Simply Awesome: The LUZVIMINDA Filipino Festival of Flavors at F1 Hotel Manila

The best of Philippine cuisine, from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, all in one place. For one whole month. Awesome.

F1 Hotel Manila launches an impressive all-Filipino buffet, the LUZVIMINDA Filipino Festival of Flavors, starting June 1 to June 30, showcasing a variety of regional flavors and a full range of dishes. Spearheaded by F1 Hotel Manila's very own Chef Sau del Rosario and assisted by Chef Willie Ertez, one can expect nothing but the very best of Philippine cuisine. With the festival's regional theme, F1 Hotel Manila tapped guest chefs from  different regions for authentic flavors, like Chef Martin Jickain from Station Juan Cafe' at the White House Boracay; young chefs Paul Sydney Uy and Karl Noel from Cebu, both successful restaurateurs specializing in Visayan cuisine; and veteran Chef Ed Tuazon and his team from Marco Polo Hotel Davao to complete the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao culinary feast. Each chef brings their distinct style and regional flavors in one truly epic celebration of Philippine cuisine. The cool month long festival allows diners and guests to rediscover the different regional flavors, without even leaving Manila.

Invited for a cool staycation at F1 Hotel Manila along with other bloggers, we got to sample the very best of Philippine cuisine during the June 1 launch. As we headed down the 3rd floor for the all Filipino buffet at F1 Hotel Manila's F All Day Dining, we were greeted by the hotel's courteous staff in traditional attire, a nice touch. And with game faces on, it was time to go local...big time.

Chef Sau del Rosario checking the Seafood Station. One of the country's best chefs, Chef Sau del Rosario is a rock star in the local culinary scene. Born in Pampanga, a known culinary region, Chef Sau del Rosario's experience include several stints abroad in prestigious hotels as well as heading the kitchens for some of Manila's best restaurants. And Chef Sau del Rosario's touch is evident in all the featured dishes at F1 Hotel Manila. Philippine cuisine has evolved, with history and foreign influences conspiring for a virtual melting pot of Spanish, Chinese, Malay, Japanese and American flavors, and Chef Sau del Rosario masterfully orchestrates these different flavors as well as the regional nuances in one grand fiesta of flavors.

An archipelago of more than 7,100 islands, the country is blessed with rich marine resources, and no Filipino buffet would be complete without some of the best and freshest seafood from the different regions of the Philippines, like plump and succulent mussels, with a subtle sweetness and a briny note nicely enhanced with a little native vinegar with chili.

Fresh and flavorful fish draped in a colorful rainbow of vegetables, egg and mayo, a traditional dish I fondly remember as a child, and comforting to see again. Freshness and quality of ingredients make this buffet special, and Chef Sau del Rosario and his team's attention to detail is once again evident in each dish.

Flavorful crabs cooked in crab fat, chili and garlic, another winner, and worth a second round...

A traditional Adobo with crisp, fried marinated pork, perfect with rice. With so many regional variations, I prefer this version, with the adobo flavors infused in the pork. More rice? Definitely.

A traditional Pochero with a twist, with premium Ribeye beef adding an extra punch. Slow cooked and stewed with vegetables and plantains, the rich and hearty dish traces it roots to Spanish cuisine. A virtual melting pot of diverse culinary influences, the classic dish blends all the flavors nicely, and F1 Hotel Manila version is pretty good, as I go for seconds...

This. Sisig with Foie Gras, elevating the everyday Kapampangan dish to a whole new level, topped with quail eggs and micro greens. Familiar yet refreshingly different, with Chef Sau del Rosario's distinct touch. This one's a real classic, and a definite must-try.

More bounty from the sea, with baked mussels topped with cheese and tomatoes...

Take your time at the fresh seafood station, you gotta have some sushi...

...and even more sushi.

Sashimi? F1 Hotel Manila's got you covered. Take your pick, with fresh salmon...

