CRU Steakhouse in Marriott Manila Launches Off-Menu Premium Selection Set
CRU Steakhouse in Marriott Manila recently received the prestigious "Michelin Selected" distinction during the first Michelin Guide ceremony held in the Philippines last October 30, 2025. I have always been a loyal and happy guest of CRU Steakhouse ever since it opened its doors in 2010, but with this new recognition I am sure there will be many new guests that will be excited to dine here for the first time. This is why they have launched their new 5-Course Premium Selection set menu which will give diners an exquisite taste of what CRU Steakhouse has to offer.
You can find CRU Steakhouse at the ground floor of Marriott Manila Hotel in Newport World Resorts. The Hungry Kat was invited last week to try out this new premium set that you won't actually find in any of their menus. It's a "secret menu" that will be offered to guests and it is definitely an experience that will make you come back for more.
CRU Steakhouse remains to be one of the most luxurious and charming places in the city for romantic dinner dates or to celebrate a special occasion. Its classy wooden floors and interiors always set the mood perfectly whether you are dining with friends or loved ones.
The restaurant is open daily for dinner only from 6:00pm to 10:30pm on weekdays and until 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
They also have a private room which can be reserved for more important events and activities.
Marriott Manila Executive Chef Meik Brammer and CRU Steakhouse Sous Chef Erwin Marquez continue to make the restaurant worthy of its Michelin Selected award.
CRU Steakhouse is popular for its Certified Angus, Portoro Steaks, and Omi Wagyu Beef which are hand-cut, carefully prepared and cooked to perfection. They perform a unique process called dry aging, a method that involves hanging the beef in a refrigerated cooler at a specific temperature and humidity for 10 to 28 days. You can see some of the dry-aged steak on display in their freezer
It had been a while since our last date here at CRU Steakhouse so we were happy to be back here once again.
We could see Chef Erwin Marquez busy preparing the ingredients and dishes over at the central open kitchen.
The CRU Premium Selection is an "off-menu" 5-course set that comes with appetizers, soup, main course, and a dessert. It's a complete dining experience that will showcase why CRU is deserving of its prestigious award.
Each table at CRU steakhouse is served complimentary freshly baked bread. This is not your ordinary bread basket because their bread is composed of three different flavors - spinach, tomato, and parmesan. These are paired with goat cheese and butter.
The first course is an Amuse Bouche which are bite-sized appetizers that are meant to tease the palate and showcase the chef's culinary style before the actual meal starts.
These lovely plates are composed of the Curry Spiced Salmon Tartare on the left and the Duck with Orange on the right. I really loved taking a bite of both items, especially the duck with orange which is made with duck liver.
The main appetizer course is the Seared Scallops which have Hokkaido scallops glazed in seaweed butter, miso, and truffle. It is complemented on the plate with popcorn puree plus a cauliflower and pine nuts hash. The scallops were cooked beautifully and my only problem was that I wanted a bigger portion.
The second course is called Tail and Ribs and this was surprisingly one of the best soup dishes I have ever had. This meaty broth is made with oxtail consomme soup, porcini, and beef ribs ravioli with an egg yolk on top.
Break open the ravioli and mix it together with the oxtail soup and egg yolk to get a very meaty and umami-filled combination. It is also quite heavy for a soup dish so make sure you still have room because the main course is coming up.
The highlight of any visit to CRU Steakhouse is of course, the steak. Being one of the top steakhouses in Metro Manila, you can be sure to get the most premium and quality steaks in town.
The main course for the CRU Premium Selection is the Portoro Beef Steak. We were happy to once again be reunited with this premium beef that comes from Australia. This 150-gram caimito wood-smoked Portoro tenderloin is cooked to perfection with foie butter, potato pave cooked in duck fat, parmesan pumpkin puree, and doused in bordelaise sauce.
The beef was so tender and seasoned very well. Each bite was so heavenly and the portion was good enough to fully enjoy this exciting main course.
For dessert, we had the Sweet Georgia Blossoms with cherry whipped ganache, cherry compote, red cacao glaze, chocolate sponge, and chocolate diplomat.
Break open the chocolate pot to reveal the chocolate soil and caramel sauce inside. This is one time when it is okay to play with your dessert. We were also given an extra dessert treat with this trio of ube, mango, and pili nut chocolates.
