The Freshest Catch at Marriott Cafe's Ocean's Harvest Buffet

The freshest catch of the day take the spotlight for the months of March and April at Marriott Cafe, so take a plunge and just dive right in, hook, line, and sinker...

Marriott Hotel Manila's Marriott Cafe presents a lavish seafood feast with its Ocean's Harvest, featuring the very best from the world's ocean, served fresh any way you want it. And just in time for Lent and meatless Fridays too...

Marriot Hotel Manila's hotel-wide seafood celebration includes not only the freshest catch from all over the world, but specially themed cocktails from the hotel's Greatroom, elegant concoctions aptly named Seas the Day, Rolling in the Deep, Mud Fish, and Bubble Fish, each one perfect for a a light tipple before a seafood feast.

At the Marriott Cafe, each station displays the ocean's fresh bounty, from plump prawns to alimasag (blue crabs), fresh oysters and more. Simply choose your seafood and have it prepared any way you want it, or ask for the recommendations of the chefs at the different stations.

Over at the Fresh Seafood Station, one can find heaps of Suahe (baby shrimps) and plump prawns on ice, ideal for frying, grilling, sauteeing, baking or in soups or stews. And there's more. Down the station, one will find even more fresh seafood...

...including Lapu-Lapu (fresh local grouper, L) and Apahap (local seabass, R), each neatly stacked on ice. The impressive spread of fresh fish are firm, an indication of its freshness. 

Rows of colorful Samaral (Parrot Fish, L) and bright and shiny Talakitok (Dusty Jack, R) are just some of the other fresh options at the station. As you go through the bountiful ocean harvest, the chefs describe each of the featured seafood in detail, as well as the suggested preparations.

Not to be missed is Marriott Cafe's wide selection of fresh and chilled Ceviche and Kinilaw, including the light yet flavorful Octopus Ceviche. The subtle briny sweetness of the fresh and tender octopus is complemented by the lightly sour and acidic notes of lemons with just a mild layer of heat from the chili. 

Other selections include the Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Poke (L), and the Mixed Seafood Ceviche (R), with squid, shrimps, fish, clams, and sweet corn, each delivering a burst of fresh and clean flavors. The seafood is tender yet firm, with a noticeably sweet note.

The classic and familiar Local Lapu-Lapu Ceviche or Kinilaw is also represented in the buffet selection, as well as the fresh and tart Mexican Marinated Shrimps (R), with fish and sweet corn to complete the global flavors. 

Above the spread of various ceviche preparations is another equally impressive selection of fresh shellfish, including clams and mussels on ice...

...and the unique Slipper Lobster, perfect when baked or simply grilled with butter. Lots of butter. Marriott Cafe simply pulls out all the stops for their impressive Ocean's Harvest market-style seafood buffet (for more on Marriott Cafe, check out my previous post here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2015/03/make-it-brunch-at-marriott-cafe.html).

Over at Marriott Cafe's Filipino Station, the chefs prepare a seafood version of a local classic, the iconic Sinigang, recreating familiar and comforting flavors with the richness of the freshest seafood. 

The sour and savory tamarind or miso-based soup with vegetables is given a fresh spin at Marriott Cafe with the flavorful hot pot preparation, simply add your choice of seafood. Like fresh prawns...

...premium tuna, or imported salmon. Or why not add all three for an indulgent bowl of steaming hot Sinigang? And this is what makes Marriott Cafe's Ocean's Harvest seafood buffet special, you can customize your very own seafood dish.  

The chefs from the different stations at Marriott Cafe then prepare and plate some of their signature dishes, like the fresh Octopus Ceviche garnished with micro greens and adorned with drops of thick, sweet and sour balsamic reduction. The thin slices of octopus release a distinct sweetness, contrasting with the minty notes and crisp texture of the fresh micro greens. At Marriott Cafe, you can enjoy an elegantly plated dish at their buffet, and the chefs on station would gladly accommodate your request for an Instagram-worthy dish. 

The Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Poke is given another elegant make-over by the creative station chefs, topped with a slice of fresh tomato and micro greens on olive oil with lemon. Each ingredient adds it own unique layer of flavors, with the briny sweetness of the fresh tuna marinated in lemons, the tart tomatoes and sharpness of the red onions, all blending in perfect balance.

Then, there's fresh oysters. Nothing completes a seafood buffet like fresh oysters. You can have it fresh with a squeeze of lemon, a sour and spicy vinegar dip, or a rich cocktail sauce. Or have it prepared in the classic Oysters Rockefeller style, baked and topped with cheese and spinach.

