Celebrate All Things Swiss at Marco Polo Ortigas Manila
Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is holding another exciting theme this month as the country’s first sky hotel lets us experience a piece of Switzerland and All Things Swiss. I have not traveled to Switzerland or Europre just yet, so this two-week long celebration of Swiss chocolates, cheese, and more is a great way to bring Switzerland closer to Manila.
All Things Swiss is happening from August 19 to September 4, 2016 as Marco Polo Ortigas highlights several promotions and activities throughout the hotel. The Hungry Kat was invited for the opening of All Things Swiss last Friday and the place was decked in the colors of Switzerland to commemorate the event. A showcase of Victorinox watches, long part of Swiss history and reputation, were on display at the lobby for those who want to take a peak into the artistry and design of these delicate timepieces known for their quality and timeless elegance. But the main event was happening inside Cucina, the all-day dining restaurant of Marco Polo Ortigas where a bountiful Swiss feast was waiting.
In partnership with Werdenberg International, the Swiss Food Festival at Cucina offers a wide selection of Swiss dishes which are included in the buffet together with all our other favorites (Read about Cucina here). Delight in a chocolate buffet featuring only the finest pralines and enjoy all these exotic dishes as if you are dining along the Swiss Alps. This delicious culinary experience can be enjoyed from Monday to Thursday at P1,500 nett for lunch and P1,800 for dinner. Celebrate the festival on a weekend from Friday to Sunday at P2,300 for lunch and P2,650 for the dinner buffet. Special gifts from Turkish Airlines and Victorinox also await lucky guests.
Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel Executive Chef Rolf Jaeggi is here in Manila as a special guest chef for All Things Swiss. Chef Rolf is a Swiss borne culinary expert who has been specializing in Swiss cuisine for the whole duration of his career. With over 30 years of vast international experience, Chef Rolf makes sure that we can experience an authentic Swiss feast during Cucina’s Swiss Food Festival.
Switzerland is known for their chocolates and cheese, so these can be found all around the buffet at Cucina during this two-week celebration. The Cervelat with Cheese is a special sausage produced in Switzerland. Since Filipinos generally like cheesy hotdogs, this would be a good appetizer that we should appreciate.
The Beef Salad with Gherkins, Onions and Pepper is also an interesting variety that we do not normally encounter in the country. Add some Red Cabbage to your plate for a more colorful salad starter.
Thinly-sliced Beef Carpaccio is also available for those who like hams and cured meats. The Air Dried Beef is a little bit tougher and chewy with a more pronounced salty taste.
The Smoked Trout offers a more light and refreshing taste with its clean and natural flavors and soft meat.
Here’s another interesting dish. The Pasta with Sauteed Chicken Liver and grilled vegetables is a peculiar combination that only the Swiss can think of. Our palates may not be used to this flavor combination but it is nice to see these exotic and unfamiliar items here at the Swiss food festival.
Something that might be more familiar would be the Spatzle, a soft type of egg noodle found in Europe and Switzerland. This European comfort food is somewhat similar to the American’s Mac and Cheese or even our own chicken sopas.
This one is not a pizza, but is actually called a Roesti which is made of potatoes and other ingredients. The delicious fried potato cake is quite filling and will definitely give you a carbs overload.
Seared Salmon can also be found on the buffet and this seafood is always a yummy treat whatever way it is prepared.
The best item at the buffet could probably be the Deep Fried Cheese with its light and crunchy texture and oozing cheese inside. I would love to have these little tidbits at home while watching a movie.
Chef Rolf proudly demonstrates how to use the Raclette grill which heats the cheese wheel until it starts to boil. Raclette is cheese made from Swiss cow’s milk and this gooey goodness is one of the highlights at the Swiss food festival. He then scrapes off the melted raclette cheese onto a plate with roasted potatoes and pickled vegetables. This is one of the best cheese dishes you can ever find and one good reason to head over to Cucina.
Chef Rolf Jaeggi, together with (from left to right) Marco Polo Ortigas Director of Rooms Marlon Guevarra, Resident Manager Mike Yutuc, General Manager Frank Reichenbach, and Director of Restaurants Bars & Events Mirko de Giorgi, welcomed all the guests to the opening of the Swiss food festival and All Things Swiss. A cutting of the giant cheese wheel was also done to officially start the exciting lineup of events and activities at the hotel, including a cooking demonstration by Chef Rolf himself.
Guests were also treated to a special Swiss set menu featuring some of the best dishes Chef Rolf has to offer. We started with the Beef Carpaccio with beef tartar, quail egg, mache leaves and doused with lemon pepper marinade. The light and airy carpaccio were quite tasty, especially combined with the egg yolk.
This dish was paired with the Fendant Blanc d’Amour 2014 white wine to make the set menu even more special. Vu’s Sky Bar and Lounge is also offering a Swiss Cheese Buffet with wine during All Things Swiss. Relax and unwind the Swiss way over an unobstructed view of the metro with this classic pair, available every night for P1,900 for the cheese buffet. Swiss wines are sold separately and are available either by glass or by the bottle.
Next, we had the Swiss Barley Soup with herbs and Air Dried Beef. The creamy soup had a light flavor but it balances well with the Air Dried Beef which gives it a salty component.
Our main dish was the Veal Zurichoise with Roesti Potatoes. This dish originated from Zurich and is made with tender veal slices topped with creamy mushroom sauce. The roesti potato acts as a perfect side dish to this traditional Swiss plate.
To cap off our Swiss dining experience, Plum Tart with Vanilla Snaps and Whipped Cream was served along with some pastries and cakes.
The delicacies do not stop as Café Pronto lets it guests discover a wide variety of confectionary desserts with a showcase of the finest Swiss Pralines. These are available for P75 per piece or in a box of 3 (P215), box of 6 (P435) and box of 12 (P865). You can choose from Cappuccino Pralines, Framboise Pralines, Pistachio Pralines, Cognac Square, Tiramisu Truffle, Hazelnut Truffle and Mango Cashew Nut Truffle. So immerse yourself in an experience of the natural Switzerland at Marco Polo Ortigas and celebrate All Things Swiss!
CUCINA at MARCO POLO ORTIGAS
24/F Marco Polo Ortigas, Meralco Avenue & Sapphire Street, Ortigas Center, Pasig
720-7777
www.marcopolohotels.com
www.facebook.com/MarcoPoloOrtigasManila