We would like to thank Archie Nicasio, Cluster Director of Marketing Communications for Marriott Manila, for inviting us back to CRU Steakhouse and letting us experience the new CRU Premium Selection Set. Make sure to ask your server for this "off-menu" set because you surely will not find it on their websites and restaurant menu. It's a secret that only loyal CRU guests know about, and now that includes you.
CRU Steakhouse
G/F Manila Marriott Hotel, 2 Resorts Drive, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City
Marriott Manila Celebrates 15 Years with Back-to-Back Halloween Treats
This Halloween, Marriott Manila invites you to indulge in a frightfully fun dining experience with not just one but three lavish buffet offerings at Marriott Café and eerie-sweet delights at the Marriott Café Bakery.
On October 27, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Marriott Café offers Smorgasbord: The Big Sunday Halloween Buffet, packed with festive family fun. Alongside Trick-or-Treat activities, the event will feature a Costume Showdown where the Best in Costume takes home a special prize. The menu features gourmet delights such as French Legris Oysters, Jumbo Tiger Prawns, Slow Roast Australian Beef Rump, Roast Lamb Shoulder, Whole Suckling Pig, and more. Priced at P3,500 nett per person, the buffet includes spooky sangria and fizzy cocktails.
On October 31 and November 1, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Marriott Cafe’s Banqueta Halloween Dinner Buffet serves up a ghoulishly delicious feast. Guests can indulge in a selection of decadent dishes, including Legris Oysters, Meat Overload, Roasted Australian Beef Rump, and more. Kids can enjoy an exciting Trick-or-Treat activity on October 31 as families feast on the finest selections. Priced at P3,700 nett per person, the dinner buffet includes refreshing spooky sangria and fizzy cocktails.
Marriott Café Bakery offers an array of ghoulishly good Halloween-themed treats from cakes to cookies, starting at P320. Indulge in eerie-sweet delights crafted to make this season even more memorable. This Halloween, Marriott Manila guarantees a deliciously spine-chilling celebration for the entire family. For Marriott Café inquiries or reservations, call 0917 859 9521. For Marriott Café Bakery inquiries and reservations, call 0917 825 2896.
Banqueta Wednesdays at Marriott Cafe Offers Unlimited Steak and Elevated Street Food Buffet
Most of us grew up enjoying Filipino street food, from the classic fishballs and turon, to the more exotic isaw, kwek kwek, and adidas. Most of these delicacies are quite familiar to me, but as I grew older, I encountered them less frequently, especially since street food is seen to be less hygienic. That's why I was happy to find out that we can now enjoy all these classic favorites at a cleaner and much safer environment with Marriott Cafe's Banqueta Wednesdays!
Marriott Cafe is Marriott Manila’s all day dining restaurant located at the ground floor lobby. You can now enjoy unlimited steak, seafood, and Filipino street food favorites in a refined setting every Wednesday dinner from 6:00pm to 9:00 pm at the Banqueta Wednesdays for only ₱2,999 nett per person.
Banqueta Wednesdays is the ultimate night market with a wide variety of Filipino street food stations, unlimited steak and international buffet selections at their open-theatre kitchens.
You can start at the appetizers and salad stations which offers various breads and Asian starters like kimchi, spicy fish cake, mushroom dinakdakan, itlog na maalat at kamatis, and others.
Then head over to the main buffet table where you can get some Baked Penne, Vegetable Casserole, and Polenta together with a few wraps of Shawarma.
The Seafood Paella is one of the highlights here with its delicious combination of crabs, mussels, and prawns on a bed of flavorful paella rice.
Just beside this is the carving station which has this gorgeous Porchetta as the centerpiece. The skin is so crispy so make sure you get a few slices for yourself.
They also have a pasta station where you can ask for Grandma's Pomodoro that will be freshly cooked for you a la minute.
Next, make your way to the Japanese station where you can find a colorful selection of sushi together with Takoyaki Balls and Okonomiyaki.
The main attraction at Banqueta Wednesdays is the Banqueta Display right in the center of the buffet area. Here you can find an assortment of Filipino street food favorites like chicken isaw, pork isaw, fishballs, vegetable skewers, and okoy.
