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Thursday, August 17, 2023

Let's Do Lunch. And Breakfast Too. At The Lobby Café in B Hotel Quezon City

A memorable culinary experience awaits at what could very well be Quezon City's best kept secret...


From sumptuous international cuisine to hearty and comforting local dishes, the kitchen of Lobby Café at B Hotel Quezon City showcases a world of flavors with a new menu created by Executive Chef Vincent Odejar. The seasoned veteran with stints in prestigious properties brings his wealth of experience to B Hotel Quezon City for a lavish and memorable dining experience this side of the metro adding to the diverse culinary tapestry of Quezon City's dining scene. Come inside the Lobby Café for a satisfying lunch or dinner. And breakfast too. And do come hungry...


Located at Scout Rallos in Quezon City, B Hotel Quezon City is a four-star boutique hotel property owned and operated by The Bellevue Hotels & Resorts group with an inventory of 111 guest rooms along with modern facilities for that perfect getaway without leaving the city. Tucked away in the vibrant Quezon City neighborhood, B Hotel Quezon City is the perfect spot for both business and leisure catering to a growing northern market. Veering away from the usual look and feel of a traditional hotel set-up, B Hotel Quezon City offers a refreshing change of pace with its contemporary vibe and character.


One of the striking features of the property is its distinctive modern industrial-themed design at the spacious lobby level to kick off your unique B Hotel Quezon City experience. It's a recurring theme prominently highlighted from the lobby's elegant yet clean and sleek space to the guest rooms and dining outlets in a seamless and cohesive weave. 


Dining is an integral layer in any hotel experience and B Hotel Quezon City offers four full-service restaurants helmed by Executive Chef Vincent Odejar namely the Lobby Café, the Pastry Corner, Mezzanine Bar and Johnny's Steak and Grill. With its wide and diverse selection of tempting offerings, B Hotel Quezon City with its four dining outlets may very well be the north's secret culinary gem.


The stark modern lines of the property's industrial themed design becomes the backdrop for that quick escape, with its expansive space as a design element in itself with glass, concrete and impressive high ceiling defining the B Hotel Quezon City experience.


Splashes of vibrant colors break the clean monochromatic theme, teasing the eyes with its playful yet edgy and modern aesthetic...


...gently easing you into your much-deserved urban escape.


A sweet touch welcomes your arrival at one of B Hotel Quezon City's well-appointed Superior King Guest Rooms...


...with its plush and silky smooth linens inviting you to just dive right in and begin your escape from the city's hectic pace. Your own private sanctuary and home away from home at B Hotel Quezon City includes everything you need from coffee and tea-making facilities to satellite/cable LED TV...


...and a work space with fast LAN and Wi-Fi Access in case you decide to reconnect with the outside world.


Simply sit back in your own Nordic-inspired mid-century Carl Hansen Shell lounge chair and wait for lunch...


...as Executive Chef Vincent Odejar fires up the kitchen at the Lobby Café.


The spacious Lobby Café offers a hearty breakfast buffet and an all-day international a la carte menu with a seating capacity for 75 diners. For lunch, Executive Chef Vincent Odejar shared his new menu reflecting the wide selection of tempting options.


Our feast at the Lobby Café of B Hotel Quezon City began with a refreshing salad but not just the usual as Executive Chef Vincent Odejar adds an inventive spin...


...with his Kani Crisp and Roasted Mushroom Salad (P 380). Intricately plated, the fresh medley of crab sticks, mushrooms, garden fresh and crisp mixed greens and garlic wrapped in thin slices of fresh cucumber drizzled with a mildly sweet and nutty Honey Miso dressing opens up the palate with its fresh and clean notes. The strands of briny sweet crab sticks are delicately fried to a light crispness for a delectable play on textural contrasts to complement the earthy hints of mushrooms, salad greens and dressing. Right off the bat, Executive Chef Vincent Odejar impresses from the very first course.


The Cured Salmon and Potato Salad (P 420) with homemade salmon gravlax, baby potatoes, crisp bacon bits, chives and Parmesan cheese is a solid appetizer delivering fresh and bold flavors. The elegant buttery finish of the melt-in-your-mouth briny salmon and thin slices of creamy potatoes are on point. Using the finest and freshest ingredients with many components made from scratch, Executive Chef Vincent Odejar is clearly on a mission to elevate the culinary offerings at B Hotel Quezon City.

