#hyattdining

The Road to Gurgaon, India happens this week at The Cafe, Hyatt’s all-day dining restaurant located on the ground floor beside the lobby. If you love Indian food, then this is the best time to enjoy the expansive buffet at The Cafe because they have dedicated stations set up for the food festival catering to all you favorite Indian delicacies.

I have to admit that I am not that familiar with Indian cuisine and its complex tastes, but it does have that distinct flavor and aroma that truly separates it from other cuisines around the world. Expect to bask in the various spices and colors of India during the lunch and dinner services at The Cafe.

Chef Ajith Kumar (second from left) from Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, New Delhi joins the team at The Cafe, bringing with him his expertise in authentic Indian flavors. Also taking care of the guests were Joshua Hernandez (third from left) - Assistant Manager of Marketing Communcations and Francis David (right) - Director of Sales and Marketing for Hyatt City of Dreams Manila.

You can start your buffet with a variety of Indian breads including fried and roasted Papad, Naan and Bhatura freshly made from the ovens. Combine these with the sauces and dips at your disposal to begin your journey to India.

The salad station is also filled with Indian dishes like the colorful Fruit Chat, a spiced fruit salad that serves as a quick snack or appetizer, and the Aloo Chat which has potatoes laced with Chat Masala spice, onions and tomatoes.

The Dal Makhani is thick and rich soup dish popular in India made with whole black lentil and red kidney beans with butter and cream. This flavorful item can also be paired up with bread or rice and can be served as a main course itself.

Some other appetizers at the Indian Food Festival include fried items such as (from left to right) Vegetable Fritters, Vegetable Samosa, Aloo Tikka, and Dal Vada. These are delicacies I seldom encounter at other restaurants and you will really get to know a lot more about Indian cuisine here at The Cafe.

The Black Chick Pea and Aloo Curry is another popular home-style dish loved in India that is easy to prepare with just boiled potatoes and black chickpeas. The recipe actually originated in the Caribbeans but is now a staple in Indian homes and families.

Another curry-like dish is the Aloo Jeera which is a vegetarian Indian dish which goes well with Roti and other Indian breads. Its main ingredients are potatoes, cumin seeds and Indian spices and you can also pair this with rice if you prefer.

One of my favorite appetizers at the Indian Food Festival is the Paneer Makhani which has cottage cheese simmered in tomato sauce and green chilies. The rich flavors of the tomato-based sauce goes well with the light cottage cheese and you can enjoy it with few pieces of flatbread to complete the experience.

With so many exotic appetizers, let’s now go to the main dishes. The Indian Food Festival offers a couple of fried rice like the Chicken Biryani and the Vegetable Biryani. Both will go well with the selection of saucy viands and dishes that you can find at the buffet.

Instead of roasted duck, you can find the Chicken Tandori hanging at the Indian Station where Chef Amith Kumar will be busy cooking. Ask for a few pieces from the helpful servers. But if you are looking for the duck, don’t worry because you can still find succulent slices of roast duck near the grilling station.

One of the dishes I really liked that afternoon is the Mutton Gosht Rogan or Lamb Curry. This flavorful curry dish comes with tender cuts of lamb that is just so good to eat with hot steaming rice. Its powerful spices will fill up your taste buds as well as your tummy.

If you want something ligther, then go for the more familiar Chicken Curry which is a dish we are used to making in Filipino homes. What separates this authentic Indian version from the ones we have at home is the combination of various spices and tastes which makes it more complex.

But my favorite dish at the Indian Food Festival is definitely the Prawn Curry with Mango. This puts a unique twist on the prawn curry with its sweet mango ingredient. I wonder if I can duplicate this recipe at home, it won’t hurt to try.

The Chicken Tikka is also quite good, something different from the usual chicken inasal we are used to. The marinated boneless chicken are baked in a clay pot or tandoor using skewers and this is their own version of the chicken barbecue.

One other highlighted dish at the buffet is the Baked Trevally with Mustard Yoghurt. I’m not really that fond of mustard so this is one dish I may not have appreciated too much, but its unique recipe is one that everyone should try. But aside from the featured stations at the Indian Food Festival, all the other international stations will still be serving their own specialties. Get your sushi and sashimi at the Japanese station; dimsum and roastings at the Chinese Station; fresh oysters and prawns at the Seafood Staion; or pizza and pasta at the Italian Station.

