#thektg

We conducted an intense first round of voting among ourselves, and our resulting Finalist Lists have made us very pleased:  we feel it's a very diverse and fair representation of all our favorites from many diverse categories. Last year’s awards saw several new winners as many previous winners were already elevated to the Hall of Fame. So how will you let your voices be heard? Simply click on this link to cast your votes: https://awesm.pl/TheChoiceV

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1. For the Favorite New Restaurant category, our coverage period includes restaurants that opened between July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. 

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4. Strictly one completed survey will be counted for each person voting.

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Aside from being a great place for a nightcap, OZ Bar can also function as an events and party venue since it also has an indoor area where the buffet or cocktails can be set up just beside the bar.

I was so happy to see the girls of The KTG once again, the first time we all met this year. It had been quite a long Christmas break so it’s nice to be with my friends once again who have been like family over the past few years.

The bar was open the entire evening so we all got our favorite drinks and cocktails like the Singapore Sling (left) and the Tequila Sunrise (right). One of my favorites that night was the Amaretto Sour and I do remember ordering a number of glasses for myself. Other standout cocktails include the Piña Colada, Mojito, Old Fashioned, and a lot more.

Beers and Sparkling Wines were also laid out at the bar so we can just indulge in our favorite bubblies while catching up with our friends. Oz Bar comes with its own sound system so you can play music or set up a small stage for hosting programs and activities.

They also have a Happy Hour Gin Promotion which offers Buy 1 Take 1 deals on their gin cocktails from 5:00pm to 8:00pm daily for only P450 nett. Choose from their featured gins of the month like the Bombay Sapphire, Martin Millers, Four Pillars, and Hendricks Gin.

Those who want friendlier drinks can also choose from their wide selection of juices, teas, sodas, and fruit shakes like the Chocolate Banana Milkshake topeed with chocolate syrup and lots of whipped cream. 

Hosting our party was the lovely and always gracious Lady Bess Howe, Director of Public Relations at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati. Ms. Bess is one of my favorite PR persons and I am grateful to count her as one of my personal friends, so this was truly a special night.

Our buffet dinner was set up with a selection of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts courtesy of Holiday Inn & Suites culinary team.

We started with some canapes like the Smoked Farmer’s Ham and pickled pomery mustard on bread. I particularly liked the Smoked Salmon on Rye Bread which came with fresh and sweet slices of salmon.

Bar chows and some finger food were also on the table including the Quiche Lorraine, Spice Chili con Carne Empanaditas, and the Breaded Chicken Wings with Honey Wasabi Mayo. The chicken lollipops were a nice addition to the lineup since I usually only see this at children’s parties.

The Baked Creamy Chicken and Spinach Cannelloni with Parmesan Cheese was a creamy and cheesy pasta dish to go along with the Seafood Paella as part of the main dishes. The paella was filled with delectable seafood.

The highlight of the buffet table was definitely the Cooked U.S. Beef Chuck Roll marinated with herb and mustard gravy sauce. These were sliced and served to the guests at the carving station and I just had to go back for seconds, and thirds.

There were more items waiting for us outside as the grill was fired up for the Tuna and Vegetable Kebabs marinated in lemon garlic herbs olive oil. These delicious skewers were also joined by the juicy Hawaiian Pork Baby Ribs marinated in barbecue pineapple sauce and a couple of Assorted German Sausages as well.

We still had room for desserts so Holiday Inn & Suites specially made this giant Cake Pop Tree filled with gold and silver cake pops for The KTG. We really love the personalized effort the hotel gives every time we visit and that is what guests of the hotel can also expect when they stay here. 

The dessert section was filled with delightful treats from their pastry chefs like the signature Ube Cheesecake which I always enjoy from Flavors Restaurant. The Crepe Samurai is another familiar dessert item here, and they also introduced their new Mini Crockies.

To complete our evening, a raffle contest was also held offering great prizes for lucky guests which included food items, buffet certificates at Flavors Restaurant, and an overnight stay for two at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati! Richie Zamora from The Pickiest Eater in the World, who was celebrating his birthday that week, ended up with the grand staycation prize!

Congratulations to the raffle winners and thank you so much to Ms. Bess Howe and Holiday Inn & Suites Makati for hosting our KTG New Year’s Party (photos from Jane Chua). There were a lot of other KTG members missing that night, but I really enjoyed the great company and the fabulous party venue, especially with all the cocktails we ended up drinking. Cheers and Happy New Year!

OZ Bar at Holiday Inn Makati

24/F Roof Deck, Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati

909-0888 ext 72001

www.holidayinn.com/makati

The Premier Lounge also offers snacks and beverages throughout the day. It serves as an extension of the hotel rooms and guests can stay here and enjoy reading newspapers and magazines or even entertain other guests.

My room at F1 Hotel Manila is the elegant and spacious Fort Suite. This fabulous corner suite has 43 square meters of comfort and comes with high-speed internet, an ipod dock, electronic safe, mini-bar, plus coffee and tea-making facilities. It has a separate living room area complete with a sofa bed and its own 32-inch LCD television. 

I am always delighted with the admirable Filipino hospitality and service guests receive at F1 Hotel Manila. This cheese platter was already waiting for me when I arrived and these are the small things that truly make a stay extra special. Room service is also available 24 hours a day so anyone can place an order in the comforts of their room.

