 am - 2:30 pm 6:00 pm - 9:30 pm |
| Payment Options |  Cash |
| Service Charge | 10% |
| Budget/Person | 3,000-4,500 |
| Free WiFi | Yes |
| Contact | (02) 8527-0011 / 5301-5500 |
| Other | Website |
Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 Pasay: A Cultural Chinese Hotpot Feast To Remember
Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines
There is no other place in the Philippines that offers this kind Chinese culture immersion like Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅.
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| Meat Volcano with Tuna Sashimi and Salmon Sashimi |
Stepping into Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 Pasay, felt like being transported to an ancient opera house in China.
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| Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 Pasay Dining Setup |
The elevated wooden stage exudes elegance with its intricately painted beams that's under a majestic golden roof adorned with upturned eaves and ornate carvings.
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| Chinese Folk Art Performance |
Naturally, it fades into the background as the folk performances take center stage at 7:00 PM, 9:30 PM, and 12 MN, bringing the entire venue to life with joyous laughter and rhythmic applause.
Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 is trully a symphony of traditional Chinese aesthetics — crimson pillars, glowing lanterns, golden-tiled ceiling, beautiful lattice doors, and exquisitely-crafted wooden balconies.
Food
特色火锅汤 / Specialty Hot Pot Soup
Each person can order a personal hotpot with their choice of broth. We enjoyed the ♥ 红运牛油锅 Goodluck Spicy Butter Soup, ♥ 番茄养颜锅 Healthy Tomato Soup, ♥ 松茸菌王锅 Mushroom Soup and 依云水海鲜锅 Evian Water Seafood Soup.
Sashimi/Cold Dish
刺身 Sashimi
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| 三文鱼刺身 Salmon Sashimi, 北极贝刺身 Atlantic Scallop Sashimi and 金枪鱼刺身 Fresh Tuna Sashimi |
As you can see, every sashimi selection we ordered was vibrantly fresh and meticulously presented on a bed of ice accented by florals and greens.
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| 鲜贝组合 Fresh Shell combination |
海鲜姿造 Seafood
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| ♥ 小头龙虾 Small Flower Lobster |
A feast isn't complete without an order of the 小头龙虾 Small Flower Lobster!
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| Mixed Cooked Seafood |
And, to add a natural sweetness to your soup, order the 宿务大虎虾 Manila Big Tiger Shrimp, ♥ 大青蟹 Big Blue Crab, and some 明虾Fresh Shrimp.
牛羊姿造 Meats
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| ♥ 美国安格斯雪花肥牛 U.S.A Angus Snowflake Beef |
They serve the 美国安格斯雪花肥牛 U.S.A Angus Snowflake Beef in iced volcano-style to make it an even more memorable experience.
Assorted 臻选菌菇 Mushroom / 素菜 Veggies Platter
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| ♥ 菌菇双拼 Mushroom Selection |
Our favorite is the 菌菇双拼 Mushroom Selection which includes 杏鲍菇 Pleurotus Eryngii, 金针菇Needle Mushroom, 香菇 Shiitake Mushrooms, 新疆天山羊肚菌 Tianshan Wild Ganodema Mushroom and Golden Thread Mushroom.
甜品小吃 Dessert
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| ♥ 黑芝麻糯米饼 Black Sesame Sticky Rice Cake |
For dessert, there are a lot of choices to chose from. We tried the 黑芝麻糯米饼 Black Sesame Sticky Rice Cake...
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| Fresh Fruit Platter, 酥脆打糕 Crispy Cake and 木瓜奶冻Papaya Milk Jelly |
酥脆打糕 Crispy Cake and 木瓜奶冻Papaya Milk Jelly which were not the usual Chinese Desserts for us. We also got the Fresh Fruit Platter for our elders.
Costumes
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
If you want to check our the ultimate hotpot experience, you cannot miss out on Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅. It's delivers a whole package of a cultural Chinese immersion where the premium-quality hotpot is just one of its component.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 Pasay Set Meal Rate | |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ | For 2 2,880 php | 4 PHP5,880 php / 9,880 php |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Good Luck Hotpot 红运火锅 | |
| Business Address | Pasay Branch Nexgen Tower Edsa extension C4 Pasay City, Metro Manila Greenhills Branch Greenhills Mall, Missouri Builiding Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila |
| Business Hours | Monday to Sunday 11am to 4am |
| Payment Options | Cash |
| Service Charge | 10% |
| Budget/Person | 3,000 - 4,500 |
| Free WiFi | No |
| Contact | (0950) 461-8888 |
| Other | |
Hotel Buffet Review: Admiral Club Manila Bay and Admiral Hotel Manila Exploration (Malate Metro Manila)
Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
Admiral Club Manila Bay is one of the top hotel buffets in Manila right now since it features a diverse selection of international cuisine. It is located at the 9th floor of Admiral Hotel Manila - MGallery. So, consistent with the hotel's theme of an Admiral's experience, the buffet highlights the diverse culinary discoveries from his seafaring adventures.
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| Admiral Club Interactive Catwalk Table |
But, the food isn't the only reason Admiral Club Manila Bay steals the spotlight, it is also known for its interactive catwalk table. With its cutting-edge video mapping projection...
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| Admiral Club Manila Bay DJ |
and superb sound system, it has become an iconic centerpiece for celebrations and events. If you're availing of the buffet just for the pleasure of dining like us, you can still count on the DJ's great music alone to elevate your dining experience.
Food Stations
There are numerous food stations to conquer.
