Mark Your Wednesdays For Authentic Indian Flavors, It's Spice & Soul at Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Manila

Love Indian food? Let's have lunch. It's Spice & Soul at Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Manila every Wednesday...

Known for its extensive selection of sumptuous offerings including the freshest seafood and purposeful emphasis on wholesome food options, The Westin Manila takes its buffet dining game up a notch with its themed spread highlighting Indian cuisine for lunch every Wednesday with Spice & Soul at Seasonal Tastes. Experience authentic Indian flavors recreated by Guest Chef Abhishek Kabrawala of Manila Marriott Hotel for a unique and memorable taste of the famed subcontinent in a lavish lunch buffet dining format with its own stations plus an innovative One Dish Wonders Station where five featured dishes are freshly prepared a la minute and served to your table at its flavorful peak. Ready for a hearty Indian feast? Then, read on...

The popularity of Indian cuisine has enriched the local restaurant scene with its vibrant flavors yet finding truly authentic renditions can be a challenge. But if you're cravings for Indian cuisine are stronger than usual, no worries. You'll find it at Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Manila with Spice & Soul every Wednesday for lunch (for more on Seasonal Tastes at The Westin Manila, see my posts On The Wave Of Change At Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Manila As Marriott International Philippines' Chefs Unite For World Ocean Day from last year and #EatWell: The Seafood Dinner Buffet At Seasonal Tastes In The Westin Manila from 2023). 

The Westin Manila's Executive Chef Rej Casanova (L) is joined by Manila Marriot Hotel's Chef Abhishek Kabrawala (R) for the new Wednesday buffet lunch special at Seasonal Tastes. The themed buffet is consistent with The Westin Manila's overall approach to wellness. "As with our other offerings at The Westin Manila, the idea for Spice & Soul mainly stemmed from our commitment to providing holistic wellness experiences for every guest," shared Executive Chef Rej Casanova. "Providing delicious, healthy options through our menus is one of the ways we can ensure guests can eat well at the hotel even while traveling, be it for business or leisure." 

"We feel Indian cuisine at Seasonal Tastes is a step in the right direction with its deep, bold flavors while still being made with whole food ingredients. A lot of Indian dishes primarily use vegetables in their recipes, which is very much aligned with the hotel's Eat Well program," added Chef Rej Casanova. And there's no better man for the job than Guest Chef Abhishek Kabrawala with his own inventive and refined take on the comforting flavors he grew up with back in India. With more than a decade of culinary experience in Marriott properties in India before moving to the Philippines to helm the Indian kitchen in Manila Marriott Hotel, Chef Abhishek Kabrawala brings a taste of home and his heritage to Seasonal Tastes with Spice & Soul. The freshest ingredients and produce coupled with Chef Abhishek Kabrawala's masterful renditions combine for an authentic Indian dining experience at The Westin Manila. 

At Seasonal Tastes, you'll find the Salad Station with its bountiful harvest of fresh salad greens, a variety of vegetables and wide selection of dressings...

...as well as the Plant-Based Station consistent with The Westin Manila's philosophy of Wellness. Eating well is, after all part of living well which remains at the core of The Westin Manila's wellness concept. 

Fill your plate with the fresh sushi and sashimi offerings at the Japanese Station, the assorted steamed dim sum and noodles at the Chinese Station, comforting pasta prepared as you order at the Pasta Station or go for a few slices of the savory and juicy Australian Rump Steak at the Carving Station of Seasonal Tastes. But today, my cravings remain focused on authentic Indian cuisine. And Chef Abhishek Kabrawala indulges all your Indian food cravings for Spice & Soul at Seasonal Tastes. "We will be doing delicious delicacies like Chicken Biryani, Pani Puri, and Dal Makhani," shared Chef Abhishek Kabrawala. "We will be making delicious vegetarian options as well, like the Kachumber Salad and Palak Paneer," added Chef Abhishek Kabrawala and one can't help but notice a sense of pride, nostalgia and sincere honesty as he showed the different stations for Spice & Soul. This is a taste of his home, and Chef Abhishek Kabrawala invites you to his India of youth at Seasonal Tastes every Wednesday for lunch. 

First stop, the Pani Puri Station. Inspired by the ubiquitous and popular Indian street food, the delicately crisp round spherical balls filled with chickpeas, potatoes, onions and spices with sweet and sour tamarind water or spiced sweet mint water for some soothing heat kicks off your your own culinary journey to India with bold refreshing notes. 

Best enjoyed in one bite, a vibrant burst of flavor and textures teases the palate and soon you'll want another. The Pani Puri Station makes each order fresh and served to your table. In perfect rhythm, the Pani Puri Station at Seasonal Tastes dispatches plate after plate of the crisp balls of delectable treats becoming one of the popular stations for Spice & Soul at Seasonal Tastes. 

