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Showing posts with label metro manila stay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label metro manila stay. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
MAXIMS HOTEL in RESORTS WORLD MANILA: A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP.

What is a staycation? It's a vacation without going out too far. Like staying in but in a different environment. I wanted one since I was stressed out. With the hassle of the holiday season, I wanted to rest. I really needed to stay away. Thankfully, I was able to do that in MAXIMS.
  A couple of years back,  I was able to score a free night stay at Maxims Hotel in Resorts World Manila. Thankfully, it has no expiry date and was still valid when I tried to redeem it a couple of weeks back. Maxims is being projected as a 6 star hotel with an all suite room category. In all honesty, it seemed to be a marketing strategy. They say that you have a dedicated butler but I didn't see one nor heard of one when I checked in. In any case, I was just there to relax and enjoy my stay.
 Check-in was a breeze. Since valet parking is free for staying guests, I went with that. Unfortunately, they do not have self-parking slots. So remember, to just bring your valuables. The hotel lobby was at 5th floor. There was no lines when we got there and was able to have our room earlier than the standard 3pm check-in. The fact that my brother and I stayed there during the weekday made it more seamless. 
We stayed in a Maxims Suite. It was their entry level room. It was quite big for a hotel room but wasn't as impressive as other suites found in other hotels in the metro. At 54 sq meters, it was spacious and even had a study table and a lounge area. They had welcome fruits for guests too.
The study area had everything you might need for your business. From coffee to tea, and even scratch paper for your work. They also have a flat screen, cable tv, mini bar, refrigerator, and safe. Unlike other suite rooms, their mini-bar is not part of the room charge.
The toilet area was pretty big as it's shower is separated from the the toilet. They also have a bath tub together with a his and hers sink.
 Guests would be happy to note that their toilet has a bidet.
 Turn down service was a let down. They only did it for one bed and even got my own stash of bottled water to place beside my bed. I can't help but compare the service as other hotels with the same room category would offer snacks and would even replenish toiletries used.
 
The sleep factor was amazing. It was quiet and relaxing. Shower and tub was amazing too. The next day, breakfast buffet is served at the Terrace. This is one of their in house restaurants. They offer drinks together with a line up of dishes.
 The choices were a little too plain for a hotel like this. The food wasn't as great that it would force you to wake up. It was as if I wished I had slept in instead and ordered room service. Speaking of service, it was much to be desired too. I had to call the attention of the wait staff so that we could be served water and coffee. At times, I had to get water myself from their work area.
 On the other hand, their gym is top notch. Although there isn't any staff inside, you'll be happy to know that it's 24/7.
 Another draw for MAXIMS would be their pool. It's quite an escape. There are cabanas for you to use as well.
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MAXIMS at RESORTS WORLD MANILA is a great 5 star hotel. I wouldn't bill it as a 6 star hotel as things were lacking. The sleep was perfect but breakfast and service needs some attention. Seeing that base rate for a night's stay is around 15,000Php, I would skip this hotel and head on over to other hotels in the area. From what I also learned, hotel rooms are catered more towards the gambling guests. Resorts World's Maxims offers free or discounted room stays for their guests when it comes to tables.
MAXIMS HOTEL
RESORTS WORLD MANILA
5th floor.
Newport Blvd. , Pasay, Manila



Disclaimer:wrote this based on my experience. used a voucher I won from a tournament.
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Thursday, October 3, 2019
COLOMBIAN GASTRONOMIC WEEK AT THE MANILA PENINSULA

