A Grand Lunch Buffet at City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe

The rich and diverse flavors of global cuisine, all in one place. City Garden Grand Hotel recently launched The Grand Lunch Buffet at Spice Cafe, a gastronomic feast featuring an array of dishes from around the world. And lunch becomes a grand gastronomic dining experience at City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe...

City Garden Grand Hotel'sGeneral Manager Laurence Pena and Executive Chef Dennis Peralta (L) welcome guests to Spice Cafe's Grand Buffet's formal launch, with its impressive spread of global cuisine. Inside Spice Cafe, the spacious interiors exude both elegance and warmth, matched by excellent service. 

A few cocktails from the hotel's Firefly Bar were served, along with the signature canapes of Spice Cafe before lunch, just enough to whet your appetite with the coming feast. And after one more cocktail, it was time to get down to the serious business of a buffet lunch, The Grand Lunch Buffet at Spice Cafe. 

Start your feast at the Spice Cafe's Salad Station (L), with its wide variety of garden fresh greens, vegetables and salad dressings. Then, sample Spice Cafe's delicate and flavorful Canapes (R), bite-sized morsels that's big on fresh flavors.

After a plateful of canapes, go back for more delectable offerings. You can also find a selection of premium cheeses and freshly baked bread...

...as well as an equally impressive spread of premium cold cuts. It's all part of what Jordan Tan, City Garden Grand Hotel's F&B Manager, describes as the hotel's continuous aim to "evoke a sense of excited gastronomy." And this can be seen in the lavish yet carefully curated selection of dishes in each of the stations.

Spice Cafe offers the best of global cuisine, bringing the flavors of the world in one place. The savory flavors of the east are represented at the Chicken Shawarma Station, with tender chicken slowly roasting at the shawarma grill. 

My freshly prepared Chicken Shawarma, with fresh lettuce, cucumbers and garlic yogurt sauce is another great starter at Spice Cafe. The tender, mild and delicate yet smoky notes of the chicken are boosted by the rich and creamy sauce, and the crisp vegetables, with its distinct fresh snap,  add both texture and flavor.

At the Asian Station, you'll find a variety of steamed Dim Sum in bamboo steamers...

...right next to the Noodle Station, where you can create and customize your own bowl of comforting and flavorful noodles with beef, chicken, vegetables, and seafood. Choose your type of noodles, your broth, and the toppings, it's as easy as that.

Over at the Japanese Station, you can indulge on the delicately crisp Prawn Tempura (L) as well lightly battered and deep-fried sweet potatoes, onions, and asparagus. The breading is light and crisp, just the way it should be, and you can have as much as you want.

The Japanese Station also offers a variety fresh Sushi...

...and even Takoyaki. With so many options, The Grand Lunch Buffet at Spice Cafe has some of the best buffet spreads this side of the Makati.

Over at the Italian Station, you can have your own freshly made Pasta prepared a la minute by the station chefs, hot off the pan. Pair your pasta dish with a slice or two of Spice Cafe's Pizza to complete your meal. 

But it's Spice Cafe's Prawn Kataifi (L), a plump prawn wrapped in shredded Kataifi pastry resembling angel hair pasta on a sweet and spicy chili sauce that really got me started. After several more Prawn Kataifi, it was time to check out Spice Cafe's mains, like the Braised Beef Caldereta (R)...

...with its fork-tender beef in a thick tomato-based sauce with peppers, the tart and savory Grilled Pork Loin with Onion Chutney (L), and the subtle yet rich flavors of the Stuffed Chicken Roulade (R). The hot mains included seafood and vegetables dishes as well, but the Carving Station seemed to be calling my name...

At the carving station, the premium Ribeye was a popular attraction, served with Yorkshire Pudding and Baked Potatoes. A queue started to form, but no worries. At Spice Cafe, you don't have to worry about running out of the premium Ribeye, as more slabs fresh from the oven refill the station. 

Tender, juicy, with bold beefy flavors, the perfectly grilled ribeye adds that grand touch to your buffet dining experience at Spice Cafe. For your sides, add a baked potato and heap a generous helping of sour cream topped with bacon bits and chives.

Cap your meal with a robust cup of freshly brewed coffee, paired with dessert. At the equally impressive Dessert Station, feast on a wide variety of elegant and indulgent desserts, in all shapes, colors, and sizes. 

Or enjoy some Crepes at the Crepes Station stuffed with mangoes or bananas, made right in front of you. Drizzled with chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream and a cherry, you can even select additional toppings, including almonds and hazelnuts, chocolate sprinkles and fruit preserves.  

The soft crepes with tart mangoes topped with velvety smooth vanilla ice cream, a cherry, hazelnuts and almonds, drizzled with chocolate syrup, is a fitting end to a grand buffet feast at Spice Cafe.

City Garden Grand Hotel has lined up a full culinary calendar for the year, including the Merienda Grande with its lavish spread of afternoon snacks, the Vino-Infinito with its unlimited wine offerings, the Cocido de Espana's Hispanic festival, a Mooncake Festival, the Tex-Mex Oktobeer Fest, a Grand Thanksgiving and Trick or Treat special, an elegant Yuletide Menu and an exciting New Year Countdown Gala. Things are definitely cookin' over City Garden Grand Hotel.

The Grand Lunch Buffet at City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe is available daily from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and priced at P 988 net person. And here's even more good news. Enjoy a 30% discount for the entire month of July for only P 692 net per person. And that's a grand deal, only at Spice Cafe.

Turn your lunch into a grand experience, with the flavors of the world on your plate. And it all starts at City Garden Grand Hotel's Spice Cafe.

Spice Cafe is located at the 7th Floor of City Garden Grand Hotel, 8008 Makati corner Kalayaan Avenues, Makati City or call (+632) 888-8181 or (+63)917-572-3486 for inquiries and reservations.

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