Hyatt Cafe at City of Dreams Manila: A Round the Clock Buffet

Along with the first sounds of their slot machines, City of Dreams Manila opened the doors of its buffet restaurant, the Hyatt Cafe, late last year. As with the other buffet-themed restaurants in Metro Manila, Hyatt Cafe offers a variety of food and delicacies from different parts of the world. One thing that makes this restaurant stand out though, is that it's open 24 hours. Well, almost, because as per the restaurant staff that chatted with us, the restaurant gets a one-hour break, which is before breakfast. If you're asking who would eat buffet at midnight, well, there is a casino here, so probably their main patrons during the witching hour are the players.

The dining hall is quite large, and it is right beside the casino. The restaurant staff: the cooks and waiters are very professional, and they really seem happy to serve. 

Ratings:

Food: 5/5, the best buffet I ever experienced., prices are just about the same as the other buffet restaurants in the Metro, and they're open 24 hours!

Place: 5/5, main dining hall is large, nice restrooms, comfy seating. The casino, and the lights gave us the feeling like we were not in Manila, so it's good :)

Service: 5/5, excellent, professional service at Hyatt Cafe.

The Food

To be honest, the food here is the best I ever tasted in buffet-style restaurants. There's not one I ate that I didn't like.

Their steak was my favorite, though. The meat is really fresh and juicy, and the steak sauce is just perfect. 

When you have a big juicy steak in front of you, bite the hell out of it!

The first plate that I got, though was from the Asian section which consists of a crab and corn soup, fried rice, spicy tofu and squid. On my way to our table, I also grabbed a couple of sushi.

There were a lot of food that I got before going to dessert, but I won't list them all here...so you wouldn't have to judge me. :p

Their dessert section is very good, too. There are sugar-free sweets to the health-conscious. There are chocolate fondue fountains, the white one is milk, I believe. They also have a variety of pastries, ice cream, and of course the Filipino favorite, halo-halo.

For my sweet tooth.

Complimentary birthday cake. Now you know I just got invited for a birthday dinner here. :p

In their fruits section, what I enjoyed most was the kiwi. They are very fresh and still unpeeled. You can ask for the staff to peel it for you. It was so soft and sweet!

After the dessert, we were so full, and to help digest the food we just ingested, we needed some hot beverages. No problemo because coffee and tea are also available. You just have to ask the waiters to get you one. For me, I got the usual coffee with cream, and chamomile tea for others.

The Place 

 The main dining hall is quite large, and just next to it is the casino. The way the food sections are arranged is similar to the other hotel buffets around the Metro.

There is a touch of elegance on the table setting. Their round tables are classy, and the seating is comfortable.

candle setting for a relaxing mood

You can see what's going on in the casino from here.

To help grind the food down, we walked around the place to check it out. Aside from the casino, there are more restaurants and shops on the other levels. There's also Dreamplay by Dreamworks, a kids attraction in which the children can play and learn. And of course, a casino won't be complete without nightclubs. There are a couple of them here at City of Dreams. One is Pangaea Ultra Lounge and the other one is Chaos Nightclub, which is located at the egg-shaped structure you can see below.

The place is, of course, like those of the casinos we can see in Macau or even Las Vegas. We were dazzled by the lights on the egg structure that you would see when you enter the area. It felt like we were not in Manila. 

Siren's Waterfall upon the main entrance.

Tips for Wandering Peasants:

• If I weren't invited to a birthday dinner here, I would try this restaurant out by getting the midnight buffet - it's just 788 Php!
• Or, get the breakfast buffet for 1,088 Php. It's better to eat big meals in the mornings, anyways because you will still have the whole day to burn those calories.
• Get a little bit of everything. Just a little bit so you can enjoy the many dishes they have to offer
• Eat slowly and cherish every bite. Pace yourselves so you can enjoy all the food!

Location:

City of Dreams Manila is located in Paranaque City. Coming from Mall of Asia, take Macapagal Boulevard then turn left at Aseana Avenue.