It was as if I was transported to a different place in time. Getting to The Manila Peninsula was as easy as pie. Honestly, I have never had the pleasure of visiting this old gem. As you enter the lobby, you are greeted by the staff with gusto. Although I am not there for their famous foyer, I can't help but be inspired by it.
The real reason I visited the Manila Peninsula was because it was the COLOMBIAN GASTRONOMIC WEEK. For this, the Manila Peninsula has invited a very special guest chef to take over SPICES. For both lunch and dinner on OCTOBER 4-5, 2019, diners would be invited to have a taste of Colombian cuisine.
Chef Rey Guerrero of Sabor Pacifico is the guest chef that would introduce guests to Colombian Cuisine. He has prepared a tasting menu and has even allowed and offered guests to try out authentic Colombian dishes ala carte.
The small get together was started off with some delicious and unique drinks. Colombian inspired, the cocktail and mocktail were sweet and lively.
After a little bit of mingling, CHEF REY went ahead and did a little bit of demonstration.
We could see him prepare a ceviche of mangrove clams and snails. Named CEVICHE MIXTO PIANGUA Y PIACUIL, this dish isn't as acidic as one would think. The addition of sweet ingredients created a balance of flavor. Having a smoker, gave it depth. According to the chef, this is actually an aphrodisiac and would be awesome for couples.
I could have asked for seconds or thirds because it was light and not as spicy as one would imagine. A mixture of snails and clams made it a must try.
For appetizers, guests were treated to ABORRAJADOS DE PESCADO and PATACONES ENDIABLADOS. Deep fried plantain coconut croquette was filled with smoked sea bass topped with sesame sauce. Making full use of ingredients, shredded fried plantain was bathe with shrimp sauce and parmesan cheese. The croquette was perfectly cooked and a joy to eat. The friend plantain was a little bit tough on the palate. Although flavorful, it might be a little too hard for some.
The CAZUELA DE MARISCOS or Seafood Caserole was familiar and delicious. Cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with coriander, the use of the squid, mussels, and shrimps made it full circle. It wasn't too spicy as one would imagine. It just was straight up good.
Personally, the best dish of the night would be the PANDAO DE PESCADO. This seabass fillet was wrapped in banana leaf and topped with a coconut milk sauce. The fish meat itself was fresh and would melt in your mouth. It was just right. Cooked to perfection, I was looking for some rice.
Thankfully, the chef came prepared. The ARROZ PUTIAO or rice sauteed with seafood and longaniza was a mixture of sweet and salty that went well with the fish.
For dessert, there were a couple of things they offered. The first being, the DULCE PACIFICO. Thisfruit ice cream with caramelized coconut candy was a little bit too sweet for me. It was refreshing though.
What impressed me would be the FLAN AROMAS DE NUQUI. The coconut flan looked simple but it was the perfect meal ender. It was topped with coconut and anise syrup. I could have finished the whole bowl by myself.
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COLOMBIAN GASTRONOMIC WEEK in the Manila Peninsula is happening. On OCTOBER 4-5, 2019, SPICES would offer these incredible dishes by COLOMBIAN CHEF REY GUERRERO. 
You may order dishes by ala carte or through a tasting course. 






Disclaimer: was invited to this private event. wrote this based on my experience and opinions.
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Monday, September 30, 2019
CHECKING OUT THE GRID: More Reasons To Go Back

 I found myself in Rockwell again. It seems I keep on visiting this busy Makati Mall more and more. With a new wing added, they now offer a ton of choices to visitors in terms of restaurants. One of them would be THE GRID. The best food market around, in my honest opinion. The geniuses behind Hole In The Wall concept, they made it into the greats of the great. This time around, I was able to check out stalls 1, 4, and 11.
 Most of the purveyors in THE GRID are veterans in the food industry. Stall 1 or BUCKY'S, came out with their big guns and made me drool right off the bat. Their baked ziti was filling and cheesy.
The twister fries were better than McDonald's. No joke. But what was really delicious was their FRIED CHICKEN. They were crunchy and juicy at the same time. Each bite made me want to partner it with rice. I really had a great time chewing this baby.
 Whenever I visit THE GRID, I always see a line at STALL 4. LE CHON by Chef Happy Ongpauco-Tiu, is everyone's favorite. Here, you can have your meals customize. You pick a main like their flavorful chicken, or their crunchy pork belly. Then, you partner it with different side dishes like fried potato, banana cue chips, and even an eggplant with baba ganoush.
 The skin of their pork belly is just crunchy. You hear that sound with each bite. The meat is tasty and tender. They went well with the rice that they serve and the sauces they have.
 
 Another must try stall would be BUN APPETIT. This started way back during Salcedo's Sunday Market. The couple behind this concept figured that there is no decent seafood roll in the metro. I got to agree with them. Years later, they are now part and parcel of the growing industry. In my honest opinion, I prefer their lobster rolls compared to another foreign Jedi-named restaurant. Even if it seems a bit expensive, they are definitely more affordable compared to those rolls in other countries. Trying to reinvent themselves, they now offer grilled cheese and even avocado toast. You can actually order whole lobsters from them with prior notice.
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 If you're asking me if I'm going to return, my answer would be a resounding yes. I actually been to THE GRID more than 5 times already. Yes, there's a lot to choose from. I can't wait for their expansion to open up.

THE GRID FOOD MARKET is located on the 2nd floor of the Power Plant Mall.


ROCKWELL POWERPLANT
MAKATI CITY,
PHILIPPINES.

Disclaimer: wrote this based on my experience. was invited to this tasting event.
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Wednesday, September 4, 2019
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2019 X THE CHOICE #THEKTG

