7 Corners Lunch & Breakfast Buffet

As promised, here's the food post of our staycation at Crowne Plaza.

The lunch buffet starts at 12pm. We're lucky because Crowne Plaza allowed us to check in early. It was a weekend lunch buffet therefore the hefty price tag. I was ready to back out but then I thought this was a special vacation. I closed my eyes and handed my credit card over to the front desk for our reservation.

. . . salad and hors d'oeuvres

 You can make your own salad or grab some of those cute little canapes.

dessert station . . .

. . . fruits, pastry and more cakes

sliced fruits and home made ice cream . . .

. . . seafood station

The theme was Latin America and the buffet features some of the popular Peruvian cuisine.

Japanese station . . .

Which we completely ignored except for the miso soup.

. . . more hot dishes

Indian station . . .

. . . Chinese station

the condiments . . .

. . . pasta station, more Peruvian dishes plus different kinds of sauce

carving station, marinated meat for grilling and more Peruvian dishes . . .

Hindi pa kasama yung bread, cheeses, pizzas and the roasted suckling pig jan ha. Tapioca forgot to take pictures of those.

. . . the dining area

There were just a few diners at that time which was an advantage for us. The atmosphere was more relaxed. No lines on the buffet table and no noisy people.

On the plate:

my d-i-y salad plus lobster with dill sauce . . .

Oh my gawd! I love the lobster. It was super fresh. The dill sauce made it more yummy.

. . . tortilla soup & miso soup (we had 2 bowls each)

I guess everyone knows by now how I adore soup. That's why on this lunch I got not one, not two but three soup dishes! Let's talk about the first two in the photo.

The tortilla soup, part of the Peruvian cuisine, was devilishly and incredibly awesome. The heat would only start to kick in once you stop slurping and munching on that tomatoe-y soup and the tortilla. I tell ya, it was so hot it almost felt like burning my tongue but in a good way. So what to do to cease the burning sensation? Continue slurping the soup away!

The miso soup is not my favorite soup but 7 Corners gave me a change of heart. It was very light, not too salty with a sweetness that lingers in the mouth which I really really like! For sure, it was made from the finest ingredients. I've never had miso soup like this before and I love it!

noodle soup . . .

Another OMG dish! I love clear soups and this one, though it came from the Chinese station, didn't have too much MSG (or maybe it doesn't have any MSG at all). So light yet full of flavors. No umay factor.

. . . fusilli in carbonara sauce

Freshly cooked from the pasta station. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The chef put a little too much salt, though. I paired this pasta dish with . . .

my surf & turf plate . . .

Tapioca was raving about the rib-eye steak from the carving station. It was very tender, seasoned well and cooked to your preference. No need for any sauces. I asked for a thin piece of the meat cooked medium and then headed to the seafood station to get more of the lobster and dill sauce.

. . . bow tie pasta in chili aoili sauce

Tapioca's pasta dish.  He added a Peruvian meatball on top but it was gone in a sec. Tapioca also had a feast with the Indian and Peruvian dishes which unfortunately, I was not able to take pictures of. I think for every dish he put on his plate I had a bite or two. The Indian dishes were mostly curries (which I'm not so fond of) and spicy while the Peruvian varies from savory, creamy, rich tomato and spicy. The kind of food Tapioca loves.

my dessert plate . . .

Cakes, watermelon, meringue dipped in chocolate plus melon ice cream. The cakes were okay, the meringue was tough, and the melon ice cream tasted more of a sorbet than ice cream.

Though we paid full price for the buffet (no discounts or vouchers), I can say it's super sulit. Sa steak and lobster (I had a lot!) pa lang, panalo! In one sitting you can try all the dishes from different countries. And in every dish, we can tell it was prepared well using top quality, the finest and freshest ingredients which is so hard to find in other buffet offerings these days. It's a combination of quality and quantity so you really get your money's worth.

We surely would love to come back and take advantage of discount vouchers (hello Deal Grocer!). Next time we'll come prepared and will try everything including the dishes we forgot like the brick oven-baked pizza, the suckling pig and the Japanese treats.

