#teamadobo

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.  “We chose to cook variants of adobo to show that the dish is neither just a recipe, nor a cooking style, but actually a menu of assorted tastes centered on sour and salty, and sometimes also sweet,” Reyes-Lumen asserts. “The name adobo may be borrowed, but the flavors, ingredients, and colors of adobo cover the foodscape of this country and is so much a part of our culture that we truly own it, she added.

The Adobo Queen and Team Adobo’s showcase will be featured in the buffet at Flavors Restaurant all throughout October. You can find these adobo dishes at the various stations starting with the appetizers.

Among the items you can find here are the Adobo Paté which you can slather on toasted bread. Have some pandesal stuffed with pork adobo fillings, or try the Tamales ala Adobo, a single serve corn and rice mash topped with Chicken Adobo flakes which are wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed.

They also have a bit of molecular gastronomy happening with these cherry tomatoes filled with adobo pearls. The “adobo sago” pops in your mouth when you bite them. I also liked these crispy Adobo sa Turon which is a savoury version of the turon we Filipinos all like.

Would you believe there’s even adobo at the sushi station? Take a peek inside and find the Adobo Maki with pulled pork on top of rolled Japanese rice.

The kids would definitely love to try the Adobo Pizza at the Kids Station. For pasta lovers, have the chefs prepare an Adobo Pasta for you upon request.

Now we’re ready to attack the main buffet station and explore the regions of the Philippines through their adobo dishes.

General Santos City is considered the tuna capital of the Philippines so the Adobong Tuna is a popular dish in Mindanao. These are cooked in a fragrant adobo sauce giving it a light salty flavor.

The Adobo Chicken Roulade with Sisig Stuffing features the delectable combination of chicken and pork in one dish. 

Another regional specialty is the Chicken Adobo Pianggan with Palapa Sauce. This has burnt coconut adobo sauce on tuba-marinated chicken which is a popular recipe in Mindanao.

There are a few more seafood dishes like the Sinaing na Bangus Adobo. This has tender milkfish fillet wrapped inside banana leaves then steamed. The Stuffed Squid with Spiced Adobo Garlic Sauce is also a good option.

Then there is the Adobo Paella with its seafood adobo rice garnished with green beans, lemon slices, chilis, and bell peppers.

Meat lovers like me will enjoy the Adobo Tadyang ng Baka, a Filipino version of beef ribs cooked adobo-style.

But the highlight of the Adobo Nation is definitely the Rodrigo’s Roast which you can find at the carving station. I first encountered this classic recipe a few years ago when chef Nancy Lumen guested in another hotel. This whole slab of adobo-cooked, then baked pork belly comes with a savory-sweet-umami crust.

The very flavorful Rodrigo’s Roast is one of the best roast pork dishes I have ever tasted, and it remains so. The crispy caramelized skin s a good contrast to the tender fatty pork itself. Chef Lumen just wants to remind everyone that the name of the dish has no relation whatsoever to the current President.

Even the desserts are infused or inspired by adobo! The Adobo Cheesecake is covered with bay leaves and comes with the flavors of adobo. It is truly one of a kind.

Don’t forget all the other non-adobo items around the restaurant. The dessert station has a lot of new colorful cakes and panna cottas to enjoy. However, I still keep going back to the Ube Cheesecake as well as the chocolate mousse and the classic Crepe Samurai.

Adobo Nation happens from October 1 to 31, 2019 at Flavors Restaurant in Holiday Inn & Suites Makati. Lunch and dinner buffet is only P1,825 nett per person which lets you travel across the different regions influenced by the adobo. So make your reservations now before it’s too late!

Adobo Nation at Flavors Restaurant

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

909-0888 loc 7429

www.holidayinn.com/makati