Frogs, exotic dishes in Manila Hotel's Pampanga Food Festival for National Heritage Month
MANILA, Philippines — In time for National Heritage Month this May, Café Ilang-Ilang, the Manila Hotel’s buffet restaurant, take diners to the "culinary capital of the Philippines" through its ongoing Pampanga Food Festival.
Until May 31, Café Ilang-Ilang showcases a selection of Kapampangan delicacies, decorated with a vibrant Filipino fiesta theme composed of bamboo and "banderitas."
Spearheaded by Executive Chef Konrad Walter, the culinary team showcases both traditional and exotic dishes from the culinary capital of the Philippines.
Diners can indulge in an array of well-known Kapampangan dishes encompassing traditional favorites like:
- Kalderetang Bibe,
- Ningnangang Hito at Dalag (grilled catfish and freshwater eel),
- Kapampangan Bringhe (Filipino style paella cooked in coconut milk),
- Tidtad Babi (Kapampangan version of Dinuguan) with puto,
- Suam Mais,
- Sipo Egg,
- Saleng Manuk,
- Lengua,
- and the classic Sisig.
Other must-try dishes from the spread include:
- Pako Salad (fern salad),
- Pizza with Sisig,
- Aligue Pasta (seafood pasta in crabfat sauce),
- sweets like Tibok Tibok (made from fresh carabao’s milk topped with latik),
- Kalame Duman (sticky rice cake),
- Sans Rival,
- Sasmuan Polvoron,
- Barquillas,
- Cashew Mazapan,
- Panecillos Cookies
- and Turrones de Casuy.
These dishes are part of the rotating selection at Café Ilang-Ilang’s lunch and dinner buffet. Alongside these offerings, diners can still enjoy the restaurant's popular favorites which include a variety of cuisines such as Japanese, Korean, and Italian, among others.
For inquiries and reservations, please call +632 85270011 or +632 53015500, or email restaurantrsvn@themanilahotel.com.
“This is The Manila Hotel’s way to enlighten our guests about diverse culinary tastes. Being the culinary capital of the Philippines, these Kapampangan dishes rightly take center stage at Café Ilang-Ilang,” stated EJ Yap, the hotel’s Assistant Director for Food and Beverage.