Buffet Schedule and Prices (as of April, 2015)

Breakfast (Daily): 1,088 Php

6:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Lunch:
Monday-Wednesday: 1,188 Php
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Thursday-Sunday: 1,288 Php

Dinner:
Monday-Wednesday: 1,688 Php
5:30 PM - 11:00 PM
 Thrusday-Sunday: 1,888 Php
5:30 PM - 11:00 PN

Midnight buffet: 788 Php
11:30 PM - 4:30 AM

Useful Links and Info

website: http://cityofdreamsmanila.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/the-cafe.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HYATTCityOfDreamsManila

more reviews from Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/ShowUserReviews-g312693-d7616024-r252224151-Hyatt_City_of_Dreams-Paranaque_Metro_Manila_Luzon.html

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Ramen X: Budget Ramen for a Quick Craving Fix

It's affordable, yeah, but don't expect it to be on the level of the more expensive ramen houses in the Metro. We were craving for some noodles that day and found Ramen X in the corner of EDSA and Quezon Ave - an area which is now called Centris Walk.

Ratings:
Food: 2/5, their ramen's flavor is not that rich as compared to the more expensive ramens from other restos.. but it's cheap considering its big serving. Their rice bowls are good, though but we went here for the ramen, so....
Place: 4/5: small place, nice surroundings (Centris Walk branch)
Service: 3/5 not bad, our food was served within ten minutes after ordering

The Food

Ramen X menu. Photo from www.zomato.com

We ordered one X Ramen (shio based roast pork with minced pork noodles) and Yoshi's Ramen (soy based pork noodle with pork belly slices. These two cost 189 Php each. As previously stated, their ramens come in big serving bowls, which can feed two adults.

There is nothing special with the taste of their ramens. In fact, the ones we ordered tasted kinda plain and we didn't feel like we're in a Japanese restaurant. The noodles are just like the ones you can get at some Chinese fast foods. Garlic and onion were also plenty much to our dismay because it made our ramen taste like any ordinary mami (noodle soup). What I liked about our ramens, though, were the ramen eggs or Tamago. They tasted fresh and were the ones that brought "authentic Japanese" into that bowl.

X Ramen

Yoshi's Ramen

The Place

They have three branches around the Metro: Trinoma, Alabang Town Center, Eton Centris. The one we tried were at Eton Centris. The place has a nice surrounding which made this branch look like an upscale Japanese restaurant. There is a nice wall decoration on the inside that looks like desktop/phone icons. It's a nice touch and gives the place a modern feel.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• their ramen bowls are big enough to be shared by two people. 
• share a ramen bowl with a friend, then order a rice bowl if you're that hungry.

Location
Eton Centris is fairly easy to spot. It is along EDSA northbound and near the corner of Quezon Avenue.

Useful Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iloveramenx
Menu from zomato.com: https://www.zomato.com/manila/ramen-x-diliman-quezon-city/info#tabtop

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Kainan Sa Dalampasigan: Seafood Feast in Nasugbu

Coming from our Holy Week getaway at Munting Buhangin Beach Camp, our natural instincts as travelers led us to grab our mobile phones and search for the best restaurant around the Nasugbu area. A quick google search made us discover Kainan sa Dalampasigan, a ten-minute drive from Munting Buhangin Beach Camp.

Ratings:
Food: 4/5, plenty of serving, very delicious - almost perfect
Price: 4/5, affordable, you can have a feast here for just over 1,000 Php.
Service: 5/5, quick service considering we went here on a Holiday and it was kinda crowded,
Place: 5/5, excellent ambiance. It's not beachfront, though as the name says, but more like a Kainan sa Hardin (Restaurant By The Garden).

The Food
They have a very appetizing group meal called Bilao sa Dalampasigan which consists of baked tahong (mussels), inihaw na baboy (grilled pork belly), garlic fried  shrimps, and daing na bangus (dried milkfish). Since there were only two of us, and it was the Holy Week, we did not order this, but it was very tempting. What were ordered were the the single plates of garlic fried shrimps, baked tahong, fresh lumpiang ubod, sago't gulaman for drinks and leche flan for dessert.

Yummy baked tahong - overflowing with cheese! - 280 Php

We generally loved their food here. Their baked tahong are overflowing with cheese. The mussels are fresh and you can tell it once you get the first bite.

The garlic fried shrimps are very good, too. Their shrimps are bigger than those offered in Metro Manila and they are very fresh since this is a coastal town. You would think that the fishermen's haul goes straight into the restaurant. One thing I didn't like, though was the way the shrimp was cooked. The cook may have left them boiling a minute too long since we had trouble getting the skin off of them, but it's a very forgettable nuisance once you tasted them. 

Garlic fried shrimps - smells good, tastes even better. - 250 Php

To have a balanced meal, we also ordered Fresh Lumpiang Ubod (spring rolls made with palm heart, lettuce, peanut sauce).

