#denlim

Flavors Restaurant is the all-day dining cafe of Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, the first purpose-built Holiday Inn property in the Philippines which opened in 2013. The vibrant, all-day dining restaurant is run by all-Filipino talent, the only international chain with a Filipino executive chef, and Chef Den Lim truly fits the cafe’s casual and friendly personality.

Flavors is located on the hotel’s Lobby floor and it is a bright and spacious gallery with elegant but casual interiors that are suited for quick business lunches or cozy family dinners. The restaurant takes pride in having one of the best buffet selections in Makati City, bringing the best of Filipino, South East Asian, and Western dishes to the table.

The Hungry Kat was invited to be one of the first to enjoy this foodie partnership during its opening day last October 10 and this is definitely better than waiting for over a year and going all the way to Pampanga. Chef Dennis Lim, who did not get formal training and learned everything on his own, was all smiles as he also enjoyed working with the other chefs of Holiday Inn Makati. 

It’s time to attack the buffet tables so let’s start with some of Chef Den Lim’s special dishes.

The Kilayin Capampangan is Pampanga’s meaty version of the kilawin with diced pork, liver and heart marinated and cooked in vinegar and spices. It is quite different from the usual kilawin and is more similar to the bopis, but with more flavors and spices. This is usually sold on the streets of Pampanga, but you can find it just here in Makati at Flavors Restaurant. 

One looks at the Caveman Beef Shank and you know you are in for a carnivorous affair. This tender, smoked beef shank is braised for 5-6 hours and smothered with mushroom gravy plus some corn on the cob on the side. 

The Roasted Chicken is a more familiar and simple dish, but it also packs a lot of flavors especially with its golden brown skin glazed with a soya-based marinade.

My eyes were on the the luxuriously creamy and savory Crab Marlen, a crab dish sautéed with basil and 30 salted egg yolks! If the crab roe wasn’t indulgent enough, then I’m sure the salted egg yolk will be. Chef Den Lim names some of his dishes using relatives and loved ones, and he said that Marlen is a favorite ninang who believes in his cooking. She is obviously correct.

These cute crab crackers were also present on the buffet table to make it easier for the guests. Those crabs are huge and they really put up a good and delicious fight.

Chef Den Lim also brought out his Old Fashioned Beef Mechado with its very tender cuts of beef simmered in a lovely tomato-based stew. This classic dish simply reminds me of home and that is also what Holiday Inn wants their guests to feel.

The pasta station also included one of Den Lim’s specialties, the Pasta Corrito which was named after his wife. This is a rich seafood pasta with shrimp, mussels and squid cooked with seafood brine, lemon, capers, and extra virgin olive oil. 

But of course, the star of the show is none other than the Pugon Liempo Wrap which you can find on the carving station. This is Chef Den Lim’s signature dish that has his Pampanga kitchen booked solid for months, and we were so lucky to have it all for ourselves. 

The succulent roasted pork belly is cooked inside a pugon, or wood-fire brick oven which gives its skin such crispiness. I was so amazed with how juicy the meat was and how the skin simply cracks with every yummy bite. It’s like having the best parts of a lechon without having to bother with the bones.  

The liempo is really good enough to eat on its own, but Chef Den Lim gives it a special touch with his housemade pork Buro. This is a popular dipping sauce of locals from Pampanga made from fermented pork and seafood. It balances the indulgent flavors from the liempo and give a different taste combination.

To complete this unique dining experience, wrap the pugon liempo inside some lettuce with buro, tomatoes and arugula. Since I’m eating the lechon with vegetables, it makes this a “healthy” dish, right? That means I can go back for more!

Chef Den Lim also introduced to us his Tamarind mocktail beverage which was a refreshing local drink. Holiday Inn Makati will soon be including this as a cocktail on their bar menu, so I will surely watch out for that.

While Chef Den Lim takes over Flavors Restaurant this week, the other international buffet station will still continue to offer their specialties as well. Diners can get sushi at the Japanese Station or the Spicy Chcken Curry Massala at the Indian station. Noodles and grilled barbecues are also available. Kids don’t have to worry because their favorites will still be there at the Kids Station.

The desserts at Flavors Restaurant are one of my favorites in the city, with its colorful cakes, pastries, and halo halo station.

The heavenly Ube Cheesecake is always a popular item, as well as the Classic  Crepe Samurai from the former Café Jeepney of InterContinental Hotel Manila. 

Congratulations to Chef Dennis Lim and Holiday Inn Makati for such a wonderful collaboration that proudly introduces the bold and rich flavors of Den Lim’s Kitchen to a new audience in Manila. I’m so happy to have discovered these delicacies and I now count myself as one of his new fans. Lunch and dinner buffet at Flavors Restaurant are priced at P1,818 nett per person and that is a great deal for this fantastic and elusive dining experience.

Den Lim’s Kitchen at Flavors Restaurant

Lobby Floor, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati

909-0888 loc 7429

www.holidayinn.com/makati

www.facebook.com/HolidayInnMakati