The Day's Freshest Catch at New World Makati Hotel's Cafe 1228

When the call of the sea promises a culinary adventure that's just too hard to resist, head on down to Cafe 1228...

Sunday lunches at Cafe 1228 of New World Makati Hotel are guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for the day's freshest catch. With it's lavish buffet spread, you can come back for seconds and thirds with loads of seafood along with other dishes from their extensive buffet selections. It's also no surprise that New World Makati Hotel is the home of the master oyster shucker for 2018, Executive Chef Robert Davis (see more on on my previous post, The Master Oyster Shucker Reigns at The Glasshouse).

Cafe 1228 takes freshness seriously, with five custom cooking stations smartly laid out in the efficiently designed space (it's much larger and deeper than you think). The all-day dining outlet of New World Makati Hotel, Cafe 1228 also offers a full a la carte menu with steaks and various savory grilled meats, salads and sandwiches, burgers, pastas, pizzas, wonton noodle soup and other favorites along with their impressive buffet spread (for more on Cafe 1228 at New World Hotel Makati, see my earlier post, Sunday Lunch at Your Own Pace at Cafe 1228, One Plate and Bowl at a Time... ). Executive Chef Robert Davis offered one of his newest creations, succulent Steamed Seafood with a medley of the day's freshest catch with aromatics served in a bamboo steamer... 

...a tasty starter before your main course of fresh and plump crabs prepared just the way you like it. Lightly sauteed in garlic butter? Yes, please...

Last year, the station chef suggested I try my seafood haul with the mildly spicy Asian style Black Pepper Sauce (more on my previous post, Sunday Lunch at Your Own Pace at Cafe 1228, One Plate and Bowl at a Time...). That was a good call. Have a chat with your station chef, and consider their recommendations. 

Then, get down to business with a heaping plateful of the day's fresh ocean harvest of mussels, clams, prawns and lobsters. Delicately poached, the fresh seafood are stacked on ice and good to go for fresh and clean flavors. But you can also have your fresh catch prepared with spicy chili sauce, baked with cheese or go the classic way with garlic and butter. The fresh seafood station is replenished regularly, so there's no need to rush. Just go at your own pace, it is after all, a leisurely Sunday lunch. In between plates of fresh seafood, change the pace with a bowl of refreshing salads. Or a platter of cheese and charcuterie.

I can go for fresh seafood all day, but if the carnivore in you is looking for meatier options, Cafe 1228's carving stations has that covered with its whole roasted suckling pig or Lechon...

...and the massive Steamship, an impressive slab of roast beef served with roasted vegetables and a variety of sauces.

Cafe 1228 is roasted to medium rare, but you can have it grilled to your preferred doneness. Just ask the station chefs and they'll gladly grill it for you just the way you like it. Cafe 1228 also boasts of an impressive array of international dishes at their five cooking stations.

Medium rare works for me. And for beef this good, I go for Herbed Butter instead of the usual sauces. Then again, you make your own rules at Cafe 1228. Be sure to save room for dessert. This weekend, why not haul in your own seafood harvest? And some savory options from the carving station just for good measure? For the month of July, diners can indulge at Cafe 1228's Sangria Weekends for Lunch for only P 1,650 on Saturdays and Sundays with endless rounds of sangrias along with all the seafood you want. And here's even more good news. If you're a BDO credit card holder, you get 50% off the buffet rates. For Metrobank cardholders, you can enjoy 30% discount. See you this weekend for lunch at Cafe 1228...

Cafe 1228 is located at the Lobby Level of New World Makati Hotel, Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, Ayala Center, Makati City or call 632-811-6888 for reservations and inquiries.

Dude for Food is now on Facebook and Instagram, check out the FB Page and IG feed for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.