Other exotic items available include pork ears, kwek kwek, tokneneng, pork barbecue, and adidas or chicken feet. These are items that you do not typically see in a five-star hotel buffet but Marriott Cafe makes these accessible to everyone during Banqueta Wednesdays. They even have some Balut and Penoy eggs.
Marriott Cafe goes one step further because aside from all the Filipino street food, you can also enjoy unlimited steak, crabs, prawns, mussels, clams, and squid.
Just pick the items and skewers you like and hand them over to the grilling station. These will be cooked right on the spot and delivered straight to your table.
Now these are items you don't see every day at five star hotels! These classic Filipino street food dishes also bring a sense of nostalgia for those who used to eat these during their childhood.
Of course, you can also enjoy the more luxurious side of Banqueta Wednesdays with unlimited servings of steak to go with your choice of seafood.
Don't forget about the other international stations at Marriott Cafe like the Chinese station. Here you can find Chinese roastings including roast pork and roast chicken. There's also several dimsum specialties to choose from.
The Paluto station is also a must visit with its live fish that you can cooked according to your liking. Have it steamed in soy sauce or cooked Singaporean style with sweet chili sauce.
To make Banqueta Wednesdays even more authentic, there's a small sari sari store offering Samalamig beverages like buck panda, sago't gulaman, and melon drinks. Make sure to grab some street snacks too.
The Dessert station offers many ways to complete your steak and street food buffet. You can get some fruits, brownies, cookies, egg tarts, and Filipino desserts like sapin-sapin, kutsinta, cassava cake, and more that you can dip inside the grand Chocolate Fountain.
There are also several cakes and pastries to choose from including Brownie Pie, Swiss Strawberry Roll, Chocolate Mousse, and Swan Puff Diplomat. You can also get as many scoops of gelato as you want at the Gelato station.
Guests can also order Marriott Cafe's Drink of the Month which can be served in alcoholic or non-alcoholic versions. This comes with a very cute stuffed toy that you can bring home with you.
Banqueta Wednesdays is available every Wednesday until December 18, 2024. For inquiries and reservations, you may call them 8988-9999 and (0917) 584-9560. Enjoy an elevated street food buffet experience only at Marriott Manila!
Marriott Cafe
G/F, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City
Marriott Bonvoy and FORD Philippines launch the Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels Caravan: A Gastronomic Journey with a Purpose
Marriott Bonvoy, in partnership with FORD Philippines, proudly introduced the inaugural Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels Caravan presented by Marriott Hotel Manila and Sheraton Manila Hotel, heralding a new era of experiential travel and culinary exploration.
Bruce Winton, Multi-property Vice President at Marriott International - The Philippines, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “At Marriott, our purpose is to connect people through the power of travel. We're thrilled to connect our guests and Marriott Bonvoy members to more destinations throughout the Philippines and to the wonderful array of culinary options being offered by the Marriott hotel brands across these exciting locations, all while making sure to create a significant and positive impact in the communities in which we are present.”
This innovative culinary journey delighted taste buds and ignited the senses with its first leg that took place on May 11, 2024. The afternoon caravan in partnership with FORD Philippines started with a convoy of FORD Club from Parañaque to Pasay, ending the “parade” at the Urban Farm Grounds of Newport World Resorts.
The Urban Farm, part of the property-wide I Love Earth (ILE) sustainability program of Newport World Resorts, is where Marriott Hotel Manila grows high-value vegetables for use in its restaurants, such as the lettuce used in the Classic Marriott Burger.
Strategically nestled in the same complex, Marriott Hotel Manila and Sheraton Manila Hotel are esteemed for their distinctive culinary offerings, each embodying a unique identity rooted in the commitment to bring the best dining experience. For this special occasion, the two iconic hotels joined forces to celebrate the rich heritage of Marriott and its steadfast commitment to sustainability.
Returning to Marriott’s roots of quality, guests were invited to immerse themselves in an unparalleled dining experience with the exclusive Classic Marriott Burger Bundle. Priced at P800 nett, this delectable bundle includes two Signature Marriott Burgers accompanied with unlimited French fries, bottomless Pepsi Cola, and overflowing Allegro Coffee. Adding to the funfair was renowned DJ Yuuna for the live entertainment, ensuring an unforgettable evening of culinary indulgence.
