Cebu Eat-All-You-Can Buffets: Garden Cafe at Cebu City Marriott Hotel
I always associate eating at hotels with special occasions. It could be a birthday, anniversary, or to celebrate milestones and achievements. Looking back, I would probably say that Cebu City Marriott Hotel is one of the hotels that has witnessed some of the best of moments of my life. My wedding reception was actually held at this hotel several years ago. When I got an invite to try out their Sunday International Buffet, my heart definitely skipped a bit. The international buffet at the hotel has always been a favorite for decades and it is a big privilege to be asked to eat it for free. The privilege is not limited to me as you will find something to cheer about if you read up until the end of this post.
Kalami Cebu's Ultimate Guide to the International Buffet at Garden Cafe
There are so many new All-You-Can-Eat buffets that opened in Cebu in the past year. Many tout themselves as having a selection that rivals hotel buffets. They may be right but the hotels are also fighting back. Hotels still give a different vibe when it comes to celebrations. The menu could be copied but the ambiance of places like Garden Cafe cannot easily be matched.
Hotel buffets might be more expensive but I still prefer eating at hotels especially when it is an intimate celebration. The Garden Cafe at Cebu City Marriott is just perfect for conversations. The atmosphere is perfect for an anniversary lunch or an important business meeting. For me, this is one of the most important advantages of hotel dining.
Here is my walkthrough of the Cebu City Marriott Garden Cafe Buffet:
Hotel buffets might be more expensive but I still prefer eating at hotels especially when it is an intimate celebration. The Garden Cafe at Cebu City Marriott is just perfect for conversations. The atmosphere is perfect for an anniversary lunch or an important business meeting. For me, this is one of the most important advantages of hotel dining.
Here is my walkthrough of the Cebu City Marriott Garden Cafe Buffet:
Soups, Salads, and Appetizers
The hardest part of a buffet is actually in choosing where to start. There are so many good ways to begin and each one has its own merits.
Salad Station
Many people like to start off with a salad and the Garden Cafe has a lof of choices. The greens are so fresh and appetizing. If you are not careful, you might have a half-full stomach right after your first plate.
Fruits Station
Fruits Station
Some people say that we must eat fruits at the beginning of the meal. You can also do that here because they have a decent selection of local fruits to start or end a meal.
Japanese Station
Japanese Station
One of my usual ways to start a buffet is going to the Japanese station. Sushi and Sashimi has a way of preparing my palate for a long meal that is fit for a Sumo wrestler. I was easily drawn to those octopus tentacles when I was there.
Cold Cuts, Grilled Vegetables, and Bread
Cold Cuts, Grilled Vegetables, and Bread
If you do not like to start by going Japanese, you can go European by having some bread, grilled vegetables, and cold cuts. You can make some awesome sandwich with the spread that Cebu City Marriott is preparing for its diners.
Pizza
Pizza
If you do not like assembling a sandwich, then just pick a pizza slice or two.
Cheese, Crackers, Nuts, and Vegetable Sticks
You can even go light by having some Brie or Cheddar with crackers. A personal favorite of mine are the peanuts at Garden Cafe. I do not know how they do it but I just cannot stop munching on their nuts.
Soup
The last option is that you can start your meal with a hearty soup. On that day, they were serving nilagang baka which is one of my all-time favorite Pinoy soups.
Hot dishes
After the "warm up" comes the hot dishes that will keep you interested for a while. The hotel has a good line-up of international dishes and among my favorites is their beef goulash. They have meat, seafood and vegetable dishes that can easily give you a #Happytummy.
Special Stations
Pasta/Noodle/Mongolian Station
My buffet lunch is never complete without having a noodle dish. Their noodle station is one of the best in Cebu. You can have some pasta dishes like Carbonara but you also have the option to "go to Thailand" by having some delicious Pad Thai. Soup lovers have several options for noodle soup. You can pick the type of noodles as well as the toppings and the broth.
Curry Station
If you like curry then you better make friends with the chef in their curry station who can prepare one that you will be raving about for days.
Desserts and Beverages
By now, you would need something sweet to balance all the flavors that you have tasted at the International Lunch Buffet at the Garden Cafe of the Cebu City Marriott Hotel. You can quench your thirst with some juice then enjoy several pieces of their bite-sized desserts.
If you are going eat Sunday lunch here then you can enjoy as much as Prime Rib as you want. The friendly chefs can grill this premium cut of beef to your desired doneness.
It was a Sunday and I just had a week filled with food trips and restaurant visits. Even if it was a busy week for me, I was actually excited to eat again at Marriott. The last time I was here was in November to celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday. So it has been a while.
