Philippine Food Festival 2016, Shangri-la Hotel Sydney

Philippine Food Festival 2016 at Cafe Mix Shangri-la, Sydney

Shangri-La Sydney's Philippine Food Festival is back! It's a fact that we Filipinos love our food and especially in the form of a buffet.  Chefs  Rico Celdo Venzon, Athena Blanche Tan Oropesa and Erma Balaquiao Palanca (Chefs from Makati Shangri-La) made sure that the spread would be of high standards but also staying true to the flavours.

Most loved dishes throughout the Philippines is all at Cafe mix from 16th September 2016 through to the 25th of September for lunch ($57 per person) and dinner ($82). Everything from the succulent Cebu lechon to the summertime favourite dessert Halo Halo, they've got it all! The best way to describe Filipino food is that our dishes are rich with bold flavours. A mixture of influences from Spanish, Malaysian and Chinese cuisine. This is the third time that I've been to Shangri-la's Philippine Food Festival buffet and let me just say, the spread quality gets better and better. Although, the bulalo dish (beef bone marrow soup)  was nowhere to be found, the rest of the spread was top notch.

Here's what to expect:

Fresh coconut water

San Miguel beer

Lechon kawali sisig station

Lechon kawali sisig

The lechon kawali sisig was amazing even if not in its sizzling form. It was fatty, full of umami from a Maggi seasoning like flavour and it had crispy bits.

Cebu boneless lechon belly

The Cebu boneless lechon belly (Boneless suckling pig belly) was legit. The smooth crackling was perfectly crisped and it just shatters nicely when you snap it. The meat was tender, fatty and full of flavour from herbs and garlic. The meat was so tasty that you don't need the usual lechon gravy anymore. Cebu lechon is known for it's tastier meat compared to other lechons in the Philippines.

Inihaw na pusit

Inahaw na pusit (grilled squid)

Ginataang kalabasa, sitaw and alimasag

Ginataang kalabasa, sitaw and alimasag (Pumpkin, string beans and crab in coconut milk sauce).

Ihaw ihaw

Ihaw ihaw (mixed flame grilled meats)

 

Ox-tail kare kare

The Oxtail kare kare was legit! It had all the ingredients of a complete kare kare. The braised oxtail meat was tender and buttery whilst the annatto peanut sauce was so flavoursome. 

I love Lengua estofada (braised ox tongue) and grew up eating a lot of it. This was perfectly cooked and it was just like super tender steak. (No photo available)

Pata tim

Pansit

Maja blanca

 

Palitaw

Leche flan

 

Buko pandan

Mini brazo de mercedes

 

Maja (ma-ha) blanca

Turon

Halo halo

The Halo halo station was a hit! Add all the essential ingredients like nata de coco, jackfruit pieces, sweetened coconut meat, jelly, ube halaya, puffed rice, leche flan and ube ice cream with shaved ice, pour evaporated milk and mix mix (halo halo, everything! 

To honour the 70 years of collaboration between Australia and the Philippines, Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney will donate $2 for every person who dines at the festival to Operation Restore Hope. The lunch buffet is available from 12pm to 2pm and the buffet dinner is available from 6 to 10 pm. For bookings, call (02) 9250 6000.

Ramen Raff and a guest was invited by Shangri-la Sydney to dine at Cafe Mix's Philippine Food Festival Buffet.

Philippine Food Festival 2016

Café Mix

Shangri-la Hotel Sydney

176 Cumberland Street,

The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia