‘Blue’ oasis by the bay
February 26, 2004 | 12:00am
In environmental conservation parlance, clearing away a forest is tantamount to a modern-day heinous crime that will threaten the very existence of mankind. But for a group of businessmen, slashing and razing another kind of "Forest" to the ground and building a new structure in its stead is a bold stroke of creativity and means being constantly on their feet. A most exemplary act, in fact.
This was what happened to the old Forest Grill along T.M. Kalaw Ave., just a stone’s throw away from the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park. In their desire to give clients a wider range of food choices and a refreshing ambiance, the owners decided to change "colors" – from forest green to the deep blue of the sea. Thus, Blue Bay Restaurant was born.
Unlike the dark, somber interiors of the former restaurant, Blue Bay boasts a light and airy atmosphere, the elements – water, air, wood and metal – all present in a playful interplay. The gurgling sound of a fountain at the entrance greets guests who are then led to a spacious dining area where the sea breeze is freely flowing (with the help of numerous electric fans, of course). Wood panels decorate the wall of the bar and potted palms dot the restaurant’s corners. And whether you’re directed to the wooden chairs and tables or the metal ones is of no consequence because you’re there to enjoy what the restaurant has to offer.
The idea, says Blue Bay food and beverage manager Carina Matias, is to make the diners feel that they’re on a tropical island with the cool colors, well-ventilated interiors and a view of the Manila Bay – well, don’t expect the bay to look blue anytime soon though. But never mind the Manila Bay for once you’re in the restaurant, you’ll be busy choosing from among the 55 or so items on the buffet table what you’ll want to fill your dinner plate with.
"We’re the only buffet restaurant among the establishments in this area. The others offer ala carte items," says Matias, adding that in a way, the restaurant captures a wider market since they offer a variety of cuisines from Filipino to Chinese, from Japanese to Spanish and Italian and more. With this kind of setup, hungry diners don’t have to restaurant hop just to get to that grilled tuna belly or that creamy carbonara, or even that crunchylicious lechon skin.
For only P320 per head, you can have your fill of Blue Bay’s festive fare. On a typical day, the salad and appetizer section would yield platefuls of seaweeds and century eggs, lettuce and other salad greens, vegetable finger foods, creamy manggang hilaw with bagoong, purple cabbage cole slaw, sashimi and maki, to name some. Common dim sum fare, such as chicken feet, fried and steamed siomai and spare ribs are also available. It’s easy to go into takaw-tingin mode once you go to the main course what with – take a deep breath now – shabu-shabu and two to three soup choices, stewed clams, baked mussels, grilled squid, adobong pusit, Bicol express, beef tapa, crispy crablets, paella, ginataang kuhol, chicken-pork adobo, bistek Tagalog, cabbage roll, pancit canton, sisig, kare-kare, garlic and plain rice and so much more. Pasta lovers have a whole section to themselves with choices of marinara, carbonara and other sauces. If you’re lucky, you could even sample some tawilis, a local fish similar to tuyo and which can only be found in Taal Lake. It’s seasonal, by the way, so when you see it on the buffet table, make sure you get it while you have the chance. Like moths, the lunch crowd when we dropped by was hypnotically drawn to the carving station where they had their fill of lechon and Peking duck. If you still have room, then move on to the dessert table where a selection of cakes and pastries, including local kakanin, abounds. You can make your own halo-halo if you want. Just remember to observe the no leftover rule, otherwise you’d have to pay double. Oh, by the way, don’t get misled by the restaurant’s name; they’re not serving any canned tuna of the same name.
The drinks – iced tea and lemonade – are bottomless, but other fresh fruit juices are available on the menu. They do have wines but, Matias says their clients are still not that keen on trying out Blue Bay’s selection of French and Australian reds and whites.
Children three feet and below can come in for free, while those up to age nine are charged P160. Adults and teeners pay full. A typical lunchtime crowd can number up to 120 guests and by dinnertime, this increases twofold. Blue Bay’s regular clients are usually employees from offices around the vicinity, while families troop to the restaurant on weekends. The hordes of diners could be overwhelming at times but the eight or so kitchen staff, who used to work in hotels and restaurants abroad, remain unfazed. Their greatest challenge? Matias says it’s how to come up with new dishes on short notice.
"People get tired of the same food. We have sukis who eat here almost every day and we don’t want them to see the same food day in, day out," says Carina. They plan to have cycles, which means the restaurant will offer different themes or festivals, such as a seafood or Spanish festival on certain days of the week. "But we will always have our mainstays consisting of Filipino, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine."
Not surprisingly, all-time favorites are Pinoy food, the pancit canton in particular. "They will ignore the pastas but the pancit canton has to be replenished four times in a day," she notes.
The restaurant also welcomes huge groups, such as tourists, and the restaurant may be reserved for conventions, parties, weddings and other occasions. The flexibility of the restaurant staff is such that they can even offer halal food upon request, which is what they’ll be doing sometime in March for a group of Moslem clients who made reservations for a function.
With such an extensive selection of food, a spacious area where you can breathe and chill out after a filling meal, plus an attentive staff, you won’t mind being stranded on this tropical island restaurant.
This was what happened to the old Forest Grill along T.M. Kalaw Ave., just a stone’s throw away from the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park. In their desire to give clients a wider range of food choices and a refreshing ambiance, the owners decided to change "colors" – from forest green to the deep blue of the sea. Thus, Blue Bay Restaurant was born.
Unlike the dark, somber interiors of the former restaurant, Blue Bay boasts a light and airy atmosphere, the elements – water, air, wood and metal – all present in a playful interplay. The gurgling sound of a fountain at the entrance greets guests who are then led to a spacious dining area where the sea breeze is freely flowing (with the help of numerous electric fans, of course). Wood panels decorate the wall of the bar and potted palms dot the restaurant’s corners. And whether you’re directed to the wooden chairs and tables or the metal ones is of no consequence because you’re there to enjoy what the restaurant has to offer.
The idea, says Blue Bay food and beverage manager Carina Matias, is to make the diners feel that they’re on a tropical island with the cool colors, well-ventilated interiors and a view of the Manila Bay – well, don’t expect the bay to look blue anytime soon though. But never mind the Manila Bay for once you’re in the restaurant, you’ll be busy choosing from among the 55 or so items on the buffet table what you’ll want to fill your dinner plate with.
"We’re the only buffet restaurant among the establishments in this area. The others offer ala carte items," says Matias, adding that in a way, the restaurant captures a wider market since they offer a variety of cuisines from Filipino to Chinese, from Japanese to Spanish and Italian and more. With this kind of setup, hungry diners don’t have to restaurant hop just to get to that grilled tuna belly or that creamy carbonara, or even that crunchylicious lechon skin.
For only P320 per head, you can have your fill of Blue Bay’s festive fare. On a typical day, the salad and appetizer section would yield platefuls of seaweeds and century eggs, lettuce and other salad greens, vegetable finger foods, creamy manggang hilaw with bagoong, purple cabbage cole slaw, sashimi and maki, to name some. Common dim sum fare, such as chicken feet, fried and steamed siomai and spare ribs are also available. It’s easy to go into takaw-tingin mode once you go to the main course what with – take a deep breath now – shabu-shabu and two to three soup choices, stewed clams, baked mussels, grilled squid, adobong pusit, Bicol express, beef tapa, crispy crablets, paella, ginataang kuhol, chicken-pork adobo, bistek Tagalog, cabbage roll, pancit canton, sisig, kare-kare, garlic and plain rice and so much more. Pasta lovers have a whole section to themselves with choices of marinara, carbonara and other sauces. If you’re lucky, you could even sample some tawilis, a local fish similar to tuyo and which can only be found in Taal Lake. It’s seasonal, by the way, so when you see it on the buffet table, make sure you get it while you have the chance. Like moths, the lunch crowd when we dropped by was hypnotically drawn to the carving station where they had their fill of lechon and Peking duck. If you still have room, then move on to the dessert table where a selection of cakes and pastries, including local kakanin, abounds. You can make your own halo-halo if you want. Just remember to observe the no leftover rule, otherwise you’d have to pay double. Oh, by the way, don’t get misled by the restaurant’s name; they’re not serving any canned tuna of the same name.
The drinks – iced tea and lemonade – are bottomless, but other fresh fruit juices are available on the menu. They do have wines but, Matias says their clients are still not that keen on trying out Blue Bay’s selection of French and Australian reds and whites.
Children three feet and below can come in for free, while those up to age nine are charged P160. Adults and teeners pay full. A typical lunchtime crowd can number up to 120 guests and by dinnertime, this increases twofold. Blue Bay’s regular clients are usually employees from offices around the vicinity, while families troop to the restaurant on weekends. The hordes of diners could be overwhelming at times but the eight or so kitchen staff, who used to work in hotels and restaurants abroad, remain unfazed. Their greatest challenge? Matias says it’s how to come up with new dishes on short notice.
"People get tired of the same food. We have sukis who eat here almost every day and we don’t want them to see the same food day in, day out," says Carina. They plan to have cycles, which means the restaurant will offer different themes or festivals, such as a seafood or Spanish festival on certain days of the week. "But we will always have our mainstays consisting of Filipino, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine."
Not surprisingly, all-time favorites are Pinoy food, the pancit canton in particular. "They will ignore the pastas but the pancit canton has to be replenished four times in a day," she notes.
The restaurant also welcomes huge groups, such as tourists, and the restaurant may be reserved for conventions, parties, weddings and other occasions. The flexibility of the restaurant staff is such that they can even offer halal food upon request, which is what they’ll be doing sometime in March for a group of Moslem clients who made reservations for a function.
With such an extensive selection of food, a spacious area where you can breathe and chill out after a filling meal, plus an attentive staff, you won’t mind being stranded on this tropical island restaurant.
* * * Blue Bay – Buffet by the Bay is located at South Rd. (T.M. Kalaw Ave.) corner Parade St., Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila. Call 525-0514, 0920-9093630 or telefax 400-7439 for inquiries and reservations.
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