At the Japanese Station, one can indulge in a wide selection of sushi, maki, and seafood rolls, including the freshest sashimi. The bright colors are a visual cue to the freshness of the sashimi. Simply squeeze some lemon and a touch of wasabi...perfect. You can also create your own seafood teppanyaki, or choose some shrimps, fish fillets, osohos, or lobster fillet before dipping in plain batter, beer batter or fried tempura style.

The seafood feast continues with the arrival of Crispy Fried Chili and Garlic Prawns (L) and Singaporean-Style Crabs (R), as the pace picks up at Marriott Cafe's Ocean's Harvest seafood buffet. 

Grilled Slipper Lobster (L), with lots of butter, and Steamed Curacha (R) from down south, complete the next round of dishes. The variety of fresh seafood, and the infinite ways of preparation, truly makes Marriot Cafe's Ocean's Harvest market-style buffet one of the metro's best.

Seafood Sinigang with prawns, tuna and vegetables prepared ala minute is another must-try dish at Marriot Cafe's Ocean's Harvest buffet, with just the right level of lip-smacking sourness from the tamarind soup base. Complement your bowl with some tasty and traditional condiments of fish sauce, calamansi, soy sauce and fresh chili to complete the dish.  

Another round of dishes freshly prepared by the station chefs arrived, including the flavorful Salted Egg Crabs (L), with the delicate flavors of the crab punctuated by the bold and upfront notes of the salted egg. In between, go for a round of Greatroom's Ocean Mixes (R), special cocktails created for the Ocean's Harvest buffet.    

Traditional fish dishes like the Sweet and Sour Singaporean Sea Bass topped with scallions and fresh tomatoes...

...and Steamed Lapu-Lapu in light soy sauce and oil topped with herbs add a festive and celebratory vibe to Marriott Cafe's Ocean's Harvest seafood buffet. You also have the option to have your seafood grilled, like Salmon Steak, local Tanigue Steak, pompano, kitang and maya-maya, and the list goes on. Marriott Hotel Manila advocates an international sustainable seafood program called "Future Fish," the first, large global hotel chain to adopt such a policy. In line with this advocacy, a photo exhibit by noted environmentalist and underwater photographer Bo Mancao is displayed at the lobby where you can explore the rich diversity of local marine life up close.

The station chefs at Marriott Cafe were not quite done yet, serving up a plate of Gambas, plump shrimps sauteed in olive oil with garlic and chili...

...and Steamed Scallops in a mildly sweet soy sauce topped with fresh chili, pairing well with one of the special Ocean Mixes cocktails. The number of dishes are as varied and diverse as the fresh seafood displayed on the different stations. And there's just so many ways you can enjoy your seafood. At Marriott Cafe, the options are only limited by your appetite.

Marriott Hotel Manila's CRU Steakhouse joins in the hotel-wide Ocean's Harvest theme with its own signature seafood dishes. Executive Chef Meik Brammer and Chef Adrian Esteban share their elegant Tuna Tartar (P 560), sourced from the Norpac Fisheries Company, delicately plated topped with a poached quail egg (for more on Marriott Hotel Manila's elegant CRU Steakhouse and their signature steaks, check out my previous post here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-meat-of-matterat-cru-steakhouse.html).

The Grilled Tuna Steak (P 1,100) from CRU Steakhouse adds that exclamation point to Marriott Hotel Manila's Ocean's Harvest theme, topped with cherry tomatoes and micro greens. The hotel-wide theme can also be experienced with the Greatroom's Seafood Platter (P 670), with fresh oysters, tiger prawns, and crabs on a bed of ice that pair well with their marine-inspired cocktail concoctions, the Ocean Mixes (P 370 per glass). Or take home a refreshing Farmed Shrimp and Davao Pomelo Salad (P 300), with honey dijon dressing packed in a glass jar from the hotel's Java +, right in front of Marriott Cafe.

Feel like diving right in? Visit Marriott Cafe from Monday to Thursday for dinner and indulge in the sumptuous Ocean's Harvest seafood buffet for only P 1,950 per person. Or drop by for dinner on Friday and Saturday for a more elaborate seafood spread, including a fresh oyster bar on ice, for only P 2,400. The on-going Ocean's Harvest festival runs from March 6, to April 30, 2015, so better hurry and take a plunge or miss out on one of the metro's best seafood buffets.  

Marriott Cafe is located at Marriott Hotel Manila, No. 10 Newport Boulevard, Newport City Complex, Pasay City or call 988-9999 for inquiries and reservations.

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