But the most surprising item I saw was this humongous chunk of meat called "The Beast” at the Carving station, which I have heard so much about before. This massive 100-pound Mayura Wagyu Beef Leg is exclusively available only at The Cafe but it is not everyday that you will see it being offered. Sunday is probably my lucky day because I finally found it here for me to enjoy. I had my wagyu slices grilled medium and they were exquisitely delicious! I also found out that they will be featuring “The Beast” again on July 30 and 31 so that would also be a great time to visit.

Sunday is also family day so kids have their own play area at The Cafe while their parents indulge themselves at the buffet. Since the buffet lunch is open until 3:00pm on Sundays, there is plenty of time to eat and play for everyone.

The Indian Food Festival also crosses over to the Dessert Station as it offers a myriad of delightful and colorful treats. The Gulab Jamun, Barfi, Carrot Halwa, Rice Kheer and Baklava are all uncommon dessert items but they each have their own distinct flavors and textures to satisfy all diners.

I was more interested in the chocolate and truffles section which also had its own Indian theme going.

Aside from the chocolate fountain and a selection of cakes and pastries, they also had these Curry Truffles which really gives a powerful combination of sweet and spice. The Kulfi Truffles are more to my liking with its rich milk chocolate shell and a gooey Kulfi or Indian ice cream-flavored center.

The Indian Food Festival will have the same rates as the regular buffet prices at The Café which are P1,388 nett for lunch on Monday to Wednesday and P1,488 nett for lunch on Thursday to Saturday. Dinners are priced at P1,888 nett from Monday to Wednesday and P1,988 nett from Thursday to Saturday. Sundays have a buffet rate of P1,988 for both lunch and dinner. You only have until July 24 to catch this unique food festival so Book your Reservations now!

Taking charge of the kitchen during the Cantonese Food Festival were Cantonese chefs Xi Qing Hui and Zhao Pan Fei from Hyatt Regency Dongguan. Together with Hyatt City of Dreams Manila, they had come together to bring this culinary experience to guests through mild, fresh and natural flavors.

Both chefs were very busy at the Chinese station and you can easily see them doing their magic through the open kitchen and live cooking stations at the buffet.

I started at the Live Noodle Station where you can choose from several types of noodle dishes like Beef Brisket noodle soup. Authentic Cantonese cooking really tastes different from the usual dishes we have here so this is really a treat for my taste buds. You could also choose to create your own combination and add the ingredients that you prefer.

The Double Boiled Consomme Soup with American Ginseng and egg white looked a little too exotic for me so I was not able to try it, but connoisseurs of Cantonese cuisine would be delighted to see this unique soup here.

I prefer to have these dimsum appetizers for myself. You all know how much I love hakao so I immediately got a plateful of these lovely shrimp dumplings. They also had xiao long bao, pork and shrimp siomai, scallops dumplings and seafood rolls so you can get stuffed at this section alone.

I was really impressed with the Wok Fried Rice Noodles which had plenty of ingredients like beef, yellow chives, choy sun and onions. This dish is available at our local Chinese restaurants but this version was indeed more flavorful.

A Chinese meal would not be complete without fried rice so they also had the Wok Fried Rice with shrimp, carrots and egg. This is definitely an upgraded version of our more common fried rice.

Another wok-fried specialty was the Wok Fried Pork Neck with Chinese mustard, lily bulb and black fungus. This simple pork and vegetable dish was one of the surprising items at the Cantonese Food Festival because the basic flavors all go well together to make this a fantastic dish.

The Steamed Longgang Chicken with preserved sausage and dry enoki mushroom was another unique taste that I do not usually encounter. You might find this at high-end Chinese restaurants but the Cantonese Food Fesetival brings them all here together.

One of my favorite items was the Steamed Prawns with Vermicelli in premium soy sauce. I just love these huge prawns that are simply steamed but are always so delicious. No need for any fancy preparations as Cantonese cooking makes sure that the natural flavors are highlighted in each dish.

Hong Kong is famous for its best-tasting Roasted Ducks so you can also have all the roasted duck that you want here at The Cafe.