Other starter or salad options include the Chairman's Caesar Salad (P 400) and Brown Derby Cobb Salad (P 450). The Lobby Café also offers comforting soups like Roasted Pumpkin (P 320), Forest Mushroom (P 320) and the classic New England Clam Chowder (P 320).


The diverse menu at the Lobby Café also offers comfortingly familiar Asian flavors as well...


...like the always popular Pad Thai (P 480) with soft yet firm flat rice noodles topped with succulent shrimps, tender chicken, soft tofu, fresh bean sprouts, egg, peanuts and sweet and tart tamarind sauce guaranteed to satisfy your cravings for noods. Like all Thai dishes, the variety of flavors from sweet and savory, sour with a mild and gentle heat come together in a balanced and harmonious blend.


The bold and unrestrained notes of Laksa punches through with its rich and flavorful broth simmered with coconut cream and the day's fresh catch of seafood is another tasty number from the kitchen of the Lobby Café.


The freshness of the ingredients brings all the flavors for another satisfying meal at the Lobby Café. For Chef Vince, there's no short cuts to real and honest flavors and one more sip of the broth and a bite of the fish balls, rice noodles and tofu just proves it.

Other popular Asian and local staples include Steamed Pampano (P 1,300), Hainanese Chicken (P 580), Katsukaredon (P 580), Crispy Pata (P 980), Prawn, Salmon or Pork Belly Sinigang (P 520), Bulalo (P 780) and Kare-Kare (P 780). 


In between bites, cleanse your palate with the soothingly fresh beverage made from carrots, cucumber and calamansi and you're ready for another round of tasty bites at the Lobby Café


The Seared Mediterranean Sea Bass (P 960) is an elegant seafood dish with premium sea bass, cauliflower-tarragon cream, miso, edamame purée and shallots. The Mediterranean sea bass is the star of the plate, but its supporting cast also deserve some credit adding its own lavish layers of flavors to the dish. The subtle sweetness of the fish is perfectly complemented by the cauliflower-tarragon cream and edamame purée giving the dish a silky smooth finish while the subtle sharpness of the miso and shallots adds bite to complete the flavors. Instead of the mashed potatoes, Chef Vince uses smooth cauliflower for an inventive twist. 


The fork-tender US Boneless Short Ribs (P 1,000) is one my many personal picks at the Lobby Café. Why? The buttery texture and finish of the marbled short ribs with red wine shallot reduction delivers bold, juicy and flavorful bursts with each bite pairing well with the garlic confit, pumpkin purée and sharp black peppercorn sauce to cut through the savory richness.


The Braised Lamb Shoulder (P 900) is another pick high on my list with thyme, garlic, mint jelly and button mushrooms. The lamb is perfectly cooked bringing fresh and clean savory notes to the palate without the usual gamey hints. The truffle-infused mashed potatoes along with the other vegetables complete the dish.


The crisp and juicy Alejandro's Fried Chicken (P 650) is a safe bet, and you can't go wrong with fried chicken thighs and legs with potato wedges with a side of ketchup and gravy. It's simple, honest and good.

Other mains in the new menu feature Grilled King Prawns (P 980), 63 Degree Salmon (P 850), Grilled Pork Chop (P 900) and Fish N' Chips (P 980) plus sandwiches, paninis, burgers and pasta dishes too. 


Executive Chef Vincent Odejar has even more surprises from the kitchen of the Lobby Café with their pizza selections like the Truffle Carbonara (P 720)...


...loaded and layered with rich and creamy truffle cream sauce, bacon and mushrooms on a rustic crisp crust. The richness of the truffle cream sauce are tempered by the sharp, smoky hints of bacon and rounded out by the earthy and nutty notes of mushrooms.


Craving for some soothing heat? The Sausage and Spicy (P 700) with Hungarian Sausage, dry chili and jalapeño on a tomato sauce covered crust may be just what you need. The sharp punch from the Hungarian sausage with its mild heat is intensified even more with the dry chili and jalapeño smoothened by the tomato sauce. 