If you think this post ends here, think again. I still have the breakfast buffet. LOL! Breakfast at 7 Corners was different from our lunch experience. It was a chaos with so many people. I did not dare take pictures of the buffet spread so I'm just going to share what I had on my plate.

. . . my healthy breakfast

Salad greens with tomato. croutons, bacon bits and mandarin orange. Coco Crunch,  cornflakes and banana bran in low fat milk. Orange juice, apple juice, water and Twinings English breakfast tea. Yeah, all of that - just for moi!

miso soup . . .

We love it during the lunch buffet so we're having it again for breakfast.

. . . daing na pusit, bacon, corned beef, scramble eggs and plain rice

They do have an omelette station but I'm happy with just plain yet creamy scrambled eggs. The daing na pusit is another favorite :-)

pancake, bavarian donut, blueberry danish, cheese slices and dried fig . . .

Tapioca was already full from eating too much carbs and omelette but when he saw this plate with the danish (he loves danish) he went back to the buffet table, saw the danish and croissant (another fave of his) and smoked salmon and made a croissant sandwich for himself. As for me I liked the Bavarian donuts a lot. It wasn't too sweet. I just noticed that people hoarded the donuts, pancakes, waffles, croissants and the yogurt. It's a little disappointing that it took them forever to replenish these sought-after items.

. . . sweet endings

clear soup from the Chinese station, fruit salad and mango yogurt . . .

I love the noodle soup from the Chinese station and I just have to have it once again. I'm already full so no more noodles. Just soup. I also made sure to save room for dessert. Some fruit salad and mango yogurt. Perfect ending for a wonderful brekky.

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Staycation: Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

The honeymoon was supposed to be an out of the country trip but due to issues with Tapioca's vacation leave at the office, we had to cancel the plan. I can tell Tapioca's frustration about this. He needs a vacation so badly. I decided to book a stay in the metro for a quick getaway.

Asiatravel.com has an ongoing crazy rate promo where they guarantee the best hotel deal. Been curious about this for a long time so I gave it a try. We chose the Ortigas area for a 5 star accommodation plus buffet breakfast for two. Hotel property will only be revealed after payment is made. True enough, after I confirmed my booking, I got an email from Asiatravel.com with the hotel name and the voucher.

And that's how we ended up at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.

. . .  front desk

Sorry for the blurry photos. I was trying to be discreet (too shy to take photos) and didn't realize I'm getting these blurry shots. My bad.

busy day at the hotel . . .

. . .  the lobby

The lobby was not as grand compared to other hotels. But when Tapioca saw it, he thought we were at the wrong hotel. He was like "Are we at the right hotel? This place looks so nice. I can't believe we only paid that much.". LOL!

view of the lobby from the escalator . . .

. . . the agenda

Now a tour of our deluxe room . . .

It was very spacious and clean. I love the floor to ceiling windows.

 the king-sized bed . . .

. . . view of Ortigas avenue from our room

the bathtub . . .

This made us all giddy in delight.

. . . the sink and the huge mirror

toiletries . . .

Shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion, soap, shower cap, vanity and dental kit.

. . . separate shower stall and toilet

the closet . . .

Iron and ironing board, bathrobes and slippers.

. . . safe deposit box

the mini bar . . .

Tea and coffee maker and complimentary water bottles.

. . . mini fridge

And the big letdown . . .

the telly . . .

Ang chaka ng TV! C'mon Crowne Plaza, it's time to upgrade!

. . . the work desk

That's Tapioca reading the room service menu. He's hungry. But we're not ordering room service. Not yet. We have a better plan.

Lunch buffet at 7 Corners. Yay!

Tapioca enjoying his steak and other good stuff from the buffet . . .

After the 7 Corners experience, Tapioca and I concluded that all the other buffets we've tried didn't even come close to this. The selection was over the top. I think it's just right I'll make a separate post about the food. Read it all here.

. . . the view at night

We were so full from lunch we did not eat dinner. We woke up at 1am and went to the nearest 7-11 for some snacks. By 2:30am Tapioca couldn't resist the room service menu anymore. He finally gave in.

room service at three in the morning . . .