Other items include the crispy Roasted Pork, Barbecued Pork Asado and Soy Chicken. How can you not love these roasted delicacies?

You can also have your asado in the form of a Cuapao. These soft pillowy steamed buns are the Chinese version of sandwiches and they can put asado, pork or other items inside the buns.

But everyone's favorite at the Cantonese Food Festival seemed to be the Crispy Crab Claw. These battered crab claws are perfectly fried and results in a crunchy coat over the tender crab claws. It comes with an Asian cream sauce that is also a perfect accompaniment to this excellent seafood dish.

Another thing of beauty was the Snapper with XO Sauce. These tender fish fillets are cooked with XO Sauce which gives it a flavorful kick. They are not really spicy which was great for me and I was able to eat a lot of these. To cap off a spectacular Cantonese buffet, the Buchi is always one of the preferred dessert items at any Chinese lauriat.

The other international stations at The Cafe are still open during the food festival like the Japanese, Seafood, Pasta, Steak and Carving Stations plus the Dessert station so I also took the time to visit these. If you were not able to experience the Cantonese Food Festival this month, then you missed out on having authentic Cantonese cuisine prepared right here by Chinese chefs. But don’t worry, next month in July, Hyatt City of Dreams will be launching their next major foodie event, the Indian Food Festival from July 17 to 24. Let’s see what new discoveries I will find there.

The bustling 315-seater restaurant offers a range of seating options, from cozy circular booths to private and semi-private rooms to standalone tables in the heart of all the action. The Café is located on the ground floor near the Hyatt hotel lobby and the City of Dreams Manila casino area which makes is a very accessible spot for hotel guests and hungry diners.

I had my first experience of Hyatt City of Dreams Manila's excellent service and hospitality when they surprised me with this romantic setup including a beautiful bouquet of Ecuadorian roses during my anniversary staycation there last year. That was also the first time for me to dine at The Café during their Oktoberfest promotion where I also saw their wonderful German costumes.

Hyatt City of Dreams Manila always comes up with exciting offers and promotions and these two traditional Asian cuisines are next on the spotlight. The Hungry Kat was invited for a sneak preview of some of these culinary masterpieces which will have their own station highlighted at the buffet. From June 14 to 19, The Café bring flavors from the region of Guangdong, China where Cantonese cuisine has its roots. Hyatt City of Dreams Manila and Hyatt Regency Dongguan come together to bring this culinary experience to guests through mild, fresh and natural flavors with the help of visiting Cantonese chefs Xi Qing Hui and Zhao Pan Fei.

We stared with a familiar staple at all our Chinese restaurants here. The Fried Rice comes loaded with scallops, shrimp, carrots and asparagus which is always a great accompaniment at every Chinese feast. Filipinos eat everything with rice and this is obviously a big upgrade from just the standard plain rice.

When I visited Hong Kong last year, I just could not have enough of their authentic Cantonese roasted duck which you could get at any Hong Kong restaurant off the street. While we also have roasted duck here, the taste and quality is still different from the ones in Hong Kong.

Now I can savor again the taste of authentic Roasted Duck as the Cantonese Food Festival at The Café brings these Chinese delicacies here. The guest Cantonese chefs will definitely make you feel like you are in Hong Kong or China with their skillful creations in the kitchen.

The Crispy Pork Belly Macau Style is also featured which is crispier and juicier than the standard pork belly we usually encounter. I was also able to try this during my day trip in Macau and it is also another item I am looking forward to having again. Other roasted items include the Pork Asado which has that unique sweet soy flavor.

Another one of my favorites at the upcoming Cantonese food festival is the Stir-Fried Vermicelli with Prawns. These glass noodles soak up the flavors of the sauce and prawns which makes it so delightful to eat. The prawns themselves are very fresh and easy to peel off which makes eating them so much better.  

I love my lola’s sweet and sour lapu-lapu so I also really enjoyed the Deep-Fried Parrot Fish with Cantonese Chili Sauce. The fish is fried perfectly resulting in a crunchy exterior but with a soft and tender flesh. The chili sauce is not that spicy which is fortunate for me and it has just the right sweetness for this dish.