...and premium tuna. Sometimes the best way to enjoy the freshest fish is simply having it in its purest, simplest form.

And even more seafood, with fresh oysters from down south...

...and juicy plump shrimps. All fresh and of premium quality, the LUZVIMINDA Filipino Festival of Flavors has some of the best seafood offerings in the metro. First round with seafood done, moving on to the next round...

But before the next round, a quick break. Traditional artisanal cheese from Davao was also featured, with fresh goat cheese, chevre, edam, and blue peppato from Davao's Malagos Cheese, a local and regional brand that is gaining quite a reputation. Pair with some of F1 Hotel Manila's fresh baked bread and you're ready for the next round...

For the next round, go for the lechon. Not just any lechon, but Cebu Lechon, one of the best in the country.

Cebu Chef Karl Noel (R) prepares the lechon for serving the Cebuano way, starting with the crisp cracklings. Unbelievably crisp and flavorful, don't really need any sauce at all for this one. The participation of chefs from Cebu and Davao adds authenticity to the many southern dishes, offering real flavors from the region. And that's what sets the all-Filipino buffet at F1 Hotel Manila from other buffets, real chefs and real flavors.

From the northern region of Luzon, the iconic Bagnet, crisp pork belly. Pure pork bliss. Crisp on the outside, rich, tender and juicy inside. At this point, just go with the flow and go for seconds. F1 Hotel Manila has a 24-Hour Fitness Center, so you can conveniently work it off later. Good luck...

And there's more bagnet, ready for carving. An impressive buffet, from starters to mains. and desserts, each distinct and flavorful, from all the culinary regions. The cuisine from Luzon range from simple vegetable dishes  to heavier dishes with traces of Spanish influences, to various meats fresh off the grill. Dishes from the Visayas use a variety of fresh seafood, including Kinilaw, to the popular lechon and chicken Inasal. Mindanao cuisine relies on strong Asian spices, and exotic ingredients like the durian. In a virtual culinary journey, your taste buds travel to all 7,100 islands is a fiesta of flavors, a cool way to sample your very own culinary heritage.    

Janey of Between Bites and her fresh catch (check out her cool blog at http://www.janedchua.com/). And every other blogger pretty much had the same happy and contented smile during and after the epic lunch.

A wide selection of local desserts were also featured, from the iconic halo-halo to turon, sweet spring rolls with plantains...

...to the rich and indulgent Leche Flan...

...to the equally rich Brazo de Mercedes, a fluffy dessert made with eggs, a reflection of Spanish roots and influences.

And if you're looking for something different, why not try a dessert made from Mindanao's King of Fruits. Durian Panna Cotta? Why not. I'm not a fan of the fruit, but the rich and creamy dessert presents durian in a new and different light. And this is probably the only way I'll ever eat durian. Seriously good dessert. And this is just a small part of the buffet, there was just so much more. Days after the epic buffet, I am still in awe and amazed with the diversity and range of flavors, from sweet and savory, to sour and salty, and everything in between. The full range of Philippine cuisine in one leisurely lunch. Very cool.

I've always enjoyed foreign cuisine, but you always come home to dishes you grew up with, and nothing can be more comforting than rediscovering familiar flavors. An extensive range of local dishes, a variety of flavors from regional cuisines, all in one place. Congratulations to Chef Sau del Rosario and his team at F1 Hotel Manila, and to the guest chefs from Cebu and Davao, for an amazing celebration and journey to the flavorful diversity of Philippine cuisine.

And  if you plan to sample the best regional dishes, you just have a month to go, so better hurry. F1 Hotel Manila's LUZVIMINDA Filipino Festival of Flavors will run from June 1 to June 30 only. I'm definitely going back...

Check out some of F1 Hotel Manila's cool facilities and amenities here at my previous post,  http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-cool-staycation-at-f1-hotel-manila.html.

F1 Hotel Manila is located at 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City. For more information, call 928-9888 & 908-7888 or visit www.f1hotelmanila.com. 

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