
Pata with sea moss, delectable, flavorful and very tender. Part of the Impressions of China Culinary Journey event at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu
Come in hungry, walk out happy!

Chef Gino Gonzalez drizzling seasoned salt on the crispy beef ribs with pepper sauce dish
Marco Polo Hotel has been in operation for the past six years, taking over from the defunct Cebu Plaza of yesteryear. And since its start, it has been celebrating its Culinary Journey, a 10 day celebration of specialized cuisines not only in regional Philippines but internationally as well with expert chefs flown in for that authentic cooking.

Chinese dish lineup
During the ten days, signature dishes are prepared and spread out through the duration of the culinary event thus you always have something to look forward to every time you visit.
Yesterday, I started with the hot and sour soup, a delicious thick starter with nori seaweeds, mushroom and other ingredients. But other than the hint of sourness, there’s that kick and bite, teasing your mouth to have more of it.

Hot and sour soup with nori loaded with a punch, a kick and a bite!
The soy chicken was just so great, flavorful. Crispy beef ribs in black pepper sauce drizzled with seasoned salt was just amazing. One of the dishes that I really like was the pata with sea moss. It was just so tender and with the right consistency that you just want to come back again and again for it. And these are just some of the dishes available for lunch that day. Thinking of the others being cooked and offered in another day can always pique one’s curiosity.
The problem with food buffets is that there is a tendency to taste all and with Cafe Marco, the choices can be overwhelming. There’s Japanese, Asian, Filipino and Cebuano (lechon Cebu anyone?), appetizers, Western, salads and desserts. You just have to take pieces and bits to put on one’s plate or decide to come back another day just to try it all.

Plate of chinese food with emerald rice
The chocolate cake with caramel sauce is memorable: moist chocolate cake with strips of mangoes and, of course, the caramel sauce. The thought of it now makes my mouth water.
There are cakes and chocolate fondues. Choco mousse and native rice cakes that is definitely Cebuano: bibingka, Mandaue version. But there is one dessert that you should never ever leave out: the creme brulee.

This is it! The only dessert that you should not leave out at Cafe Marco! Heavenly Green Tea Creme Brulee that will make your heart flutter with delight.

Malicious cookies
Coffee and tea is on the house with every buffet meal. The malicious cookies are also great: white choclate base with dark choco chips, and plenty of it. Their fresh lemonade is also very much recommended which is really made with American lemons and so good.

Cafe Marco
Is the buffet at Cafe Marco at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu expensive? Breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets are present everyday. But its the lunch (P998) and dinner (P1222 with crabs, oysters and other seafood) that are quite intersting. What’s more, the almost monthly Culinary Journeys introduces you to so many interesting cuisines that you can always have a reason to visit Cafe Marco.
Come hungry, walk out happy. That’s what I experienced.
Impressions of China, a Culinary Journey at Cafe Marco will end this 7 October 2012. It will be followed by Octoberfest and the French Food Festival by November. Keep updated of promos and special events at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu.
Yum! Food is one of my favorite things about travel, and almost everywhere I have been the food has been so much cheaper than here in Philippines. Traveling through Asia was just delightful with all of the cheap street food everywhere 🙂 Great post!A mouth-watering list; I’m especially intrigued by the Malicious cookies entry. Looking forward to get same food on my tour of Bergen.
when you get to go to Cebu, do try the malicious cookies. my friend told me that it really didn’t have a name but guests and patrons kept looking for it and probably one mentioned ‘malicious’ cookies and it just stuck 🙂
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