Other equally flavorful choices include the Four Cheese (P 720) with white sauce, Camembert, Mozzarella, Blue Cheese and Cheddar; the Roasted Garlic and Shrimp (P 720), Pepperoni (P 700) and Veggies (P 680).


Save room for dessert as Executive Chef Vincent Odejar served his indulgent offerings to cap a sumptuous lunch on a high and sweet note starting with the Pannacotta (P 300) with milk, cream and berries.


Silky smooth and decadent, the Pannacotta with berries is the perfect ending to a memorable dining experience scripted by Executive Chef Vincent Odejar as he slowly reinvents the culinary story of B Hotel Quezon City


And there's more. The moist and sinfully luscious Lava (P 300) flowing with chocolate and topped with ice cream may be the icing on the cake at the Lobby Café...


...but it's the Fried Ice Cream (P 280) with ice cream crusted in cereal and drizzled with chocolate that hits the spot for me.


That crunch from the cereal, the smooth ice cream and chocolate syrup aptly topped with a cherry is the proper way to end your feast at the Lobby Café in B Hotel Quezon City

The new menu by Executive Chef Vincent Odejar is a refreshing sign of even more good things yet to come at B Hotel Quezon City. And that's just the start of so many culinary adventures at the Lobby Café. Like breakfast...


After a restful sleep at B Hotel Quezon City, your dining experience at the Lobby Café continues with an early morning breakfast. Breakfast at the Lobby Café starts early at 6:00 am daily and here's what you can expect from the buffet spread...


Start with a cup of fresh brewed coffee and enjoy unlimited refills at your own pace...


The Bread Station with fresh-baked treats and sweet Bread Pudding all add up to a great start at the Lobby Café...


...while fresh fruits and salads at the Salad Station fuels you up for the day. Not to be missed at the Salad Station are the fresh batches of homemade yogurt...


...in either plain variant or with berries. According to Chef Vince, the homemade yogurt offerings are some of the specialties not to be missed from the Lobby Café's breakfast buffet selections. And the other? 


The homemade Taho, complete with tapioca pearls and thick, sweet sugar syrup. The nostalgic and familiar smooth silken tofu just warms the palate...


...taking you back to carefree childhood summers. And the best part? You can enjoy seconds.


For the mains, you can have your fill of crisp bacon...


...paired with Shakshouka or poached eggs simmered in tomatoes, onions, peppers and olive oil best enjoyed with crisp toast. 


If your craving for local flavors, the Lobby Café has that covered too...


...from savory Sausage Links with that fresh snap...


...Longganisa or local sausages with its sweet, garlicky and porky notes...


...and fork-tender Beef Tapa. To complete your plate, a hefty serving of garlic fried rice and some sunny side-up eggs guarantees a perfect day ahead.


Breakfasts and the calm stillness of the morning with the aromatic fragrance of fresh-brewed coffee combine for those truly special moments. At the Lobby Café, these moments make it worth waking up just a little bit early to fully enjoy the start of the day with a full plate.


You'll also find a Live Station for omelets prepared a la minute to your liking...


...simply tell the station chef what you want and he'll serve it in just a few minutes to your table.


The Lobby Café at B Hotel Quezon City is the perfect way to get acquainted with the new culinary style set by Executive Chef Vincent Odejar. The Lobby Café along with Pastry Corner with their specialty ensaimadas, coffee-based beverages and tarts and the signature steaks at Johnny's Steak and Grill provide both a peek and a taste of Quezon City's secret hidden culinary gem. And the dishes served at the Lobby Café so far all made quite an impression. The bar is definitely raised at B Hotel Quezon City. Next up, Johnny's Steak and Grill (see my post, From The Grill To Your Plate at Johnny's Steak and Grill in B Hotel Quezon City) and Pastry Corner (more on my post, Find Your Sweet Spot at The Pastry Corner in B Hotel Quezon City)...

The Lobby Cafe is located at the Lobby Level of B Hotel Quezon City, 14 Scout Rallos, Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City, Metro Manila. You may call 289905000 for inquiries or visit their website  and FB Page at https://www.bhotelqc.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/bhotelqc/ for more information and updates.

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