HOTEL HOTSPOTS: RESTO-GO-ROUND AT INTERCONTINENTAL MANILA!

              Dining at a hotel has an air of exclusivity. If you tell someone you're going to have dinner at a hotel, and more often than not, their response will be "Sosyal!". And of course, it's totally warranted. Even the thought of a few hours of parking at a hotel would make one consider a trip to the ATM before pulling your car out. 

          But what if I told you that you could enjoy a sumptuous feast at not one, not two, but THREE first class restaurants in a luxurious hotel, without having to stop by the blood bank to earn some extra cash? 

           Have you heard of Intercontinental Manila's Resto-Go-Round?

                The Resto-Go-Round is the lastest Promo from Intercontinental Manila, which gives you the opportunity to enjoy three of their restaurants for the very reasonable price of P1,800 per person. I know the price sounds a little daunting, but just wait till you hear what they have in store for you. 

         

GAMBRINUS

             You begin your night at Gambrinus, Intercon's Bar and Lounge. The relaxed atmosphere is the perfect place to get together with some friends and throw back some drinks before a night out. Please take note that your ticket is for food only.. Drinks are not included, but you can order at your own expense. 

              If other hotel restaurants give you a basket of rolls, gives you a mini bakery display. The placed an assortment of breads in front of me, not to mention a whole bunch of European butter to go with it. I didn't get the exact names of the breads, but the ones that stood out for me was the one that seemed to be a sourdough ciabatta, and the one that looked like a pretzel. 

APPETIZERS

             As I mentioned, drinks are not included in your ticket. But what it does give you is an appetizer sampler from Gambrinus.

             At first glance, the platter looks like it consists of a salad, sushi and a mini opened faced sandwich. But of course, it's a bit more elegant than that. 

            If I told you that the Cesar Salad with Cajun Grilled Chicken was really good, could I still be the Pickiest Eater in The World? Because truthfully, It was quite excellent.. And this is ME, saying this about a SALAD. The lettuce was coated with tasty salad dressing, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese, whilst the chicken on the bottom was cooked to an immaculate white, and the cajun seasoning adding a nice touch of flavor. 

             The "Sashimi" turned out to be Smoked Salmon on Cucumber and Horse Radish Yogurt. I honestly wasn't a huge fan, which worked out well for Rina because she loved it. There was honestly nothing wrong with the flavor, but the Picky Eater in me kicked in. I'm a bit squeamish about eating things with a slimy texture, as Smoked Salmon tends to have (Kinda why I don't eat Sashimi either).

        Considering it was a meatless sandwich, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the Marinated Grilled Vegetable & Hummus Bruschetta. Though my disdain for vegetables has been chronicled throughout this blog, I must admit, I am highly tolerant of eggplant and Zucchini, which was good because that was the main attraction of this dish. It was seasoned perfectly, giving it a nice burst of flavor with every bite. 

       The appetizer Platter was nice and light, successfully whetting your appetite for what was to come.. 

PRINCE ALBERT

          When you're done at Gambrinus, your group will move to your next destination. Hotel Intercontinental's legendary Prince Albert Rotisserie. 

      Ever since my early teen years, and my sister told me about her amazing experience at Prince Albert, I've dreamed of being able to sample their steaks. Since I was a student living on an allowance then, hearing how much their steak was made me feel like this would be a dream. 

     Nearly 20 years later, that dream was about to come true.

               Compared to other Hotel restaurants Prince Albert had more of a homey feel. While other hotels treat their guests like VIPs, here at Prince Albert, we were treated like family. Every guest (not just us), was treated to a warm, sincere welcome that made me feel right at home. Which is weird because in my mind, the thought of dining at Prince Albert was always so intimidating. 

MAIN COURSE

      When they rolled out this glorious slab of Roasted Aberdeen Angus Prime Rib across the restaurant and to our table, my world just stopped. 

             This is the kind of dish that could end a war. I'm certain that if we sent a couple of these bad boys over to China in exchange for the Spratly's, the Chinese Navy will be pulling out within minutes. 