Fresh Lumpiang Ubod to balance the meal - 85 Php

After our main course, we were even more delighted by our dessert - leche flan (caramel custard). It was a perfect way to cap off a delicious meal.

Half Leche flan - 75 Php

Cost

• Baked Tahong = 280 Php
• Garlic Fried Shrimp = 250 Php
• 2 cups of rice = 80 Php
• Sago't gulaman = 50 Php
• Leche Flan = 75 Php
• Fresh Lumpiang Ubod = 85 Php
• Total = 820 Php

 The Place

The place has a nice garden setting. You would forget that this restaurant's name is Kainan sa Dalampasigan, (Restaurant by the Bay). It is not beach-front. The beach is some meters away from this place.

When we entered the gate, it gave us the impression that we are in a movie set. The place looks like an old mansion complex where you shoot a film in which a character is very wealthy.

This place may have been used as venues for wedding since it is very picturesque. Too bad, I only had a camera phone with me that day, though.

There is a quite large parking lot inside. You get to pass a fountain on the way there.

The owner did a very good job landscaping the place. They made the place like it is its own ecosystem. Plants, trees, vines are plenty here.

The restaurant hall is huge. It is like an old warehouse converted into a restaurant. We felt relaxed while waiting for our order because of the the "forest"-like surrounding. The curtains on the ceiling are a nice touch and they cool off the air.

Around the place, there are other dining halls which are separated from the main dining hall, such as Gazebo ni Lolo Poniong, and Hardin ni Lola Doray. These may be for events such as weddings, or other gala parties.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• order the Bilao sa Dalampasigan if you come in a group of 4 or more. It's only 900 Php
• you can order 1/4, 1/2 or 1 whole plate of leche flan :)
• enjoy the place. It is very picturesque. 
• a waiter/server is assigned per table, so if you have additional orders, get the attention of your assigned waiter for a quicker service.

Location
R. Martinez Street, Barangay Bucana, Nasugbu Batangas
Contact: (043) 931-1134, 0927 756 3162

 

Useful Links
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KainansaDalampasiganNasugbu/timeline
menu (as of April 2015):

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Munting Buhangin Beach Camp: Our Budget Getaway for the Holy Week

Holy Week in the Philippines only means one thing: a great exodus of people leaving the city for a nice long weekend somewhere far away from their places of work.

In our case, we opted for a beach getaway since it is now the start of summer and it had been a long time since our feet touched seawater. We live somewhere south of the Metro and the first choice for us is a beach in Batangas since traffic is much heavier going north during Holy Week and we do not have much time for that.

Ratings: 

Room (Nipa Hut room): 4/5, for its peasant-friendly price, cozy terrace with a beach view.
Beach: 3/5, fine cream-colored sand, water is not that clear though
Food: 1/5, bad customer service at the restaurant; have to fall in-line to get breakfast, which doesn't even taste good at all (even peasants don't like this, you know.) My advise is to bring your own food since there are grills that you can rent to cook your own meals.

Cost
Accommodation: 3,985 Php for a beachfront Nipa Hut Room with terrace - use of common bathroom (breakfast included)
Food: 520 Php for dinner of grilled fish (Pinaputok na Tilapia), 2 cups of rice, fruit platter - watermelon, mango, pineapple slices
Grocery: 500 for snacks, toiletries, mineral water

Travel: gassed up 1,000 Php at SLEX, Muntinlupa

Total: 6,005 Php (3,002.50 Php /pax since this was a trip for two)

Location
Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is located in Natipuan Cove in Nasugbu, Batangas and it is near Terrazas de Punta Fuego.

Driving directions to Munting Buhangin Beach Resort:

• If you're coming from Manila,  drive from Edsa then turn right to Roxas Boulevard, continue to Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), exit onto Covelandia Road, continue on to Governor's Road then turn left to Ternate-Nasugbu Highway until you reach the area of Terrazas de Punta Fuego, slow down to look to your right for the signage of Munting Buhaning Beach Camp
• The route we took was from SLEX then we exited on to Sta Rosa then took the road going to Tagaytay. From Tagaytay we followed the road going to Mahogany Market (Mahogany Road) then on to Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway. From there, it was another hour's drive until we reach the area of Punta Fuego and saw the signage of Munting Buhangin Beach Camp.

caution: the entrance to Munting Buhangin Beach Camp is a downward slope which is kinda steep so be sure to have your vehicle checked before going. The road from the main entrance is paved with asphalt but for only a few meters. After that is a rugged road, a combination of potholes, rocks, and dirt all the way to the parking lot, which is on an uphill. You can park on the side of the dirt road. There is however, a basketball court that was converted into a parking lot where you can park. We chose to park on the basketball court because it is paved and we felt more secure there since there is a guard house near it.