Adding an extra layer of excitement to the festivities, each of the guests were given a token of appreciation, where each received Marriott and Sheraton F&B discount vouchers, while Marriott Bonvoy members had the opportunity to win special prizes.
Furthermore, making the event even more meaningful was the opportunity for guests to be one with Marriott International's commitment to corporate social responsibility because a portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the chosen beneficiary of Marriott Worldwide Business Councils - Philippines, underscoring the dedication to minimizing environmental impact while making significant community contributions.
I wasn't able to attend the launch event on May 11 because we had just flown to South Korea that day, but I received a welcome treat the following week when Marriott Manila delivered my own Classic Marriott Burger Bundle right to my house. We were able to enjoy these delicious burgers at come courtesy of the Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels Caravan.
Following the inaugural event, the Marriott Bonvoy on Wheels Caravan will continue its journey to other captivating destinations, including The Westin Manila Hotel on June 8, Clark Marriott Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton Palawan, Courtyard by Marriott Iloilo, Four Points by Sheraton Boracay, Sheraton Cebu Mactan, and Fairfield by Marriott Mandaue City. For more information about Marriott Hotel Manila and Sheraton Manila Hotel, you can visit their website at www.manilamarriott.com and www.sheratonmanila.com or follow their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @manilamarriott and @sheratonmanila. You can also reach them by phone at (02) 8836 9998 and (02) 7902 1800.
Eat and Box All You Can at Marriott Café's Famsgiving Thursday
Thursday nights are truly special at Marriott Café with their Famsgiving Thursday dinner featuring Filipino heirloom recipes prepared by Marriott's chefs. For the month of April, Marriott Hotel Manila makes it even more exciting as they just launched their calibrated Famsgiving Thursdays offer with a Box All You Can fruits and vegetables promotion at the Farmsgiving Market, in collaboration with Rural Rising Philippines (RuRi), a program that aims to support the livelihood of local farmers.
Famsgiving Thursdays is a weekly dinner buffet at the Marriott Café featuring a selection of heirloom recipes celebrating Filipino cuisines and family thanksgiving. Priced at P3,700 nett per person, this buffet is available every Thursday dinner throughout April 2024. Aside from enjoying all the special recipes and home-cooked dishes prepared with love, guests can also support a very noble cause as local farmers can sell their produce and ingredients directly to hotels and restaurants.
Famsgiving Thursday was initially introduced in 2023 aimed at creating the nostalgia of family feasting and celebrating the rich Filipino heritage through the food served at Marriott Café. The partnership with RuRi makes this meaningful dining promo into even more purposeful initiative, hence taking the notch higher by being able to save the lives of farmers by backing up their source of living via the Rescue Buy Program.
Marriott Hotel Manila is all about preserving and celebrating the most cherished family traditions. It’s a place where we come together to create those heartwarming moments, and it’s all made possible through “Famsgiving Thursday.” This special dining experience highlights a curated selection of timeless Filipino heirloom recipes, all meticulously prepared by the talented relatives of our dedicated chefs at Manila Marriott Hotel. These dishes symbolize appreciation and gratitude, making Famsgiving Thursday an opportunity to savor heirloom recipes that celebrate Filipino cuisine and thanksgiving.
For Famsgiving Thursday, guests can enjoy all these special recipes scattered among the different buffet stations. You can start with the Lumping Sariwa ng Rizal by Chef Earl Jacinto and his mother in law Blesilda Besin.
Long before this partnership with RuRi has been established, Marriott Manila on its own capacity has been involved in several activities that support local farms and farmers by employing sustainable culinary practices such as local food sourcing to support farmers in the country, urban farming by maintaining its own indoor precision farm machine for herbs, spices and vegetables that are customarily imported from abroad, responsible fishing with its sustainable seafood program, and use of cage-free eggs to aid in the increased quality of life for hens, therefore enabling them to produce healthy table eggs, the same that are served to hotel guests.
Some of the other Famsgiving Thursday dishes you can find are the Pork Kilawing Labanos by Chef Alvin Valino and Aunt Emma Gatchalian. Other inspired dishes include the Pork Poacher de Alfonso, Pinakbet, and Siquijor Style Chicken Mataar.
The Binakol was one of my favorite dishes that evening and I really like this flavorful coconut broth cooked with chicken and vegetables.
