Market Cafe at the AG New World Manila Bay Hotel

I can't believe I've never written about Market Cafe. Being a huge fan of what was then the Hyatt Hotel in Manila where Paul and I would frequent Lili and The Fireplace, I can't believe that I never got around to writing my experiences at their all-day buffet restaurant, Market Cafe.

The hotel is now under a new management and is now known as AG New World Manila Bay Hotel. Despite the name change, the enticing and very welcoming look of Market Cafe stayed the same. One thing that I remember about dining here is that even their drinks are part of the buffet. This is just a minor add-on but it's really the little details that make the difference, right?

The selection is not as wide as perhaps its hotel buffet counterparts but rest assured that it's well curated and the quality is top notch. Start your meal by visiting the Cheese and Cold Cuts station. I really like starting with small bite-sized portions of these appetizers every time I dine at a buffet. Either this or a plate of hand-rolled sushi. I was with my twins and L, in particular, loved the hard cheeses! My little girl is truly a gourmet in the making. I'm one proud momma. They also have a good selection of freshly baked breads which my twins enjoyed as well.

Moving on, there's the Japanese station which is divided into several parts. First, the sushi/sashimi station which has quite an impressive spread. I love the fresh sashimi and pair this with some Japanese pickles and dip it into your DIY soy-wasabi dip.

There's also the teppanyaki selection which was quite good but one thing you can't miss is the ebi tempura. This is one of the buffet's most popular choice that you can expect to wait for a few minutes for this to be available. The Chef would be seen deep-frying non-stop but the moment a new batch gets served on the buffet line, it gets snapped up so quickly by the dining patrons so there's hardly any chance that you'd get your ebi tempura right away. Patience is, after all, a virtue. I promise you though that it's worth the wait.



Moving over to the other side of the buffet area, there's there Chinese station which has a noodle selection as well as some dimsum and roasted meats. I loved this! They even have some Singaporean Chili Crab available which I find to be very yummy.

I also dropped by the Pasta station where you can have your own plate of pasta made especially for you. One thing that I love about Market Cafe's buffet concept is how there are a lot of ways to customize your dish. From the basic salads to your pasta, you can even DIY your dessert and steaks too.

I tried this delicious pasta which is a mix of tomato red sauce and white carbonara sauce. Sprinkled with lots of cheese and parsley, this is one comforting pasta dish that I happily enjoyed.

The carving station also has several meat options to choose from -- beef rib eye, lamb and roast chicken. I went for the beef this time and DIY'ed my own plate. See here are some steamed carrots which I got for my twins and the steak slices are for me and Paul to share.

I really enjoyed going back and forth the buffet area as I got to try a lot of delicious selections. Finally, it was time for dessert. No matter how full I already was, I just had to make space for dessert.

Well, they surely didn't disappoint when it comes to satisfying your sweet tooth as they got a wide selection to choose from:

DIY Donut, anyone?

Halo Halo station 

Baked treats (are you drooling already?)

My ultimate choice -- Homemade Ice Cream on a fancy Chocolate Cone. So good! 

I love it when buffets would inject a bit of interaction with guests like allowing us to DIY our dish in order to somehow personalize it based on our liking. After all, taste is purely subjective so this is one way to enjoy your food fully.

Market Cafe is the perfect hotel buffet restaurant for the entire family. I love how they have provided comfy high chairs for the little one and the wide seating area makes it easy to move around.

Buffet rates:

Lunch
Monday to Saturday: PHP 2200 nett
Sunday: PHP 2700 nett

Dinner
Monday to Thursday: PHP 2400 nett
Friday to Sunday: PHP 2700 nett

Visit Market Cafe at the 3rd Level of AG New World Manila Bay Hotel, 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar, Manila.