But it's the One Dish Wonders Station at Seasonal Tastes that boldly changes the game for buffet dining. Guests and diners choose one of five specialty Indian dishes and the station chefs prepare your order a la minute and served to your table. A novel concept, the One Dish Wonders Station adds yet another flavorful layer to your buffet dining experience at Seasonal Tastes. 

The chef-crafted a la minute tasting plates is also a reflection of The Westin Manila's commitment to Marriott International's Serve 360 sustainability goals to reduce the prestigious property's environmental footprint. And the five savory Indian options at the One Dish Wonders Station for Spice & Soul? Start with the Dahi Katchori, a traditional street food staple with crisp and flaky dough filled with Dal made with lentils or chickpeas and Chutney or condiment made with a variety of vegetables. The play on textural contrasts and fresh, bold flavors comes through with each tasty bite revealing yet another layer in the colorful tapestry of Indian cuisine. 

The Vada Pav features a deep-fried potato fritter in a soft bun, considered as India's homestyle version of "fast food." Soft and delicately crisp, the richly seasoned potato fritter delivers deep savory notes perfectly complemented by the buttery bun. And healthier too. 

The Fish Rava Fry is the classic Indian deep-fried fish seasoned with a rich medley of Indian spices. The fresh, clean flavors of the fish are enhanced by the spice blend released with each tender bite. 

Who doesn't love Butter Chicken? The Butter Chicken Tartlets reimagines the classic Indian dish served in a crisp tartlet for savory bites. The familiar notes of the chicken tandoori with its velvety smooth sauce drapes the palate with its complex spice blend finished by the flaky tart shell. A modern interpretation, Chef Abhishek Kabrawala infuses his own creative style honed by years of culinary experience and tradition with the Butter Chicken Tartlet. 

Then, there's the Lamb Chop Tandoori marinated in yogurt and Indian spices. This dish alone is enough reason to go for an Indian buffet lunch at Seasonal Tastes. Chef Abhishek weaves traditional Indian culinary elements in an elegantly plated dish prepared fresh as you order at the One Dish Wonders Station. 

Fork tender with a savory finish and subtle smoky hints, the spice blend cuts through the lingering richness of the lamb chop smoothened by the yogurt marinade. Chef Abhishek nails it with the Lamb Chop Tandoori for one of many tasty highlights at Spice & Soul in Seasonal Tastes. 

Spice & Soul has so much more to offer at Seasonal Tastes, like Naan and Papadum...

...and Spiced Basmati Rice with Shallots and Chicken. Pick up another plate and continue your journey into authentic Indian flavors...

...with Palak Paneer, a thick stew or curry with cheese and puréed spinach... 

...and the classic Dal Makhani, a North Indian curry made with whole black lentils and kidney beans gently simmered in cream, butter and spices. 

At the Carving Station, enjoy slices of Indian Masala Roasted Chicken...

...best paired with crisp Papadum, Chili and Mango Chutney and Spiced Basmati Rice. The aromatic fragrance from the spice blend and just a whisper of smoky hints completes the play on flavors. 

Explore even more Indian flavors at the Dessert Station...

...like a bowl of comforting Kheer, a sweet rice pudding spiced with cardamom and enriched with coconut milk and rose water. Enjoy it warm or cold, each spoonful soothes the palate with familiar textures and indulgent notes. 

The Chai Tea Panna Cotta is a refreshingly creative rendition of the Italian dessert with Indian flavors and it works. Not too sweet with the distinct notes of chai tea giving it depth, the Chai Tea Panna Cotta is one more perfect sweet ending to your Indian feast at Seasonal Tastes. 

The Ras Malai is a clotted cream dessert with pronounced lemon notes topped with chopped pistachios for another decadent treat to cap your Indian feast at Seasonal Tastes. Sweetened with rose water, the sweetness is delicately nuanced without overwhelming the palate. 

Then, there's the classic Egg Tarts best paired with a freshly brewed Latte. Crepes prepared at the live station and ice cream? You'll find it at the Dessert Station too. 

Buffets remain a popular dining option offering both value and variety, and Seasonal Tastes at The Westin Manila stays on top of the buffet game with themed concepts like Spice & Soul and the innovative One Dish Wonders Station to refresh the buffet experience. Add quality and authenticity to value and variety, and that's a winning formula. Love Indian food? Let's have lunch. At Seasonal Tastes in The Westin Manila...

Seasonal Tastes is located on the Mezzanine Floor of The Westin Manila, San Miguel Avenue corner Lourdes Drive, Ortigas Center, Barangay Wack-Wack, Greenhills East, 1552 Manila or call 02 8256 2020 for inquiries and reservations.  

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