What is a hotel buffet like right now?
Well, the one I went to was awesome and such a great deal!
Novotel Manila Araneta City Buffet
This was the first time I have been to a buffet since this whole pandemic thing started last year. I went to the lunch buffet at Novotel Manila Araneta City not really knowing what to expect.
Parking is FREE!
Upon arriving at Novotel and looking for parking, I noticed that the automated parking ticket dispenser was turned off. I was wondering what was going on, but since no one was there to assist, I just entered and parked.
When I went in to the hotel, I asked about the parking, and good news! Parking is free! For now, I suppose 🙂 Free parking is always much appreciated, and is one of the factors that push us to visit a place in favor of another similar place.
Food Exchange Manila Buffet
The buffet is located on the first floor of the hotel, at the Food Exchange Manila restaurant.
It was nice to see that the restaurant had customers — not as many as non-pandemic times, but it was alive. The customers were seated very far apart, it looked like each person had their own table! It did not feel crowded. It felt like customers each had their own private space.
Here is how my place was set:
Utensils & table napkin are placed inside a paper carton. Glasses are covered. They even provide a paper envelope where you can store your face mask while you are eating.
We were given this big square table that I think normally seats more people, but we each had one side of the table, max of 4 people. For the smaller tables, it was one person per table.
How to get food from the buffet?
First, you have to take note of your table number 🙂 Please wear your mask when at the buffet area, but you can take off your mask to eat.
Salads, drinks, desserts and similar items are in covered or sealed individual serving containers. If this is going to be how it’s going to be moving forward, I’m totally on board! You can just get your serving of these on your own.
There is a cheese & cold cuts station – individual servings are already prepared and covered in cling wrap, ready to serve.
As for other dishes, you can visit each of the food stations and ask for portions to be served to your table. Give them your table number. I much prefer this method of serving buffet food because the food is served in separate plates and they are served warm 🙂 No more having to look for space on your buffet plate and often getting food mixed together.
My favorites:
Butter Chicken and Cheese Naan!!! I really wish I still had stomach space for another serving! I want to go back to the buffet for this and the Kare-Kare and the Grilled Shrimp. Dip the warm cheese naan in the butter chicken sauce – ah, it makes me feel like I’m enjoying a warm, breezy afternoon under the shade of a banyan tree.
Beef Kare-Kare – I finished the entire serving and had to stop myself from getting another because I was already full. The meat is literally falling off the bone. The sauce isn’t the orangey peanut butter version we’re often used to, but it’s so beefy and oh, so delectable.
Grilled Shrimp – it’s just simple grilled shrimp, but it’s so fresh & juicy. The seafood is on display. Just tell the staff what you want and how you want it cooked 🙂
Here are the different stations and some of the food they serve:
They have fresh seafood – crab, mussels, clams, salmon, squid, etc… and you can ask them to be cooked any way you want. Just ask them what the options are, and if you want something off menu, just ask, they will accommodate you if they can. I will try to ask for Lemon Garlic Butter, Honey Garlic or Thermidor style next time 🙂 Wonder if they can also do steamed prawns with lots of garlic & scallions? Oh, I want to go back just to eat the seafood. I’m so sad I got full so fast 🙁
Here’s the dessert station. I think they also have ice cream, but I was too full to ask.
Please ask for their batirol chocolate! It’s included in the buffet ❤ This is very thick, luscious hot chocolate. We paired it with some bibingka.
SUMMARY
I like this buffet set-up much better, and I find that the food is better, too. Although the variety isn’t as much as it was before, it now feels like it’s quality over quantity. The food is also better because it’s fresher / not exposed / and served the way it’s supposed to be – warm and not smooshed together with other dishes.
At only P1,288 nett, the Novotel buffet is a very good deal! Get your fill of fresh seafood, lamb, and Indian favorites, sulit na! They were also featuring mango last week, so they had desserts and drinks using mango – one of my favorite fruits!
The buffet is currently only available from Friday to Sunday.
Buffet Rate: PHP 1,288 nett/person
Novotel Buffet Schedule
FRIDAYS
- Lunch Buffet 12NN to 2:30PM
- Dinner Buffet 6PM to 9PM
SATURDAYS
- Lunch Buffet 12NN to 2:30PM
- Dinner Buffet 6PM to 9PM
SUNDAYS
- Brunch Buffet 11AM to 2:30PM
To reserve your table, call landline number +632 8990 7888 or mobile number +63998 841 8972 or email [email protected].
Dine-in is subject to IATF protocols and procedures as well as government rules and regulations. Terms and conditions apply.
Terms and Conditions:
- Reservations are required. Walk-in seating is subject to table availability.
- Only guests 18 to 65 years old will be allowed to dine in. Proof of age is required upon arrival as needed.
- Maximum of 10 persons per reservation according to QC LGU guidelines. Subject to table availability.
- Guests may only remove their face mask/shield when eating at their table. All other areas will require to wear face mask and face shield at all times.
- Contactless payment is encouraged for settlement of bill.
#ItsALLSAFEAtNovotel