Our impression of the place is quite good. Their beach is fine creamy sand, so soft that your feet could be buried in as you walk. Their Tree Houses are big enough for a family to sleep in, and they look like fun. There were already a lot of tents pitched in the area which indicated that this place is not so secluded like we thought. Their check-in time is at 3:00 PM, and our check-in went quite fast and we were accompanied by a staff, who didn't even bother to ask if we needed help with our baggage. True to the name of this blog, we got the accommodation suited for peasants like us, The Nipa Hut room! The Nipa Hut section was a bit far from the reception and the restaurant area, so we had to walk about three minutes under the sweltering heat of summer sun to get to our room.

Nipa Hut room with a splendid beach view from our cozy little terrace.

The Nipa Hut rooms are all beach-front as opposed to the more expensive Villas which are located on the hillside. Our room has a cozy little "balcony" where you can just sit the day away staring at the beach, or have your meal on the bamboo table where you can surely enjoy the fresh sea breeze while eating. The inside of the hut are two double-sized mattresses which can accommodate 4 people, but there were only two of us so we had so much room inside for our bags, food and my guitar.

Nipa Huts are really comfortable during hot summer days. The "sawali" walls lets air flow through that cools off the place during these kinds of season.

As I've said before, the sand is fine and so soft. It is not white, though, but a bit light brown to me. The water is not that clear also but it will do. If you're looking for some water activities, I've seen a banana boat cruising the waters, some jet skis, kayaks, and a yacht which I believe is owned by someone visiting the adjacent Punta Fuego.

Panorama view of the place

What we didn't like about our stay is the restaurant service. We came in at around 7 PM to have our dinner at the restaurant but the staff didn't seem to be interested to serve us. We could attribute their lackadaisical attitude to fatigue because it was a "peak" season after all. As with other resorts' restaurants, the prices of their food are not peasant-friendly so we just ordered the the cheapest meals on their menu: pinaputok na tilapia (grilled tilapia), fruit platter, and two cups of rice. This meal cost us just over 500 Php, not bad.

The breakfast was terrible. We were told by the receptionist upon check-in that we could choose for it to be delivered to our room, but when we went to the restaurant and asked the staff to have it delivered the next morning to our lovely Nipa Hut, we were declined, saying that it's better to just pick our meal at the restaurant. We also asked if coffee was included in the breakfast, and surprisingly, we were told it was not. Can you imagine breakfast without coffee? We could have coffee for an additional 30 Php. It's ridiculous but one does not simply eat breakfast without coffee. So, the next morning, we went to the restaurant and to our horror, there was a queue of upset guests waiting for their breakfast. Anyways, to make it brief, we fell in line looking like the peasants that we are and finally got our meals after 20 or so minutes, and not without having some issues with the meals that we ordered the previous day.

With this, I would strongly recommend to bring your own food since there are lots of grills you can rent to prepare your meals. In fact, there was a family next to our Nipa Hut that brought their own gas range and LPG, and the adobo they were cooking was so tempting.

We have to fall in line to get food...well, as peasants do. Look at that poor hungry child!

Unimpressive Bangsilog and Tapsilog. Their"SI" stood for sinaing (steamed rice) instead of the normal sinangag (fried/garlic rice).

Tips for Wandering Peasants:

• Camp out. Bring your own tents. It will be way, way cheaper. You'll only have to pay or the overnight fees (380 Php/pax, including breakfast), and a fee for pitching your own tent (~500 Php)
• Their restaurant prices are very expensive despite their bad customer service. Bring your own food. It's way much fun preparing your own food by the beach!
• You can actually enjoy the place in just one whole day. You can opt to go for the day tour package.

Useful Links and Info
website: http://www.muntingbuhangin.ph/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mbbc.official
more reviews from tripadvisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Hotel_Review-g1015976-d2646783-Reviews-Munting_Buhangin_Beach_Camp-Nasugbu_Batangas_Province_Calabarzon_Region_Luzon.html

Pricelist (2015)

More Photos:

Photo Gallery by QuickGallery.com

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