#KanyamanFilipinoFoodFest

[thehungrykat1]

Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival at Novotel Manila

Novotel Manila Araneta Center is celebrating this month’s Philippine Independence Day with its KANYAMAN Filipino Food Festival at Food Exchange Manila, their all day dining restaurant. This two-week long fiesta is available from June 8 to June 22, 2017 and diners can savour a breathtaking buffet of Filipino and Kapampangan specialties courtesy of Celebrity Chef Sau del Rosario.

The Hungry Kat was invited to the opening program for the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival last June 8, 2017 at Novotel Manila. Food Exchange Manila is becoming one of my favorite hotel buffet restaurants, especially with its central location in Quezon City and its relatively affordable rates. I had a wonderful summer staycation at Novotel Manila a few months ago (read about it here) so it’s great to be back at my new hideaway. Chef Sau del Rosario received his Culinary Arts training in France and has had numerous international exposure and accolades, so I was really excited to once again see what classic and creative Kapampangan dishes he has prepared for us that afternoon.

Kanyaman actually means delicious in the Pampanga dialect and Chef Sau del Rosario will be highlighting Filipino gustatory delights from his hometown and the culinary capital of the Philippines, Pampanga. Chef Sau operates two restaurants in Pampanga, namely, Cafe Fleur and 25 Seeds where he brings out his best creations and heirloom recipes from his mother’s kitchen. The Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival is a way to bring those Kapampangan dishes right here in Manila so that we do not have to drive all the way north to appreciate these delicacies.

Chef Sau’s Filipino dishes are spread all throughout the buffet area at Food Exchange Manila. While the other stations are still available (See previous blog here) like the Indian Station, Seafood Station and Japanese Station, I was really amazed with all the colorful dishes that were presented for the guests.

Starting at the appetizer station, I was immediately drawn to the Tamales Pampanguena which I encountered only for the first time. This is made of rice flour, anato seeds, and chicken powder with salted eggs and coconut cream. I like its soft texture similar to a creamy custard but oozing with Filipino flavors.

The Chicken Galentina was also a delight to the taste buds with its combination of chicken, sausage, chorizo, and spam with peas, eggs, and cheese. This is a dish that is popular at family gatherings during Christmas and holidays but any day is a good time to have it.

Other appetizers on the table included the (clockwise from top left) Ensaladang Talong, Pako Salad with prawns, watermelon and kesong puti, Kinilaw na Tanigue, and the Gambas with Shiitake.

This work of art is the Maya Maya Mayonesa with its steamed maya maya fish fillet, mayonnaise, eggs, pickles, and olives. I think I will feel guilty if I was the one to break up this dish.

Another interesting item is the Tinapa Mousse. This is made with tinapa, white wine, butter, and fresh dill and it really does taste like a tinapa fish. You can eat this with bread or just by itself.

The Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival also serves some very appetizing noodles at the Noodle Station including Pancit Malabon, Pancit Gisado, and Sotanghon which you can combine with different sauces like luglug, aligue and squid ink.

Food Exchange Manila’s huge brick oven is also hard at work during the food festival because it is offering a Sisig Pizza and even a Longganisa Pizza. These fusion pizza recipes will definitely stand out and are really quite a treat.

Pampanga is best known for its outstanding sisig so there is no question that the highlight of the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival will be the Sisig with Foie Gras. Filipinos just love sisig, which Anthony Bourdain recently suggested would be the dish that will put the Philippines on the global foodie map. These savory pork cheeks are cooked with onions, chicken liver, and siling labuyo, but Chef Sau upgrades it further by topping it with a delectable seared foie gras. This is absolute indulgence.

Even the paella has been made into a Kapampangan delicacy as Chef Sau unveiled his Truffled Sisig Paella. This is a complete meal by itself with steaming hot paella rice topped with chunky bits of delicious sisig with hints of truffle oil. 

For the main dishes, guests can start with the familiar Kare Kare Macadamia which has pork belly in peanut butter and coconut cream sauces combined with truffle oil and macadamia nuts.

Other notable dishes include the (clockwise from top left) Beef Salpicao, Rellenong Bangus, Lamb Shank Kaldereta, and Seafood Pinakbet with loads of mussels, prawns, squid, and vegetables in bagoong.

One of my other favorites at the food festival was the Duck Adobo. Instead of the usual pork or chicken adobo, this one comes with duck cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, whole black peppers, bay leaves, garlic, onion and eggs. The duck intensifies the flavors of the adobo dish even further and I think I’m craving for this dish again right now.

In-between our rounds going through the buffet stations, Novotel Manila also showcased the creations of renowned fashion designer Philip Torres, who also hails from Angeles Pampanga, featuring his latest collection entitled “PIDAYIT” – a synthesis of homespun art and modern styles. These were presented by Binibining Pilipinas 2017 beauty titlists including 1st runner up Ms. Charmaine Elima, pictured below with Novotel Manila General Manager, Mr. Bernd Schneider and Philip Torres.

Now it’s time to head to the carving station where the roasted pork belly was just waiting to be conquered. Chef Sau gives us not just one, but Three Kinds of Roasted Pork Belly infused with Bringhe, Mangoes, and Chocolate with Cheese.

Each of the pork belly dishes had their own amazing qualities. I liked the pork belly with bringhe, a native Kapampangan paella dish infused inside the pork belly. But what really stood out was the pork belly with chocolate because I had never seen pork belly prepared like this. It might not be for everyone, but it is definitely unique.

They also offered the big Salted Crusted White Salmon with calamansi and coconut cream at the carving station.

Finally, another masterpiece would be the Prime Rib Bistek seasoned with soy sauce, calamansi and pepper. This Filipino version of the steak comes with even more salty flavors that we love. You can have it cooked at the grilling station according to your preferred doneness.

Aside from the highlighted Filipino dishes, Food Exchange Manila's buffet also features live cooking stations like the Chinese section with its piping hot noodles and soups plus the Grill Station where you can have your fresh seafood and meat grilled. Drinks are also included in the buffet and you can choose from among the different iced tea variants at the Beverage Station.

What’s a Filipino fiesta without dessert? Aside from the roving Sorbetes ice cream vendor with his taho cart, there are several other local desserts at the Dessert Station like hot-off-the-grill Bibingka, Puto Bumbong, Polvoron, Halo Halo, kakanin and others.

Perhaps the best dessert item you can find would be the Leche Flan Turon with Langka. The sweet and crispy turon wrapper gives way to an absolutely fantastic leche flan filling that will make you want to go back for another. Unfortunately, this was the last piece because everybody was raving about this dessert, so you better get yours quickly.

Novotel Manila has more good news because for a limited time only, Food Exchange Manila buffet rates for the Kanyaman Filipino Food Festival is only at P1,200 nett on weekdays (Monday to Thursday lunch and dinner / Friday lunch) and P1,600 nett during weekends (Friday dinner / Saturday and Sunday) from its original prices of P1,488 and P1,888, respectively. How many more reasons do you need? Make sure to call for reservations because I’m sure everybody will be heading to Novotel Manila in the next two weeks. See you there!

Food Exchange Manila at Novotel Manila

General Aguinaldo Avenue, Araneta Center, Quezon City

990-7888

www.novotel.com

www.facebook.com/NovotelManilaAranetaCenter