Luzviminda 4 at F1 Hotel Manila Highlights Filipino Heirloom Recipes
F1 Hotel Manila, the home of The KTG Bloggers Group, is once again hosting their annual Filipino Food Festival called Luzviminda to commemorate the nation’s Independence Day month. I remember dining at the F1 Cafe when they first launched their Luzviminda buffet featuring Filipino dishes from all around the country, so I’m happy to be back here to try these special native creations at my favorite hotel in Bonifacio Global City.
Luzviminda 4 is happening at the F All Day Dining Restaurant from June 10 to 25 and The Hungry Kat was one of the first to experience this popular foodie event on its first day. I always have such fond memories at F1 Hotel, including my last visit where I even received a surprise birthday party from my friends. This much-awaited gastronomic feast features Filipino Heirloom Recipes recreated by three culinary masters from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who all happen to be women! Now that’s girl power for you.
The entrance to F All Day Dining on the hotel’s third floor is decked in a traditional Filipino theme also to celebrate the country’s 118th Independence Day.
This year’s fourth rendition of Luzviminda will feature the creations of “Adobo Queen” Nancy Reyes-Lumen from Luzon; Iloilo's "palangga" Chef Pauline Banusing representing the Visayas; and Chef Kristina Collantes of Park Inn by Radisson Davao from Mindanao.
All three guest chefs were present for the opening of Luzviminda 4 and I want to thank Ms. Twinkle Lacsamana from F1 Hotel Manila for introducing me to each of them. They are all proud of their respective region's culinary heritage and are excited to share these with the rest of the public through Luzviminda 4.
Let’s start with the selection of local appetizers that are spread throughout the buffet areas. Each dish has its own nameplate indicating from which region it came from so this dining experience is also like a geography and history lesson all in one.
Chef Pauline Banusing offers her Coconut Fishballs which is an upgraded version of the more common fishballs on the streets. These big and soft fishballs are best combined with the sweet chili sauce. Another notable appetizer from the Visayas is the Kasag Crab Cakes made with blue crabs and shrimp paste, plus the Lechon Kawali Croquettas which do taste like lechon kawali.
Other unique items include these mussels with salsa and green mango strips. This is quite a different way of eating mussels.
I preferred the Baked Mussels with Moza-Feza Cheese, a specialty from the Mindanao. Don’t forget about Luzon though because we have the Taguig Panara (lower right) and the Seafood Flan (lower left) to represent our region.
Aside from the regional dishes, a big seafood station is also on hand where you can get unlimited servings of crabs, clams, mussels, prawns, scallops and slipper lobsters. You can eat them cold or better yet, have them cooked at the grilling station where you can have them prepared in butter garlic, baked or grilled.
The Talangka Pate by Chef Nancy Reyes Lumen is one of the more colorful and interesting items at Luzviminda 4. This is truly a Filipino creation that you will probably never see anywhere else.
Some more appetizers include the Apan Apan na may Inihaw na Baboy (above), Ensaladang Langka (lower left), Kinilaw na Isda sa Gata (lower right).
But if you know me, I am mostly interested in the main dishes whenever I go to a buffet and this is where I reserve most of my appetite.
Filipinos can never have a complete meal without rice so Luzviminda 4 offers the Adobo Rice care of the Adobo Queen herself, Ms. Nancy Reyes Lumen. We usually mix the adobo sauce on our steamed rice when we eat anyway, so this makes it easier and yummier.
Can’t go wrong with prawns so I loved the Prawns ala Nancy with big pieces of jumbo prawns.
Ms. Nancy Reyes Lumen also shares other Luzon heirloom recipes like the Mechado ni Aling Asiang which has tender beef mechado cubes marinated in soy sauce and calamansi. This classic Filipino beef stew is really great to pair up with rice.
My favorite dish at Luzviminda 4 is the Rodrigo’s Roast, a very flavorful roast pork which I can say is one of the best roast pork dishes I have ever tasted. The crispy skin is somewhat caramelized and the tender pork itself is just oozing with goodness. This one alone is worth the price of the buffet.
You can also try the Kare-Kare Soup which is the traditional kare kare turned into a broth version complete with all the seafood ingredients.
Chef Pauine Banusing also shares many of her Ilonggo recipes like the Pinalmahan na Salmon, a classic Ilonggo seafood dish with pink salmon simmered in ginger, tomatoes and onions. This is a different way of preparing salmon and it works just as well.
The Alimasag na may Ginisang Guinamos gives these crabs a saltier taste from the guinamos, or the Visayan version of a fish bagoong.
Mang Inasal may have made the Chicken Inasal famous here but this is originally an Ilonggo dish marinated with rice wine, soy sauce, calamansi and lemongrass for eight hours. The classic version has a more pronounced calamansi flavor and this one is much better than the fast food version.
Another popular Visayan dish is the Batchoy which originated from La Paz in Iloilo City, so Luzviminda 4 has a dedicated Batchoy Station where you can customize your own hot bowl of delicious La Paz Batchoy. Choose from among the many ingredients like chicken, beef, chicharon bits, shrimp, noodles and top it off with a hard boiled egg.
Another type of soup from the Visayas is the Kadios Baboy at Talangka, a signature Ilonggo comfort soup with kadios or pigeon peas, pork, jackfruit and simmered with batwan seeds. It is similar in taste to the sinigang but with a lot more ingredients and flavor combinations.
Chef Kristina Collantes shares with us her Mindanao dishes like the Chicken Piyanggang from Sulu, a light green chicken dish made with tumeric and coconut milk.
Mindanao is also popular for its Tuna and seafood dishes so the Grilled Tuna Belly with Native Sauce is also a recommended item.
Try the Squid Stuffed with Native Herbs which is like a calamari with fillings.
Another tuna specialty is the Tuna Tail Stuffed with Yellow Rice and you can really see how each of the guest chefs prepare their local dishes in their own unique way.
The Dessert Station is also filled with regional delicacies. Here you can see not-so-common items like the (clockwise from left) Fried Ibos with Muscovado Sugar, Mini Piaya or flatbreads with muscovado filling, Mango Empanaditas and Butterscotch.
Aside from the Halo Halo Station, Fruits, bottomless iced tea and juices that are also included in the buffet, you can also find the Sta. Cruz Kesong Puti Cheesecake (upper right), Tablea Bibingka (bottom right) and the Dayap Tart (bottom left).
You can definitely have a delicious tour around the Philippines all in one buffet at the Luzviminda 4 in F1 Hotel Manila. What better way to celebrate our nation’s independence than by taking pride in our local flavors and delicacies. So take advantage of this annual event and book your tables now!
LUZVIMINDA 4 at F1 HOTEL MANILA
32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
928-9888 / 908-7888
www.f1hotelmanila.com
www.facebook.com/f1hotelmanila
