It has been almost a month now since this EATSperience. We have been swamped with lots of work before our much awaited Christmas break. Yes, it has been a long time but believe us, this EATSperience is worth the wait. Just in time for the Holiday Season, we visited Cucina at the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, with friends from Zomato Philippines. It was to EATSperience the Venetian Christmas vibe the hotel has prepared for their guests. More importantly, to EATSperience what Cucina has to offer during the festive season, where Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is packed with guests and diners alike. In this EATSperience, you will see a video tour around Cucina and of course, read about our personal favorites ala Mr. and Mrs. Eats. Are you ready to EATSperience Cucina through EATSplorations? Here it goes, enjoy!
Welcome to Cucina!
Cucina took us to Venice with their Venetian inspired Holiday Season decors. We loved the blue and white. The view of the city was also something that we enjoyed. So, if you are to make reservations, make sure to request for a table near a window to have a lovely EATSperience.
Let’s take a look around Cucina!
The food choices at Cucina was good enough for us. Meaning it had enough choices to keep us coming back to try the things that we loved. It had enough stations that attracted our grumbling tummies. Japanese, Grill, Pasta, and Dessert stations just to name a few. At the end of it all, we were able to try most of it which was good. But, what’s even better was that we were happy with what we tried especially with the things that we didn’t expect that would be that awesome.
Time to EAT!
Before we proceed to adult food, we would like to certify Cucina as one of the few restaurants we have been to that was “Baby Eats Friendly.” Why? Well, one of the staff warmly asked us if he can get Baby Eats something and we just asked if he had bread so our baby can try out her milk teeth. After a few minutes, he returned with a complete set of spoon and fork, baby plate, bowl and cup. How cool was that? It was certainly a great start because of Cucina’s well-trained staff! Bravo!
[Mr. Eats]Â I was able to eat almost everything that was on the buffet that night but my favorites on the savory side were: Roasted Pork Belly, Tuna and Salmon Sashimi, Osso Bucco, and Carbonara. I loved the pork belly because it had a crispy skin and it had aromatic and tender meat. Both tuna and salmon sashimi are my buffet staples. The Osso Bucco (Milanese specialty of fall-off-the-bone braised veal) was a revelation! Great flavors from simple ingredients. It was my first time to have carbonara from a cheese bowl and I loved it! I loved its freshness and richness of flavors. I think I got more than I should have but it’s all good.
[Mrs. Eats] Aside from their very inviting spread, what made me like Cucina was, their friendly staff. From the servers all the way to chefs behind the different buffet stations. Among all the stations, Japanese station has always been one of my go to area when dining at a hotel buffet. My favorites has always been Tuna and Salmon Sashimi. I also loved that they have a variety of Sashimi and Salads. Aside from the Japanese station, I also enjoyed seeing the Paella cooked on the spot and the Carbonara in a huge cheese bowl. The fresh seafood station was a plus for me and the Italian dishes were so festive not to give it a try. And i’m glad I did. As the dishes were as good as how it was presented. Packed with flavors and aroma!Â
Dessert!
[Mr. Eats]Â I am not a big fan of the Black Forest Cake that is why when one of the chefs asked me why I just ate one, I was pleasantly surprised. I am doubtful until now if that was really a Black Forest Cake, but I loved it. I got two of it to share with my wife and guess what happened to the second one? It never reached her. It was just too good to share. The ice cream on top of the crepe were great! I loved the fragrant and not overly sweet pistachio. It was just right to cleanse my palate and end a wonderful meal on a sweet note.
[Mrs. Eats] If my husband loved the Black Forest Cake, I certainly loved their Signature Chocolate Cake! Layers of chocolaty goodness in one slice. From the crust to the decadent chocolate mousse topped with cream and chocolate icing. The apricots gave it a citrus flavor that complemented the sweetness of the cake. Superb creation!
We had a great time at Cucina! We loved the quality of their delectable dishes and their impeccable service. Our Cucina EATSperience made us forget all the trouble that we had to go through just to get to Ortigas and going back home. It was all worth it! The food, the service, the whole EATSperience was simply amazing. Perfect for the Holiday Season. We would like to thank our friends from Zomato Philippines for inviting us in this one of a kind EATSperience. Also, thanks to the hardworking people behind Cucina for serving up an amazing buffet spread and for taking good care of the EATSplorations family. That’s it for this edition of EATSplorations! Till next time!
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Cucina
24th Floor, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, Sapphire Street Corner Meralco Avenue, Ortigas, Pasig City
+632 720 7777
Email:Â restaurant.mnl@marcopolohotels.com
Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
Operating Hours:
Breakfast Buffet: 6:00am-10:00am
Lunch Buffet: 12:00nn-2:30pm
A la carte: 12:00nn-10:30pm
Dinner Buffet: 6:00pm-10:30pm
Budget: 3000-4000 php for two
EATSplorations 