The other international buffet stations will still be available at the Marriott Café during Famsgiving Thursday. Guests can grab their favorite sustainable seafood items and have them cooked according to their preference.
The carving station is always one of the highlights at the Marriott Café so I was happy to find this big lechon sitting proudly on the counter.
Aside from the very crispy lechon, guests can also find the Kare Kareng Pata, Pork Meatballs Escabeche, Lamb Mechado, and Sinanglay na Isla.
There's also plenty of steak for everyone. Ask the chef for a slice or two of their roasted beef and have it grilled the medium or medium-well doneness.
The Japanese station also has its lineup of sushi, sashimi, and tempura on display. You can also have a plate of teppanyaki freshly prepared with your choice ingredients.
Over at the Chinese station, there are dimsum, noodles, roast chicken, roast pork, and other specialties to discover.
My favorite station at Marriott Café is actually the Paluto station. Here you can ask for their big mud crabs and have it cooked as Singapore Chili Crab. They also have their Catch of the Day fish that can also be prepared steamed, fried, or cooked with butter and garlic.
Beverages are also included in the buffet price including juices and selected cocktails like Rum Old Fashioned, Manila Sunrise, Peach Daiquiri, and Sangria.
For desserts, there's a medley of cakes, pastries, sweets, fruits, kakanin, and other delectable treats waiting for all the guests.
Make sure to drop by the Ice Cream and Gelato Station for unlimited scoops of their signature flavors. I really liked the Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato with KitKat Spread as well as the Peanut Butter Gelato.
Aside from the regular Famsgiving Thursday dinner buffet, for the whole month of April, guests will also get an exclusive access to the Farmsgiving Market where they can play the Box All You Can game for fresh farm produce to take home. Each diner will get one coupon which entitles them to one box.
Executive Chef Meik Brammer explained the mechanics for the Farmsgiving Market together with Rural Rising Philippines’ founders Ace and Andie Estrada. RuRi is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting distressed Filipino farmers in achieving economic stability and pride in their work. Through fair and sustainable market practices, RuRi aims to support 100,000 farmers to become sustainable and debt-free by 2030 under the Rescue Buy Program of RuRi.
Marriott Manila has set up the Farmsgiving Market just outside the Marriott Café for the Box All You Can game. The farmers have brought their produce and goods here which have come all the way from the provinces and farms.
Once the timer starts, guests will have five minutes to grab all the fruits and vegetables they can get that will fit inside the Famsgiving Box. I hurriedly went to get some broccoli and guyabano together with some potatoes and tomatoes.
Everything that you get should be able to fit inside the box and pass through the steel gate, so make sure nothing spills over because all the excess items will be placed back on the counters. If you want to get another box, you can always buy more at P799 per box. These items would cost a lot more at groceries so you can actually just come to Marriott and participate in the Farmsgiving Market without dining at Marriott Café.
I really had fun at the Famsgiving Thursday with Farmsgiving Market at Marriott Café. You can enjoy a great buffet dinner and take home very fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting a noble cause for only P3700 per person. For those who are entitled to avail of 30% discount like Club Marriott diners, access to the Farmsgiving Market is available for an additional fee of P800 nett only. This promotion is good only for the month of April so hurry and book your tables now!
Famsgiving Thursday at Marriott Cafe
G/F, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City
The Philippine Sustainability Movement Event 2023 Returns at the Marriott Grand Ballroom
After four years, The Philippine Sustainability Movement Event returned at the Marriott Grand Ballroom last June 16 with its 2023 edition. Formerly called Sustainable Seafood Week in 2017 and then The Philippine Sustainability Month in 2019, it has now further expanded into an all-encompassing movement determined to create a sustainable future.
A total of 39 organizations, including Manila's top hotels in partnership with SeaTrace International, came together once again with environmental groups, fisheries, and NGOs to declare their support for the promotion of sustainable seafood, plastic reduction, as well as the need for certifications and responsible sourcing. The Hungry Kat was invited again to participate in this exclusive event as a media partner to promote this noble endeavor.
Through the property-wide I Love Earth (ILE) sustainability initiative, Newport World Resorts, along with the hotel properties within the entire complex, is organizing efforts to maximize its impact for the greatest good of the planet. ILE Chair and Marriott International Multi-property Vice President, Bruce Winton opened the festivities and welcomed all the participants and media guests.