My king-sized bed inside the Fort Suite is just so comfortable. The plush mattress and soft pillows makes it so easy to fall asleep whatever time of the day. The bedroom also has another flat screen TV so this is perfect for families whose kids want to watch their own programs. No need to fight over the remote control!

I wanted to just stay inside my room and take a nap, but it was time for our buffet lunch at F All Day Dining, the hotel’s restaurant on the third floor. The spacious cafe offers international cuisine for its lunch and dinner buffets at only P1,399 nett per person.

I also wanted to meet F1 Hotel Manila’s new executive chef Angelo Chubby Timban who was busy preparing the lovely buffet spread at F All Day Dining. Chef Angleo is an award-winning chef who used to work at other five-star establishments such as Resorts World Manila, Shangri-La Boracay, and Discovery Suites. He takes over from Chef Decker Gokioco and is now in charge of all the hotel’s kitchen operations including the buffet plus banquet and social events such as our New Year’s Party this evening.

Lunch at F1 Hotel Manila is always special and diners can start with some appetizers from the cheese board. Other choices include salads, breads, cured meats, soups, noodles, sushi and sashimi.

Now this is my kind of appetizer, the crunchy Prawn Tempura. I always looks for these first whenever I am at a buffet and F All Day Dining never disappoints with their huge bowl full of tempura.

The cold seafood section is also a great place to grab some mussels and fresh prawns. You can eat these as they are, but it is much better to have them grilled or cooked in garlic butter at the grilling station.

The highlight of our buffet lunch that afternoon was the Lechon Cebu, a savoury slab of roasted pork belly that comes with very crispy skin. I got a plateful of lechon and poured some liver sauce for a really delectable treat.

There were many other dishes featured on the buffet table including the Beef Tenderloin in Red Wine Sauce and the tasty Pork Pastrami. Other interesting items included the Beef Ribs Adobo and the Gochujang Chicken with red chili paste.

Desserts are also plenty at F1 Hotel Manila with a selection of cakes, parfaits, cookies, breads, fruits, halo halo, and even all the ice cream that you want. I was really so full from my lunch buffet at F All Day Dining so I had a short walk around the hotel afterwards to visit some of its facilities.

F1 Hotel has three separate swimming pools located on the fifth level including a family pool, a kiddie pool, and a lap pool. It is open daily from 7:00am to 11:00pm. A fully-equipped Fitness Center is also just nearby which is open 24/7 for those early morning or late night workouts.

Beside the pool is the Canary Lounge where drinks and snacks are served all day. Set with a magnificent view of the bustling cityscape below, the Canary Lounge is also a great place for evening cocktails especially with the cool city breeze. F1 Hotel is also close to many popular retail establishments such as S&R Membership and Bonifacio High Street so everything is just a few minutes away.

Our dinner party that evening was held at the Infinity Ballroom which is a great venue for birthday parties, debuts or corporate events. The ballroom can accommodate around 200 guests and with our growing family and friends, the KTG had plenty of room to dine and mingle. The KTG’s founder, media personality and blogging pioneer Spanky Enriquez, hosted the affair which even included raffles and special gifts for the guests.

Of course, everybody was waiting for the buffet tables to open and we all started lining up for The Plaza Premium Baked Ham from The Plaza Catering. This is one of the best hams you can find in Metro Manila and it goes really well inside warm pandesal. 

Also on deck were excellent cuts of cheese from La Petite Fromagerie. I especially like their Truffle Cream Cheese Spread which is unlike any other spread you can put on your bread.

But the star of the evening was definitely the Raclette which was melted into a gooey and cheesy delight. You can have the cheese with bread, nuts or fruits, but you can also be creative and combine it with the ham pandesal. Thank you Ms. Karla Reyes for bringing these lovely treats to the party.

F1 Hotel Manila also presented their own culinary creations for the guests like the Tinapa and Aligue Pasta with its distinct Filipino taste.

Everyone was also impressed with the Stuffed Beef Belly with Black Forest Sauce from Chef Chubby. This roasted beef is stuffed with even more beef and then served with a chocolate sauce that is truly amazing. With these kinds of mouthwatering dishes, I’m sure F1 Hotel Manila is in good hands.

Most of The KTG members are now so busy that this is the only time everyone is present in one event. It’s nice to get together and see all the KTG babies growing up so fast. All the guests were happy with their glasses of yummy milk tea and beverages courtesy of Serenitea. I tried the Wintermelon Milk Tea and the Milo Dino drinks which were both really good.

There was also free-flowing cocktails and other alcoholic beverages care of Swizzle Mobile Bar. I like their Frozen Mojito which you can also book for your parties and celebrations. It was a fun and filling night which even ended with a one-hour spa treatment inside my room. How can you beat that?

The next morning, I woke up to a buffet breakfast at F All Day Dining which is served from 6:00am to 10:00am. You can find the usual breakfast staples here such as bacon, sausages, cereals, eggs, and noodles. Pancakes, waffles, ensaymada and French toasts are also available with fresh juices to start the morning right. 

F1 Hotel Manila is truly the Home of The KTG and every visit here reminds me of how important it is to spend time with family and friends. We each have our own busy schedules but it is always a pleasure to see everyone during these special holidays and events. Thank you so much F1 Hotel Manila for always taking care of The KTG and I’m sure I will be back again really soon.

F1 Hotel Manila

32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

928-9888 / 908-7888

www.f1hotelmanila.com

www.facebook.com/f1hotelmanila

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