The Wok-Fried Prawns and Asparagus with Black Fungus in XO Sauce is another Cantonese dish that should get plenty of attention with its tasty XO sauce. Some of these Chinese dishes may be seen in the regular buffet but their quality will definitely be at a higher level once the Cantonese guest chefs prepare them for us.

The following month in July, Chef Ajith Kumar from Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, New Delhi joins the team at The Café, bearing spices and recipes for Indian favorites rich with aromas and complex tastes. From July 17 to 24, enjoy Indian gustatory discoveries as the Indian food festival brings us a unique taste of these not-so-familiar dishes like the Aloo Chat which has potatoes laced with Chat Masala spice, onions and tomatoes.

Other Indian appetizers include the Chana Chat which has chickpeas tossed in shallot tomatoes and green chilies. Another is the Kachumber Salad made with mixed vegetables diced and tossed in olive oil.

I don’t have that much experience with Indian cuisine but I surprisingly liked the Palak Shorba - a fresh green spinach broth made with Indian spices. The warm broth has a rich creamy taste similar to other soups but with that distinct Indian flavor.

Here’s another interesting item! The Paneer Makhani has cottage cheese simmered in tomato sauce and green chilies. Dip a few pieces of roti prata or pita bread into this dish and you have an excellent appetizer.

They also have the curiously-named Chicken 65 which is a traditional spicy, deep-fried chicken dish made with buttered chicken and garlic chili paste. Apparently, it got its name because it was introduced in 1965 by Buhari's hotel in India.

Diners will love the Macchi Amritsari which has succulent pieces of salmon coated in a lightly spiced Gram Flour Batter. These fish fillets are so crispy and are coated with several spices that will tickle your palate.

Other dishes include the Maes Ke Sooley or Smoked Lamb with raw papaya as well as the Kerala Prawn Masala or Tiger Prawns with coconut curry leaves, ginger and oil. All these dishes will be available to diners during the special food festival dates.

But don’t forget about all the other regular stations at The Café because you still have an endless choice of international favorites and cuisines right at your fingertips.

Japanese is my favorite cuisine so I asked for some sashimi from the Japanese station and this beautiful platter is what I got. This combination comes with salmon, tuna and lapu-lapu sashimi plus a few sushis and rolls.

Of course, I cannot go to a buffet without eating Tempura so this is also one of the items I must have. The freshly-cooked tempura is hot and crispy just the way I like it.

Carnivores will also have a great time at The Café because they feature many meaty offerings at the carving station like the juicy US Prime Rib steak which you can have cooked according to your preferred doneness.

Other items prepared hot off the grill include the Pork Belly and the Lamb Chops. They also have various yakitori and other hot dishes all waiting to be conquered.

Seafood lovers like me will always have a happy spot at The Café because of their Grilled Lobster and other fresh seafood like crabs, mussels and prawns that you can eat cold or grilled. I must have had a few plates of their lobsters and they were all so good.

They also have a wide Dessert Station with all sorts of cakes, pastries, sweets, chocolates, fruits, homemade cannoli, yogurt and ice cream. Everything you could possible want is here at The Café so no one is going home unsatisfied.

Beverages are not yet included in the buffet price but you can quench your thirst by getting these Infused Water with fruits which are part of the buffet. However, if you want to get a FREE glass of Iced Tea when you dine at The Café, simply state the Promo Code CIT1701-H then LIKE and FOLLOW all HYATT City of Dreams social media accounts and you get a complimentary glass of Iced Tea. Just show a proof of these upon dining. 

The Cantonese and Indian Food Festivals will have the same rates as the regular buffet prices at The Café which are P1,388 nett for lunch on Monday to Wednesday and P1,488 nett for lunch on Thursday to Saturday. Dinners are priced at P1,888 nett from Monday to Wednesday and P1,988 nett from Thursday to Saturday. Sundays will have a buffet rate of P1,988 for both lunch and dinner. This is definitely the best time to dine at The Café in Hyatt City of Dreams Manila so plan your visit and Book your Reservations now!

THE CAFE at HYATT CITY OF DREAMS MANILA

G/F HYATT City of Dreams Manila, Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Paranaque

691-1234 (Online Reservations: bit.ly/angkape)

Operating Hours: 6:00am to 11:00am daily (until 2:00am on weekends)

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