I was with my fellow bloggers Brennan Mercado of Baktin Corporation and Rome Nicolas of Basta Bisaya. Our host for the day was Cebu City Marriott's dashing PR officer Nico Velasquez. After taking some photos of the food, I decided to start my meal with some crackers, cheese, peanuts, and grilled vegetables. I wanted to pace myself because I know I am going to eat lots.
After I finished my first plate, Chef Nestor served some Chicken Adobo Tortilla Wraps. I would say that Mexican restaurants should try making their own version of this dish because my friends and I enjoyed eating it.
Desserts and Beverages
By now, you would need something sweet to balance all the flavors that you have tasted at the International Lunch Buffet at the Garden Cafe of the Cebu City Marriott Hotel. You can quench your thirst with some juice then enjoy several pieces of their bite-sized desserts.
Sunday Special
If you are going eat Sunday lunch here then you can enjoy as much as Prime Rib as you want. The friendly chefs can grill this premium cut of beef to your desired doneness.
Kalami Cebu's International Lunch Buffet Experience
It was a Sunday and I just had a week filled with food trips and restaurant visits. Even if it was a busy week for me, I was actually excited to eat again at Marriott. The last time I was here was in November to celebrate my mother-in-laws birthday. So it has been a while.
I was with my fellow bloggers Brennan Mercado of Baktin Corporation and Rome Nicolas of Basta Bisaya. Our host for the day was Cebu City Marriott's dashing PR officer Nico Velasquez. After taking some photos of the food, I decided to start my meal with some crackers, cheese, peanuts, and grilled vegetables. I wanted to pace myself because I know I am going to eat lots.
Special Pinoy Fusion Dishes by Garden Cafe Chefs
After I finished my first plate, Chef Nestor served some Chicken Adobo Tortilla Wraps. I would say that Mexican restaurants should try making their own version of this dish because my friends and I enjoyed eating it.
To cap our meal Chef Aisha made us a special dessert called Deep-Fried Mixed Fruits. She sliced some apples, bananas, mangos, and watermelon into unique shapes then she breaded it with toasted wheat bread then deep fried it in olive oil. The apples were like calamari or onion rings while the other fruits looked like different shapes of tempura. She prepared two sauces: Latik with Pink Salt and Belgian Chocolate with Tablea. She also prepared some marshmallows, nuts, rice crispies and raisins.
To fully enjoy this DIY dessert, all you have to do is get a deep fried fruit then dip it with your choice of sauce then finish it by dipping it to the prepared toppings. It was an instant favorite for all of us including Nico. We were like kids playing in a chocolate factory but with a fruity twist. It is definitely a good cheat day compromise dessert for those who are trying to lose weight. It is also a good way to make children eat more servings of fruit in one meal.
My Final Dish
We had our dessert but I did not want to leave Marriott without having some Prime Rib. So I had a big slice to cap an amazing international lunch buffet. If you love Prime Rib, have lunch at Garden Cafe on a Sunday and have as many slices as you want.
All in all, it was a superb meal. One of the best Kalami Cebu lunches for the year so far. It was not just the food but also the company and the interesting conversations that we had. There were so many genius ideas that came out while being fed by the wonderful chefs of the hotel. It was one for the books and I would not mind eating again with the same group, at the same place and on the same day. ;)
Treat for Kalaminions
Thank you so much for reading this pretty long post. Because you are quite a sport, Cebu City Marriott Hotel would love you to try their International Lunch Buffet at the Garden Cafe on a Special Blogger Rate.
Special Rates for Kalaminions are as follows:
International Lunch Buffet
Monday – Friday
12:00 – 2:30 PM
PHP 499 net per person only (regular rate PHP 850)
Flavors or Asia – International Dinner Buffet
Monday – Thursdays and Sunday
6:00 – 10:30 PM
PHP 649 net per person only (regular rate PHP 1,200)
Great Room Lobby Bar
Mondays to Sundays
6:00 AM to 11:00 PM
*Enjoy a food and beverage 20% discount on total bill
Pool bar
Mondays to Sundays
6:00 AM to 11:00 PM*
Enjoy a food and beverage 20% discount on total bill
*This rate may be enjoyed by the entire group dining with your follower or reader
Mechanics:
1. Make sure create reservations ahead and announce the “blogger rate” privilege for our associate to take note of this special arrangement. Please call (032) 411-5800 for assistance. Walk-ins are also welcome.
2. On the day of their visit have them show our waiters the actual blog where they found out about the special rate for verification before they ask for the billing. Until March 31, 2017 June 30, 2017, you can just show this blog post to get your special rate.
If ever you are coming to Marriott to avail this special rate hit me up with a comment or a PM because who knows, we will be seeing each other there.
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