Marriott upholds its commitment to provide wonderful hospitality, acknowledging the pivotal role that culinary arts plays in achieving a holistic experience hence creating wonderful memories that surpass a lifetime. Marriott Hotel Manila, being part of the country's pioneering integrated resort, is taking a bolder step into repurposing its now newer and bigger world into a sustainable haven for all.
Christian Schmidradner, Managing Partner and COO of SeaTrace International and the Initiator and Co-Founder of the Sustainable Seafood movement, discussed how important it is that all sectors and parties cooperate to achieve and promote this sustainability movement.
Of course, we were all excited to see what these five-star hotels and establishments had prepared for tonight’s Philippine Sustainability Movement Event 2023.
Apart from respective groups' successful projects in the implementation of their ESG/CS programs, the highlight of the event was the wide spread of sustainable seafood creations prepared by the chefs from the different hotel groups. ILE Sustainable Culinary Champion and Marriott Hotel Manila's Executive Chef Meik Brammer led the opening of the buffet tables and the entrance of a very special item.
This huge tuna made its grand entrance as it was lowered down from Marriott Grand Ballroom’s ceiling. Okura Manila Japanese Executive Chef Keiichiro Fujino brought out his samurai-looking sword and led the ceremonial cutting of the tuna for all the guests to enjoy.
These were honestly some of the best and freshest Tuna Sashimi I have ever had! I really loved them so much that I had around five servings of this sashimi.
But that wasn’t all because all the hotels and establishments prepared their own sustainable dishes for all of the guests.
Hilton Manila featured their Maya Maya Springrolls and Spanner Crab Hakao which both used sustainable seafood ingredients.
One of the main attractions at the event was the Solaire Resort and Casino booth with its lobster items. The Crispy Yam comes with lobster claw, black pepper, wasabi, and szechuan chili sauce. This uses claws from big American Lobsters while the meat and lobster tails were also used in their other pasta dish.
From City of Dreams Manila comes the Lumpia Dinagat with its prawn and crab meat. This is made using meat from Mangrove Crabs or locally known as mud crabs or alimango which support year-round local fishing in coastal mangrove areas. It also uses meat from Vannamei Shrimp which are harvested from protected mangrove forests in Vietnam. All seafood products featured are sponsored by SeaTrace International, Inc.
Sheraton Hotel Manila showcased its Sustainable Emperor Fish which had ginataang isda, coconut cream sauce, spinach oil, squash, petchay and okra.
Okada Manila also made its presence felt by promoting sustainable practices with their Marinated Prawns Gunkan, a beautiful dish made with sustainable prawns, smoked scallop, and yoghurt dill oil dressing.
They also featured their Kasuba Gnocchetti Sardi with prawn head reduction, stracciatella cheese, thymes, and lemon oil.
SeaTrace International also had their own booth offering live oysters from the United States and Ireland.
The Irish Gallagher Oysters are handpicked at 30 months for their premium quality. The brackish water combination of sea water and fresh water rich in minerals in a bay off the pristine west coast of Ireland gives it its unique taste. These were all freshly shucked and placed on ice for the freshest oyster experience.
Novotal Manila brought out its Risotto Kamias Pollock Gremolata. This comes with Risotto all’onda, pickled kamias, lemon powder, onion gel, poached pollock marinated in herbs.
There were many other dishes on display at the different booths. Atlantic Salmon is one of the most consumed fish around the world and are usually harvested in certified farms complying with environmental regulations.
Okoy de Hake is their version of the famous Filipino street food using broiled hake garlic butter vegetable fritters. Hake is a soft, white, flaky fish with a texture more delicate than haddock and cod.
PYC Foods Corporation is a local food importer that also carries some of the best seafood items you can find here. Their salmon sashimi and aburi were some of the more popular items that evening. They also featured imported beef which is part of their artisanal lineup.
Even the chefs at CCA Manila presented their own creations using sustainable ingredients. Everyone had a great time at the event with the chefs also trying out their compatriot’s offerings and exchanging their own ideas to promote these sustainable practices.
