Best Buffets in Manila: Market Cafe
My family is big on buffets. We love value-for-money and we love variety in our food. So whenever there’s a special occasion, it’s actually a no-brainer to go and celebrate in a buffet restaurant. And most recently, I had the chance to rediscover one of those best buffets in Manila that left a mark on my discerning palette. Formerly known as Hyatt Hotel, AG New World Manila Bay Hotel welcomes you to Market Café! Here are five reasons why you should dine at Market Cafe at AG New World Manila Bay Hotel.
Freshest Catch at The Japanese Kitchen
Whenever I dine at an international buffet, I always like to start with something light and fresh. And by fresh, I mean raw – sushi, sashimi, and whatnots. So that means, go Japanese right? And the Japanese Kitchen of Market Cafe gives you just that – the freshest catch of the day in a variety of dishes and food preparation.
With every bite, diners can indulge in the delicate taste of the land of the rising sun. The raw station offers a good selection of sushi and sashimi, and yakimono.
Seafood Teppan from the Japanese Kitchen of Market Cafe
For the cooked varieties, there’s also tempura and teppan cooked and prepared by their team of skilled master chefs. I loved that the tuna and salmon sashimis were sliced thick enough for me to savor its juice and freshness. The teppan station is also an absolute must for its savor and the ingredients used.
Beside the Japanese Kitchen of Market Cafe is a Seafood station. It was brimming with giant crabs, scallops, mussels, and prawns that you can request to be cooked any way you want from the chefs. I personally like it simple. So I had a little bit of everything cooked in the classic garlic and butter sauce. The seafood was so fresh that it still had its sweet taste, complemented by the savory garlic butter sauce.
Best European and American Bites at The Western Kitchen
Ready for to bring on the meats? The Western Kitchen of Market Cafe showcases authentic European and American cuisine straight off the grill, oven, pan or rotisserie and onto your plates. One thing that I should applaud Market Cafe is their on-site grill- it was huge and impressive.
So whether you’re into lamb, beef, or pork, grab a skewer or two and let their master chefs do their magic. When I dined in, they had the special Pork Tenderloin with Jack Daniel’s. Paired with the buttery truffle corn, IT WAS TO DIE FOR. It was so tender and melt-in-your-mouth that I had to go back for seconds!
Enjoy your grilled meats as is or add a spoon full of sautéed green beans with bacon and send your taste buds off to savory heaven. The Western Kitchen also offers a variety of pizzas such as the Frutti di Mare with scallops, mussels, clams, prawns and basil pesto.
As well as pastas like the spaghetti with garlic, chili, sun-dried tomatoes and extra virgin oil. If you love your tapas, go and indulge in Market Cafe’s selection of cheese and cold cuts. Sadly, I was stuffed when I went back to this part of the buffet. So it’s something I should definitely go back for.
Make your own noodle, will ya?
Authentic Comfort Food at The Chinese Kitchen
I’m pure Filipino but I’ve always considered Chinese food as comfort food. It’s simple yet brings so much flavor and comforting warmth to me everytime. And Market Cafe’s is as busy as any Chinese kitchen. It’s bright and with plenty of action behind the counter. Indulge in different kinds of noodles and dim sums or stir fried fillet of beef in oyster sauce straight out of the wok.
For more discerning palettes, the station also offers roast duck, suckling pig, soy chicken and more.
Hearty Bowl of Wonton Noodle Soup from The Chinese Kitchen of Market Cafe
Bettina and I shared in a bowl of wonton noodles and it was perfect as expected. Warm, flavorful broth, paired with a meaty and tasty wontons and noodles. An awesome choice for the rainy afternoon that it was!
The Bakery and Dessert Kitchen of Market Cafe
The Bakery and Dessert Kitchen
Of course, no buffet is complete without dessert. And The Bakery and Dessert Kitchen of Market Cafe tempts even those who are counting calories.
Imagine a quarter of the buffet area brimming with colorful, high-quality desserts and breads. Give into the assorted homemade ice creams and sorbets and favorite sweet treats like the apple strudel in vanilla sauce, freshly baked breads, decadent cakes and hot crepes, to name a few.
At this point, I started to question if I can even finish one dessert because I was already stuffed. But I’m no quitter so I had 6 desserts! It must have taken 10 minutes and 2 walkarounds to finally make my dessert choices.
I had the classic sapin-sapin, a chocolate cupcake, the pavlova, the bread pudding, and my forever favorite – ice cream. Everything was good but the ice cream was the winner!
Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from Market Cafe. Legit yet homemade!
I’m surprised to find out everything was homemade because it was all too good. It was creamy, not to sweet, and had real bits of your chosen flavor. I had the blueberry cheesecake and it was a cup of heaven!
One must order the Guava and Guyabano Iced Tea!
Exceptional Service and Hospitality at Market Cafe
In the end, it was the exceptional service and hospitality of the staff that made my dining experience at Market Cafe noteworthy. As soon as I stepped in the dining area, I was already greeted by a warm smile and hello. The chefs were also all smiles and patiently accommodated my food and cooking requests. Even the serving staff was so attentive, from timely clearing our plates to asking for refills for our drinks.
End Notes
All in all, my dining experience at Market Cafe was really enjoyable. Yes, the variety may not be as grand as others but the quality is a definite standout. 5 stars, will certainly be back for more!
Ready to book your table?
Market Café is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm – daily. Breakfast: 6:00am to 10:30am – daily. Lunch: 12:00nn to 2:30pm – Mondays to Saturdays 11:30am to 2:30pm – Sundays. Dinner: 6:00pm to 10:00pm – daily. For inquiries and reservations, please call +63 2 2526888 or e-mail dining.manilabay@newworldhotels.com.
Buffet Rates in Market Cafe starts at Php 2200.00 net per person for lunch and Php 2400.00 net for dinner. Kids 5 years and below are free of charge. While children aged 6 to 12 are at Php 900.00 each. Lunch buffet includes free-flow soda and iced tea. Dinner buffet includes free-flow soda, iced tea, and local beer.
Too pretty to eat! Artistic cakes abound at The Dessert Kitchen of Market Cafe
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About AG New World Manila Bay Hotel
AG New World Manila Bay Hotel is a deluxe business hotel located in the vibrant city of Manila known for its exceptional modern facilities that embodies contemporary Asian flair with distinctively stylish surroundings, astute service and genuine hospitality, sociable spaces, supportive efficiency, and excellent cuisine. The hotel is only a few minutes away from the international and domestic airport terminals, business districts, shopping malls, convention and exhibit centers, and entertainment destinations. It is surrounded by Manila’s culturally-rich and well-preserved historical points of interest such as Intramuros, Luneta Park, Chinatown, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. From the hotel, guests can enjoy astonishing views of the world-renowned sunset over Manila Bay.
Market Café introduces interactive dining with its unique and innovative concept of show kitchens and live-cooking. This dining spot is a premier choice in the Manila area. The restaurant greets you with an array of baskets filled with freshly crafted fruits and vegetables by Filipino artisans. Market Cafe was designed by the Hong Kong-based, world-renowned Bilkey Llinas Design.
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