Come Full Circle: The Seafood Market at Circles Event Cafe

It's the start of the weekend, time to indulge in the freshest catch of the day...

Makati Shangri-La, Manila invites diners to its brand new themed dinner buffet, dubbed Come Full Circle: Seven Nights, One Craving at a Time for a unique 360 dining experience at Circles Event Cafe. Each day of the week features a culinary theme and highlight, allowing you to enjoy a wide variety of flavors and dishes, and come full circle.

"With the different dining selections each night, we hope to delight our guests further by giving them six more reasons to choose Circles Event Cafe in stimulating their palate for an excellent dinner," said Alain Borgers, Makati Shangri-La, Manila's General Manager. At 6pm, the staff and station chefs prepare for the evening's dinner service.

Circles Event Cafe features daily themed dinner buffets kicking off the week with the Wholesome Market on Mondays featuring healthy options and cooking methods such as broiling and grilling (try the US Prime Rib with fresh arugula pesto), the Butcher's Market on Tuesdays with premium meats at the Grill Station, the Spice Market with traditional eastern flavors on Wednesdays offering Indian, Oriental, Malay, and Arabic cuisine with its distinct spices (try the Tangdi Kebab, juicy baked chicken marinated in a rich blend of spices), the Farmer's Market with fresh and healthy options on Thursdays with its farm-to-table concept using the freshest and finest locally sourced and sustainable ingredients, the Seafood Market on weekends (Fri-Sat), and the Grand Central Market on Sundays (try the slow-cooked whole steamship beef). And that weekend, the freshest catch were laid out in an impressive spread at the Seafood Market-themed dinner, with plump prawns...

...and lobster on ice. And just like a market, just choose your fresh seafood and have it grilled, baked or sauteed in butter and garlic or a Singaporean-style chili and garlic sauce or any way you want it. And it just doesn't get any fresher than that.

But leave some room for more of the fresh catch laid out on the buffet spread, like cracked crabs and claws...

...and row after row of large river prawns, perfect with some spicy chili and garlic sauce. It's an impressive spread, but it always is at Circles Event Cafe.

A selection of fresh fish is also neatly arranged at the spread, and you can have your fillet or even the whole fish grilled by the station chefs.

But that's not even half of the sumptuous spread at Circles Event Cafe's Seafood Market, as more of the freshest catch are arranged on ice, like the brightly colored Spanner Crabs,  popularly known locally as Curacha (L), and plump mussels (R).

Further down, Circle Event Cafe's Seafood Market reveals even more surprises from the bountiful ocean harvest, with fresh clams (L) and oysters (R) on the half shell for even more choices. Fresh clams sauteed in butter and garlic, or fresh oysters baked with cheese and spinach...your call.

And don't forget to load up on some scallops (L) to complete your seafood feast at Circles Event Cafe's Seafood Market. Start your feast at the Salad Station with its wide variety of the freshest greens and vegetables, or some seafood appetizers (R) before the mains. So pick up a plate and follow me...

A plate of Premium Smoked Norwegian Salmon with capers and onions, Seared Tuna, Mussels and Shrimps kicks-off my Seafood Market dining experience at Circles Event Cafe. Pure, clean flavors, with a mild briny sweetness are released with every bite, flavors that can only come from the finest and freshest ingredients.

No seafood feast at Circles Event Cafe would be complete without some sashimi and sushi, and you can find some of the best right here at their Sushi Station.

The wide selection of sushi, rolls, and sashimi at the station is both eye-catching and colorful, and in true Japanese style, feeds your eyes first in a visual feast. Each plate is freshly prepared by the skilled station chefs, so you get the freshest sushi all the time.

None of the handcrafted and freshly rolled sushi are prepared hours before the dinner service, with all of it prepared just minutes before Circle Event Cafe opens its doors at 6pm. Each delectable piece offers full and fresh flavors at its peak, just what you'd expect from Circles Event Cafe.

And the selection is equally impressive. And one piece of everything sounds just about right as you continue your seafood feast at Circles Event Cafe's Seafood Market.

For the mains, the Seafood Market buffet spread also featured more of the freshest catch, like the Shrimp and Scallops in Cream Sauce (L) with tomatoes and parsley. At the Filipino Station, one can enjoy classic dishes like Nilasing na Hipon (R), or crispy fried shrimps for even more options.

At the Chinese Station, you can create your own bowl of noodles in a rich broth loaded with seafood and vegetables. Simply choose your noodles and toppings, and your bowl is prepared ala minute and served piping hot.

At the Seafood Market, you can also find an equally wide variety of non-seafood dishes, including the savory Beef Tenderloin (L) and the hearty Roasted Lamb (R), with many more selections in the different stations...   

...including the impressive US Prime Rib at the Carving Station. But somehow, the fresh seafood tempered my beef craving that weekend, and I decided to go on an exclusive seafood binge. It is, after all, the Seafood Market day. At Circles Event Cafe, you will find a wide variety of dishes aside from the featured themed dinner spread, so any day at Circles Event Cafe guarantees a perfect dinner.

And I start with some lobster straight up, prepared in the classic Singaporean-style with chili, garlic and pepper. The freshness of the lobsters make it easy to pick out the succulent meat, with rich lobster roe adding even more flavor.  

Next, sauteed lobsters in butter and garlic. The delicate notes of the lobster, with its briny sweetness, are complemented by the richness of the butter and distinct hint of garlic. The different layers of distinct notes weave a seamless blend of balanced flavors, allowing you to taste more of the fresh lobster.  

The friendly staff also recommended having my seafood selection baked with cheese, and my next round of lobster is prepared. The lobster remained juicy, topped with a rich creamy layer of cheese adding both flavor and texture. A great reco from the staff.

River Prawns and Crab Claws in Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce are then served next. With the freshest seafood, it's easy to pick the meat apart, as the shells just peel away easily without much effort.

Back for a second round of fresh seafood, with lobster, mussels, and scallops baked in cheese...

...and clams, mussels, prawns, and curacha sauteed in butter and garlic. It's a seafood feast in an epic scale that makes this one memorable dinner at Circles Event Cafe. And with daily themed dinners, every night is a guaranteed winner.

Cap your seafood feast with Circles Event Cafe's indulgent selection of desserts, including the dreamy Pineapple and Coconut Cake (L) and the elegant and vibrantly colored Strawberry Eclair (R)...

...the intricate Honey and Pili Nut Tart (L) or the Yogurt Mousse and Oatmeal Streusel (R), each  one prepared and executed perfectly by Circles Event Cafe's pastry team. Fresh fruits, a chocolate fountain and more pastries were featured that weekend...

...including Homemade Ube Ice Cream (L) and Homemade Raspberry Sorbet (R), a perfect palate cleanser just in case you're up for another round of seafood. You can also make your own iced dessert at the Halo-Halo Station with preserved fruits and beans.

The freshest lobsters, crabs, prawns, clams, mussels, oysters, and fish combine with attentive and friendly service for one of the best seafood buffets in the metro. And if it's seafood you want, the Seafood Market at Circles Event Cafe is the perfect way to jumpstart your weekend. The Seafood Market at Circles Event Cafe is available every Friday to Saturday starting at 6pm, for P 2,350 net per person. For diners with children under the age of 12, a 50% discount off the rate will be applied. Ready for a seafood feast at Circles Event Cafe's Seafood Market this weekend? Make it Makati Shangri-La, Manila's Seafood Market at Circles Event Cafe.

Circles Event Cafe is located at the Lobby Level of the Makati Shangri-La, Manila, Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City or contact Restaurant Reservations at 813-8888 or email rric.slm@shangri-la.com.

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