           The slab of Angus was truly a magnificent sight to behold. The mere sight of the gorgeous lining of fat around the meat was absolutely mouth watering. 

               And watching them carve the meat off with such little resistance made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The meat is roasted to a stunning Medium temperature, so if you're like me that likes his meat a little less pink (That didn't sound weird at all), then they would gladly sear it a little more for you.

             Personally, I don't like mushroom gravy with my steak. What I DO like, though, is au jus. The drippings of the beef, transformed into a flavorful sauce that accentuates the natural flavor of the beef. 

           Prince Albert's Prime Rib easily ranks among the best steak dishes I've ever tasted in my entire life. Have you ever had a steak virtually melt in your mouth? I didn't think that was even possible. I pointed out to Rina that we weren't even using steak knives to cut our meat, yet it cut away so easily. 

                   Apart from your steak, your Resto-Go-Round ticket gives you two sides: a delicious baked potato topped off with bacon and sour cream, and a stunning piece of Yorkshire Pudding.

                The Yorkshire Pudding was done to perfection. It was light and puffy, with a hallow center, making it perfect for sopping up the au jus sauce, and the meat. Seriously though, even if I didn't have any more Yorkshire pudding, I'd be more than happy to lick off the au jus from my plate with my tongue (Rina wouldn't let me though.. Kill Joy). 

             The actual plate has a side of steamed vegetables in it.. But of course I asked them not to add it to my plate anymore (I was saving the space on my plate). You are given a 200 gram slice of US Aberdeen Prime Rib, with an amount of fat so generous, it was almost philanthropic. What I loved most about it, was how the edge of the fat had a nice, lightly salty, crispiness to it. 

                    As much as I was so eager to tear into my steak, I couldn't help but take a minute to lovingly gaze at my plate. I'm not ashamed to admit that I totally decimated this piece of beef like I was the Death Star and my Prime Rib was Alderaan. Not to mention, when I was done with mine, I moved on to what was left of Rina's. 

                    You are also given a selection of mustards to go with your steak. Truthfully, I preferred it on its own.  

                 We were taken good care of by the legendary Mr. Francis Felipe of Prince Albert's Rotisserie. 

CAFE JEEPNEY

             I knew I had eaten too much steak when I accidentally moo'ed whilst I was yawning. But nonetheless, I soldiered on, as our group proceeded to our final destination of the evening.. Cafe Jeepney's Dessert Buffet. 

DESSERT

            The buffet featured delightful creations by Intercontinental Manila's Head Pastry Chef, Darmo Guevarra, as well as Classic Pinoy favorites.  

Halo Halo Station

           Among the dessert items I tried, the stand out dishes were the bread pudding, which was had a nice blend of creaminess and sweetness brought on by the thin sweet syrup. 

            Coming from someone that doesn't drink liquor, I was really impressed with the Tiramisu. It was extremely flavorful, and was presented in an adorable flip top jar.

          But as a friend, I'm telling you this right now. You can NOT leave Cafe Jeepney without trying the Crepe Samurai. The lightly browned crepe, filled with juicy bits of sweet mango and cream, with just the right amount of sweetness to it. This is rightfully the signature dessert of Cafe Jeepney. 

            In all my years as a blogger, I can safely say that this was one of the best meals I've ever had in my entire life. From the fun atmosphere of Gambrinus, to the elegant, yet homey feel of Prince Albert, and finally the relaxed ambiance of Cafe Jeepney, every restaurant I visited that night offered a brand new experience. 

        Much thanks to lovely ladies Nikki, Joy, and Janine for their wonderful hospitality!

              If you were wondering about the price, the P1,800 is actually P2,210.40 when you add tax. Sure, it sounds like a lot, but you must remember this.. The Prime Rib alone is probably worth around that much. When you total the value of everything you get, its actually P3,358.58 worth of food. In case you're not a math genius like me, that's a savings of 34%! The promo began last April 15 and is available every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until June 15. You may Call 793 7000 for ticket reservations and inquiries.

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