The Hungry Kat was invited last April 29, 2022 to the media launch of the Nose To Tail buffet at Marriott Manila’s all day dining restaurant Marriott Café. This has been one of our favorite restaurants ever since it opened, so I’m happy to see it back to its regular buffet lineup after it scaled down some of its menu and buffet stations during the pandemic.

The Nose To Tail buffet spread includes dishes from the different cuts of the hog such as pork hock, face, ribs, and more. The carving station is the centerpiece of the buffet displaying two huge whole roasted pigs with many other meaty choices on hand.

The event was opened by Marriott Manila Hotel Executive Chef Meik Brammer, who is also chair of sustainable culinary committee of I Love Earth—a concerted initiative of all hotels and operating units within Resorts World Manila toward sustainable operations. More than innovation, this feature is Manila Marriott’s tribute to product sustainability.

The aim was to show guests something new by making interesting dishes out of the lesser known cuts while helping minimize waste of meat products. So instead of just the sumptuous Lechon meat and crispy lechon skin being the highlights, other parts are also offered such as chicharon bulaklak (intestines), isaw (intestines), tenga (ear), and chicharon (skin) which uses the innards and extremities of the pig. These are familiar street food items for most Filipinos, but are not usually offered like this at hotel restaurants.

There are also other less familar dishes presented like the German Roasted Hock, a different spin on the pork knuckles or crispy pata we usually have.

You can also find the Pork Belly Cracklings and Pork Ribs at the carving station where you can grab and enjoy all these meaty items as much as you want.

The Nose To Tail buffet makes use of every part of the hog, including the tail which is used for the Crispy Pork Tail Croquettes. There’s also the Chicharon Rice which makes use of the pig’s head, belly, and skin.

Don’t worry because you will still find the more familiar cuts of meat, like the Australian Beef Rump. Ask the server to sear a few slices according to your preferred doneness. You also have a choice of garlic gravy sauce, chimichurri sauce, and peppercorn sauce.

Apart from the meat-overload spread, the Nose To Tail dinner buffet also includes all the other existing buffet stations at Marriott Café that also promote sustainable practices. You can go to the salad station which has fresh and natural selections. It also has its own Nose To Tail dish, the Dinakdakan which uses boiled and grilled pig’s head parts as an appetizer.

Marriott Café also has plenty of options for seafood lovers with its Sustainable Seafood Catch station. Here you can feast on fresh seafood such as prawns, mussels, clams, and French oysters. You can enjoy these items cold or have them cooked to your liking.

The Japanese Station has all of our favorites including tuna and salmon sushi and sashimi, California maki, crunchy tempura, and more.

Right beside it is the Teppanyaki Station where the chefs can prepare your plate of Yakiudon, beef teppan, tuna teppan, pork teppan, or chicken teriyaki right on the spot.

There’s also a grilling station which has pork intentines, pork ears, and any other item you want to have grilled like prawns, fish, and oysters.

This area is where you can find other Filipino food specialties as well as the Chef’s Paulto and Catch of the Day sections.

The Pork Sinigang and Pork Nilaga uses delicious cuts of pork belly to go with the steaming broth. You can even use the interactive Organic Rock Salt station and scrape off your serving of rock salt to season your dishes. This is the only restaurant I know which features this unique process.

There are several other Filipino dishes on the table using all parts of the hog such as Pata Tim (pork hock), Bopis (pig’s lungs), and Dinuguan (pig’s blood).

One of my favorite stations at Marriott Café is the Paluto section where I usually order their mud crabs and have them cooked as Singaporean Chili Crabs. There’s also the Lapu-Lapu as the catch of the day which you can also have prepared in Chili Garlic, Sweet and Sour, or Steamed.

The Barbecued Pork and Soy Chicken are on display over at the Chinese Station. Here you can also get various dimsum and noodles.

The Nose To Tail buffet price also comes with unlimited juices as well as one bottle of Crazy Carabao Craft Beer. You can choose a bottle of Pilsner, Pale Ale, or Golden Ale to go with your lechon and seafood.

End your exciting Nose To Tail adventure with colorful desserts including brownies, cakes, pastries, candies, crepes, halo halo, and all the gelato flavors you can imagine. Club Marriott, Marriott Bonvoy, and Resorts World Members also get special discounts when they avail of the Nose to Tail buffet. Book your tables now at their website or call them up to make a reservation. Happy Weekend!

Marriott Cafe Nose To Tail Buffet

Ground Floor, Marriott Hotel Manila, Newport City, Pasay City

8988-9999 / (0917) 5849560

www.marriottcafemanila.com