Home to countries in temperate and tropical climates, Asia unsurprisingly nurtures a dizzying array of dishes that run the gamut in terms of flavors and textures. Diamond Hotel Manila’s Corniche pays tribute to this varied selection with its Asian Culinary Masters food festival.
From June 15 to 17 and June 19 to 25, the lunch and dinner buffet spread at Corniche will feature dishes from different countries in Asia on top of the usual buffet items offered by the restaurant. Each Diamond Hotel chef will demonstrate their mastery of dishes from the region.
Chef Mon Luyao will highlight the flavors of Vietnam while Chef Ramon Quilon will focus on Filipino favorites. Chef Deo De Guzman brings the heat with his Thai dishes while Chef Roel Pollero will dive the culinary depths of India. Chef Yang Yong showcases his background in Chinese cuisine while Chef Hiroshi Masuda will pull double duty as he prepares Japanese and Korean favorites. This will all be led by Diamond Hotel’s new executive chef Ooi In Jin, who will bring back memories of his childhood in Penang as he whips up Malaysian favorites.
In the Corniche Kitchen Station, some of the additions include Seafood Kare Kare, a modern take on a Filipino classic, Kroeung Pork, a Cambodian braise using pork shoulder and pineapple in a turmeric curry, and Baked Mussels with Sambal May and Sauteed Eggplant.
The Chinese Kitchen will feature Singapore’s Chili Crab and Inner Mongolia Roast Beef with wrapper. Meanwhile, the Western Kitchen will have Thai Red Curry of Beef Cheek and Eggplant, Ca Hoi Kho, a Vietnamese salmon dish, and Indonesia’s Tumis Lidah Cabe Ijo which uses beef tongue as its main ingredient.
The Indian Kitchen will feature Shrimp Tandoori, Nepali Chicken Momo with curry sauce, and a perennial favorite, Lamb Biryani Rice. Meanwhile the Japan Station will have Korean-style Fried Chicken Wings with spicy sauce, Chap Chae, Chicken Teriyaki, and Miso-flavored Stewed Beef Cheeks.
Those who want a warming soup are in for a treat as the restaurant will be offering Laksa as well as Bak Kut Te, an herbal pork rib soup using various Chinese herbs for a deep and flavorful broth. Finally, to end the meal are different Asian desserts such as Ketayap — a pandan crepe roll with grated coconuts, Sago Gula Hitam — a sago pudding with brown sugar and coconut milk, Pandan Cheesecake, Rose-flavored Sago Cake, Sang Kaya Fakthong or pumpkin pudding, Matcha Swiss Roll, Bubur Cha Cha and more.