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| The Great Grazing Table |
The Great Grazing Table features a medley of artisanal breads, olives, sliced and marinated cheeses, cold cuts, dried fruits, nuts, pintxos — meats, pâté (smooth or chunky spreads) or rillettes (slow-cooked shredded meat spread) on top of a slice of bread that originated from Basque, Spain. The highlight of this section is Admiral Club's signature ♥Pâté en Croûte — a pâté that's baked inside a flaky pastry that is French in origin.
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| Salad Bar |
Although we love salads, the limited variety of local greens, toppings and salad dressings at the Salad Bar failed to entice us to try this section. But, we had every appetizer: Tomato Caprese, Fresh Oysters, Prawn Cocktails, ♥Tatare in Salmon, Tuna and Beef.
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| Asian Atelier |
The Asian Atelier is our favorite although it was mainly consists of only two cuisines: Chinese and Japanese Cuisine. From Japanese, we enjoyed the fresh Sashimi and Nigiri: Mahi-Mahi, Tuna, ♥Salmon and Sea Urchin, Special Rolls: California Maki, Kani Maki and Kani Tofu and other Japanese cold starters. The Udon and ♥Tempura are good enough to justify the premium for the weekend buffet.
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| Noodle Bar |
Being Tsinoy Foodies, we usually find the Chinese Dishes offered in hotel buffets subpar compared to specialty Chinese restaurants. But, with the fun Noodle Bar twist where you can choose from four delicious of broth: Chicken, Beef, ♥Laksa and Miso, we found it difficult to resist customizing our own boodle bar topped with our choice of toppings and condiments.
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| Dimsum |
There is an assortment of Dimsum: Siomai, Siopao and Mushroom Buns. Also, don't miss out on the authentic Chinese dishes and specialities such as the ♥Sliced Roasted Duck and Macao Lechon.
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The Stove |
The Stove presents European and Mediterranean specialties such as the Beef Bourguignon, Lamb Confit, The Perfect Egg and more. The meats here didn't have any distinct features worth mentioning.
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| From The Sea with Love |
There's no reason to hold back in having as much Baked Oysters when its part of the spread right?
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| More Seafood |
The same rules apply for the delicious Crab, Clam and Fish dishes at the From The Sea with Love station.
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| Josper Grill |
The Josper Grill brought in Spanish-influenced specialties with its roasts and grills. All are a must-try! We had Striploin, ♥Seabass, Mahi-Mahi, Prime Rib, ♥Porchetta and Roast Beef.
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| L’atelier Des Desserts |
The eye-catching Ice Cream Spinning Wheel effortlessly drew us all to the L’atelier Des Desserts station. Enjoy your Crêpes à la mode with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. With 16 flavors to choose from on the Ice Cream Spinning Wheel, you're sure to find one you love! The Chocolate Fountain seems to attract the young diners. There are also an assortment of Bite-sized Delights.
Admiral Hotel Manila -MGallery Exploration
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| Manila Bay Sunset View |
Best to arrive early before dinner time so you can enjoy the scenic sunset view at the Coconut Grove Rooftop Pool Bar just outside Admiral Club Manila Bay.
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| Coconut Grove Rooftop Pool Bar |
There aren't many places in Manila where you can truly step back into its Golden Age glamour. During the wartime era, the original Admiral Hotel Manila stood as a prestigious retreat for distinguished figures, including General Douglas MacArthur and Prince Louis Mountbatten, uncle of Prince Philip, while also serving as a harbor for seafarers.
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| Infinity Pool with Sunset View |
As evident from the neglect of most cultural heritage structures in Manila, we're glad that this was rebuilt in a way that still preserves the essence of a fading cultural treasure.
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| Las Paginas de la Historia at the El Atrio Lounge |
Another display that can't be missed at Admiral Hotel Manila is the Las Paginas de la Historia (which translates to pages of history) at the El Atrio Lounge. Isn't it amazing that they used actual pages from Fernando Marías' book for this art installation?
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| Noodle Alley at Admiral Hotel Manila |
Go through the secret door to check out Noodle Alley.
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| Noodle Alley |
This is linked to the more conspicous Godown by Ruby Wong bar which you have to check out for yourself as it was kind of awkward to take a photo while guests where enjoying their privacy in the dark.
Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The buffet at Admiral Club Manila Bay is a must-try especially if you can avail of them being offered at discount price from credit card or membership discount. It's also a great opportunity to explore Admiral Hotel Manila, a truly one-of-a-kind luxury boutique hotel that captures the essence of Manila's rich heritage.
| Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating | Admiral Club Buffet Rates | |
| Ambiance | ★★★★ | Breakfast Buffet 1,888 php nett| Lunch Buffet 2,788 php nett | Sunday Brunch, Holiday, Friday to Saturday Dinner Buffet 3,788 php nett | Sunday to Thursday Dinner Buffet 3,188 php nett| Kid’s Rate 5-12 years old – 50% discount 0-4 years old – Free of Charge |
| Taste | ★★★★ | |
| Service | ★★★★ | |
| Price | ★★★★ | |
| ♥=Favorites or Recommended | ||
| Admiral Club Buffet | |
| Business Address | 9/F Admiral Hotel Manila 2138 Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila |
| Business Hours | 6:30 am-10:00 pm |
| Payment Options | Cash |
| Service Charge | 10% |
| Budget/Person | 1,888-3,788 |
| Free WiFi | Yes |
| Contact | (0917) 829-8434 |
| Other | Website |
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