 Just this Saturday, another event unfolded for the Filipino Foodies. The ULTIMATE TASTE TEST year 10 happened. In the SM AURA's SMX convention hall, different booths showcased their products in order to promote their brand. With over 40 stalls, you should have been present to see how delicious the experience was.
 Aside from the UTT 2019, the Choice Awards was presented. Here, different winners from the Food industry were chosen. The Filipino community voted the best in their respective category.
 This year, MARGARITA FORES was awarded best chef. She too was joined by other industry leaders in accepting their awards.
 While this was ongoing, visitors got a chance to try different products and become a critic for a day. I wasn't feeling that well so I only tried a few that caught my fancy. One of them would be this KAIEN BUFFALO. Their sauce just hits you. It has the right amount of kick but it leaves you with nothing more than an itch that needs to be taken care off (by getting more sauce). This is really good.
 Another must try would be CHIP's DARK NIGHT. Headed by Trixie and Chef Ed, the cookies speak for themselves. The Dark Night had the perfect texture and flavor to make me want to munch on them on and on with milk of course.
 Another savory dish that caught my fancy would be JONI and SUSAN AGROSHOP. They were able to make a traditional dish vegan. The Mushroom dinakdakan was the bomb. I was actually looking for a cup of rice when I tried it. The dish reminds me of chicharon but without the guilt. They really made this pretty good.
 Aside from the different food stalls, this time around there was a beverage lineup known as AGOS. The back part of the SMX was filled with different beverage purveyors. Some were offering coffee, liquor, and others like AURO. They created the iced tablea horchata. A gluten free drink that made use of chocolate. Impressive enough, they added adlai and cashew milk in the mix to make it more healthy. If you're not into that, there were locally made juices and even craft beers.
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I believe that the event was a success. Ultimate Taste Test 2019 #UTT2019 was the best of the best. It was well curated and  guests had a lot of fun. There were even games done for both the kids and kids at heart. Too bad, we weren't able to join the beer pong at the back. I think I'm getting too old for this.




Disclaimer:wrote this based on my experience. was invited to this event.
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Monday, May 13, 2019
LUNG HIN'S PREMIUM DIMSUM LUNCH BUFFET SPECIAL: MARCO POLO HOTEL MANILA

Interesting how the market for Chinese food hasn't really changed in the past year that I was gone from Manila. People are still going gaga over it. I still remember all the craze with the buns and properly cooked dimsum. At Marco Polo's Lung Hin, they would capitalize on the fact that they enjoy having one of the best Chinese Restaurants in the Ortigas Area. LUNG HIN has been known as a the place to enjoy unparalleled views together with scrumptious Chinese Dishes.
Just a few weeks ago, LUNG HIN introduced their PREMIUM DIM SUM LUNCH SET. BY choosing this, guests are able to enjoy unlimited servings of dimsum together with select choices of appetizers,  soup, main course, and dessert.
If you're not familiar with dismum, this would be an excellent place to start. Given that you are handed with tons of choices to pick from, you can't go wrong with any of them. Plus, you get top quality dishes.
If you ask me, I'll go for the tried and tested picks that I learned to love and hold dear.  The Pork Siu Mai with truffle sauce is a twist in it's own. Usually, you see this as a tiny meat flavored dish at supermarkets. Here, it's elevated in a sense that premium ingredients are used. The fact that they added truffles makes everything full circle. 
If meat is not up your alley, the Shrimp Dumpling or Hakaw might be your best bet. Their version is packed with real shrimps and topped with gold leaf. They just make everything here luxurious.
More than just shrimp, they even have scallops as a form of dumplings. The addition of corn bits gave it a bit of a crunch.
Aside from the baked barbecue pork buns, the fried glutinous rice dumpling is a treat. The rice shell is incredibly hot so be very careful when getting it on.
Furthermore, your rice and noodles are also unlimited. You could go for something stir fried or maybe just rice. This had shredded pork and was extremely delicious. It wasn't too oily nor was it overpowering.
On the other hand of the spectrum, you're given tons of choices for your "real meal". Unlike the dimsum, these dishes are not unlimited but would definitely fit the bill.
The Stir Fried Squid with mashed salted egg is perfect for salted egg lovers. This one is actually great with plain rice.
For soup, you could choose between the spinach and the hot and sour. I chose the latter as I tend to stay away from "too healthy" dishes. Each person in the group gets to pick their soup, appetizer, Hong Kong Barbecue, and dessert. For the Main Course, you get to pick based on the number of people dining in. If there are 1 to 2 persons, they get to pick 1 dish. If there are 3 to 4, two main dishes may be chosen and so on.
Since we were a large group, we were able to pick a number of main courses. The HOT PRAWN SALAD can be anyone's favorite. Huge prawns are deep fried and covered with a special sauce.
Visiting a Chinese restaurant would not be complete without sweet and sour pork. These deep fried goodies are coated with a tangy sauce that makes it great for kids and kids at heart. Having berries gives them a contrast to the sweet flavor.
Another excellent main dish would be the Spare ribs with black vinegar sauce. The jolt from the vinegar would wake up your taste buds. Again, plain rice would work with this one.
Dessert is a choice between mango pudding, mango sago with coconut milk, and chilled coffee jelly.
The Premium DIM SUM LUNCH SET is available from Monday to Saturdays lunch time. It's at 1,888Php with a 25% discount as well.
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Marco Polo's Lung Hin is located on the 44th floor of the hotel. With unparalleled views of the Ortigas Skyline, this Chinese restaurant has an impressive track record that makes you wonder how they have unbelievably affordable price points. Impeccable dining service and delicious dishes, LUNG HIN is a must visit when in Ortigas.


MARCO POLO
Meralco Avenue and Sapphire Street
Ortigas Center
San Antonio, Pasig, Metro Manila



Disclaimer: Wrote this based on my experience.
Was invited to check out this new offer from Marco Polo.
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