I was invited to join Marriott Hotel's online Christmas tree lighting event and subsequently learned about Marriott Cafe's November 11, 2020 buffet offering that was the first time they introduced the new normal dining protocol.
Having previously written about the hotel for Appetite Magazine and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, it was a welcome idea to revisit an old haunt, somewhat like meeting an acquaintance after so many years.
The pastry shop at Marriott Café greeted us upon arrival and it didn't feel much different from what I remembered when the hotel first opened.
Gifts were readily available for purchase. Other food promotions were also offered especially for take out meals.
A jeepney made of gingerbread was displayed in the hotel lobby. The Christmas tree also had the same gingerbread theme.
Reservations were needed to join the Marriott Cafe buffet event and the guests were asked to bring their own pens. The first thing the receptionist required upon arrival was to scan the QR Code to facilitate the ordering process.
In our case, we tried several phones but could not load the website so in the end, we were given printed menus to check our orders. One of the changes implemented included having the food served at the table instead of the guest going to the buffet station.
Upon seating, the guest is given a contact tracing form to fill up and an envelope where the face mask can be stored. The utensils were also wrapped in plastic.
We were seated at Cru Steakhouse that offered a more intimate and quiet dining experience. However, it was far away from the buffet station that may explain why we waited so long for some food items like the grilled prawns and steak.
Of course, the event was also fully booked and the servers tried their best to attend to everyone.
One of the highlights of the buffet selection was the fresh seafood.
Crab cooked in garlic and ginger. The orders were served single portion. Drinks given were iced tea and water.
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The mall was quiet and the casino closed. One of the personnel explained that the main casino was under renovation and never really opened after the big incident reported in the news.