. . . burger and fries

If given a choice between burger and pizza, I would choose the latter. I don't like burgers much because I hate the aftertaste and when I burped I could still taste the burger. However, Tapioca has been teaching me the ways to enjoy a good burger. And on this burger, I have to say, he no longer needs to teach a thing or two. The burger looks dry as hell but after the first bite, it just blows me away. The patty was crispy and crunchy but juicy and flavorful on the inside. And the burger bun, those soft and fluffy burger buns! It's so good! Then Marshall from How I Met Your Mother came to mind. I remember The Best Burger in New York episode. I also remember the way Marshall described the best burger. He described it so well.

And I quote:

Just a Burger? Just a burger. Robin, it's so much more than "just a burger." I mean...that first bite—oh, what heaven that first bite is. The bun, like a sesame freckled breast of an angel, resting gently on the ketchup and mustard below, flavors mingling in a seductive pas de deux. And then...a pickle! The most playful little pickle! Then a slice of tomato, a leaf of lettuce and a...a patty of ground beef so exquisite, swirling in your mouth, breaking apart, and combining again in a fugue of sweets and savor so delightful. This is no mere sandwich of grilled meat and toasted bread, Robin. This is God, speaking to us in food. (Source:TVFanatic.com)

Oh di ba? Pak na pak! Tapioca might disagree but this is the best burger in my book.

pasta with shrimp and fennel . . .

Nothing special about the pasta except it has fennel which I haven't tried before. I can't really describe what the fennel tastes like but it has the texture of a raw jackfruit. The dish needs more seasoning, though.

. . . the pool

The swimming pool is shared by the guests from the next door hotel, The Holiday Inn. It was very small with very few sunbeds. The water is not temperature-controlled. Super cold especially in the morning.

Tapioca taking a dip in the cold water . . .

. . . poolside menu

Price is pretty reasonable but since it's a hotel, one should remember that there's always ++

swim at your own risk . . . 

. . . the kiddie pool

mini waterfall for kids only . . . 

I seriously need to exercise. My tummy is such an unsightly view. Still, I'm posting this pic anyway. *evil laugh*

. . . the sunbed

Tapioca couldn't stand the cold water. He'd rather enjoy a hot bubble bath in our room. I agree. We went back to our room to change and get ready for breakfast - buffet style.

me in a robe inside the elevator . . . 

The bathrobe was too big for me. I looked very much like a midget (that I am)! When we get to our room this is what greeted us . . .

. . . complimentary newspaper

Time for breakfast. 7 Corners we meet again!

Jellybean elated after breakfast . . .

I'm not a morning person. I don't eat a lot in the morning and most of the time I skip breakfast. But I love breakfast food. We eat breakfast food for lunch and dinner. Yeah, we're weirdos like that. For some strange reasons when on vacation mode, I look forward to breakfast. On this staycation, I fell in love with 7 Corners buffet spread. If I can have 7 Corners breakfast buffet everyday, I will never skip breakfast ever again. But of course I can't do that. Mamumulubi kami hahaha!

. . . bubble bath while watching Jack TV

After breakfast we spent the remaining hours soaking up in the hot tub with lots of bubbles while watching TV. Yeah, the bathroom has glass walls. Tapioca loves it.

entrance from the mall . . .

We exited through this door connecting to Robinson's Galleria. How convenient.

Overall, we love Crowne Plaza because:

• Check in and check out is hassle-free. 
• Spacious rooms even if you get the cheapest one. 
• Service is top-notch. We love being pampered. All staff members were very courteous, friendly and always with a smile.
• Great food. 
• Located in the heart of Ortigas. It's just a minute away from Robinson's Galleria to do some shopping, watch movies or dine somewhere else if you find hotel food too pricey. 

and what we think needs to be improved:

• The TV. Totally!
• Bigger and better swimming pool. Much appreciated if the water's heated.

No wonder everyone's going on staycations, huh? Such a great way to unwind and relax without going far away from the city. We love it so much that I am so looking forward to more staycation in the future.

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