We would like to thank Archie Nicasio, Cluster Director of Marketing Communications for Marriott Manila, and the rest of the hotel participants for making the Philippine Sustainability Movement Event 2023 a resounding success. Let’s make the world a better place for our children by promoting and implementing these sustainable practices for a more sustainable future.
Meat and Greet With Chef Jay McCarthy at Marriott Cafe
Renowned Texas Chef Jay McCarthy held a one-day only “Meat & Greet” activity last November 17, 2022 at the Marriott Hotel Manila as he took over the Meat Overload Station of Marriott Cafe. It was a very meaty and beefy afternoon filled with all sorts of barbecues and steak specially prepared by Chef Jay as he showed all the guests how cowboys enjoy their grilled meats.
Marriott Cafe served as the venue as Chef Jay McCarthy, hailed as "The Best Chef in San Antonio, Texas,” put together a spectacular buffet selection featuring the supersized Meat Overload Station together with their other international stations. In partnership with Alternatives Food Corp. and U.S. Meat Export Federation, the afternoon also included special U.S. Bourbon Whiskey-based cocktails which were all included in the buffet price of only P2,888 nett per person.
Born in New York, raised in Jamaica, and educated in Texas— Chef Jay McCarthy is a multicultural visionary who has parlayed his diverse background into a unique and innovative culinary style that has earned him repeated accolades. He worked as an aerospace engineer for a short time and found he was more inspired by blending flavors than he was by mixing jet fuels.
Chef McCarthy’s unique style utilizes the native flavors of Texas. Drawing from his Jamaican roots, his cooking style has been recognized for blending native Texas cuisine with tropical flavors. He fully showcased his culinary talents at Marriott Cafe’s Meat Overload Station which has packed to the rim with all these delicious meaty dishes.
The Meat Overload Station featured specialties courtesy of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. These imported products included U.S. Beef, U.S. Pork, and American Homegrown Lamb items that guests were all excited to try.
The U.S. Angus High Choice Beef was the main attraction at the Meat Overload Station. Among the dishes presented were Braised Short Ribs Bone In Red Wine Glazed - sterling silver; Oven Baked Country Road Top Sirloin - sterling silver; and Herb Marinated Pittsburgh Style Prime Rib Eye Boneless CAB.
These were accompanied by Green Peppercorn Sauce, Wild Mushroom Sauce, Red Wine Jus Sauce, and Assorted Bottled Hot Sauce.
For the U.S. Pork Kurobuta products, specialties included Home-Made Smoked Kurobuta Ham; Southern Smoke Hickory Grilled Kurobuta Belly; BBQ Spice rubbed JD Essence Baby Back Ribs; BBQ spice rubbed Wood Fired Brisket Bones; and Sugarcure rubbed Caramelized Bone In skinless Pork Loin. These were accompanied by sauces as well as assorted grilled organic vegetables.
We also got to try some American Lamb Ribs as well as these juicy Grilled Wagyu Frankfurters. There were so many meaty dishes to choose from but we really wanted to eat everything.
The main attraction at the Meat Overload Station was this huge U.S. Wagyu Snake River Farm Steamship Bone In. This big chunk of meat was rubbed with rosemary serrano and slow cooked in an open flame.
Accompanying the mother ship was a variety of sauces including the Chard Kansas BBQ Sauce, St Louis Smoked BBQ Sauce, Texas Barbacao Style BBQ Sauce, Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Tomato Chutney, Red Capsicum Chutney, Guacamole Dip, and Chimichurri.
We were really excited to try all of these U.S. Meat dishes. You can really see it from the big smile on our faces.
The Chef McCarthy Meat and Greet event also featured several whiskey-based cocktails that were all part of the buffet. Marriott Cafe had its own Bourbon Cocktail Bar courtesy of Jack Daniels and Jim Beam where guests can request for their handcrafted cocktails.
I asked for the Ginger Tennessee which had a combination of Jack Daniels, calamansi juice, and ginger syrup. My husband got the Manhattan Rocks with its mix of Jim Beam, Martini Rosso, and Angostura bitters. Other cocktails include the Lynchburg Lemonade and the Old Fashioned.
What could be better than a plate full of barbecued U.S. meats and unlimited glasses of bourbon cocktail? Marriott Manila really went all out with this Meat and Greet activity.
Of course, all the other buffet stations at Marriott Cafe were still available to guests that afternoon. This included the salad station and the fresh seafood station that featured mussels, prawns, clams, and crabs.
The Japanese station is always a favorite with its sushi and sashimi offerings. There were also plenty of tempura plus they have a teppanyaki station where you can customize your teppanyaki orders.
One of the best areas at Marriott Cafe is the Paluto Station. Here you can ask for their Fresh Catch of the Day and have it cooked to your liking. I usually have my fish done Sweet and Sour style. Make sure to also ask for their live crabs which I asked to be cooked Singaporean style.
You can check my last visit to Marriott Cafe a few months ago to see all the other exciting dishes and stations that are available daily for guests. We ended our Meat and Greet activity with indulgent sweets and cool scoops of gelato from the Dessert Station.
We would like to thank Marriott Manila, Alternatives Food Corp., the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Chef Jay McCarthy for hosting this amazing afternoon filled with barbecues and steaks. Watch out for other exciting events at Marriott Hotel Manila.
Marriott Cafe
Ground Floor, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City
U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Holds USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission Reception
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service recently held its U.S.-Philippines Agribusiness Trade Mission Reception last July 19, 2022 at the Diplomatic Hall of the Marriott Grand Ballroom. It had been quite a while since I last attended a U.S. Embassy event due to the lockdowns and restrictions, but now that things are going back to normal, I’m happy to once again be a part of these activities held by the USDA to promote American food products and increase trade and imports.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Trade Mission to Manila last July 18 was the largest trade mission sent by the United States to the Philippines in recent years. Led by U.S. Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley, representatives from 29 U.S. agribusinesses and farm organizations and 10 state departments of agriculture explored trade opportunities in the Philippines. The Diplomatic Hall inside the Marriott Manila Grand Ballroom served as a fitting venue for the evening as U.S. food and beverage suppliers, importers, trade associates and partners got a chance to meet and socialize with each other in a less formal setting.
I was happy to see some of my friends from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines once again including Ramona Singian, USDA Agricultural Marketing Specialist. Aside from striking beneficial deals which improves Philippine agricultural competitiveness, the trade mission also spearheaded programs to improve different sectors of the agribusiness industry in the Philippines.
The charming banquet hall opened to reveal a medley of appetizing items prepared by Marriott Manila for the guests. They had a fresh seafood station filled with a variety of US oysters like Fiddler’s Cove Oysters, Pemaquid Oysters, Pink Moon Oysters, and Duxbury Standard Oysters.
There was also a grand Charcuterie board that showcased different cheeses and cold cuts for the guests to try. I enjoyed nibbling on the Beef Pastrami and the ham sausage with some servings of Smoked Jack Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Sierra Nevada Cheese, and more.
I made my way towards the carving station where they were serving these juicy Baby Back Ribs with homemade BBQ sauce. The ribs were smoky and tender with a generous slather of barbecue sauce. This is how I imagined those backyard barbecues in the US would be like.
Just beside it was the Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork served together with slider buns. I placed some pork onto my buns then poured some more barbecue sauce on top.
They also had a Chicken Fajitas and Tacos station where you could customize your serving with their toppings and condiments.
The Diplomatic Hall also had its own bar station with unlimited servings of Gin & Tonic, wines and beers. I had a few glasses of this Strawberry Ginger G&T for myself.
The dessert table was full of American pies such as Apple Pie, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Pie, and Strawberry Pie. These really gave us a sweet taste of America.
Cake goes so well with ice cream so Marriott Manila offered its Vanilla Ice Cream topped with strawberry, blueberry, or mango syrup. We really enjoyed having these desserts while sipping our cocktail glasses.
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Daniel Whitley welcomed the participants and guests as he reiterated the history and close ties between our two countries. Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez also gave a short speech regarding our agricultural trade and how it is being given much importance by President Bongbong Marcos.
Congratulations to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service for a successful agribusiness trade mission. Three memoranda of understanding were signed in the succeeding days, with one aimed at combating African Swine Fever in the Philippines, another formalizing deeper trade ties between the Province of Batangas and U.S. state departments of agriculture, and a third between Mariano Marcos State University and the U.S. Grains Council in support of biofuel solutions and climate smart practices. Let’s continue improving our agriculture and trade with our close ally for the betterment of our country.
