Hotel Review: Raffles Makati (Why It's My New Favorite Hotel)

I didn’t get to treat my husband for Father’s Day last year because we were still reeling from all the changes that having a little one brings (for me, breastfeeding was particularly challenging). Since our daughter is bigger, I decided that for his second Father’s Day, we should celebrate in style.

I booked us a Junior Suite at Raffles Hotel. I got this at a 50% discount using my Citibank Premier Miles card. I love the promos in Citibank’s Love To Dine and Love To Travel. Yes, I have a weakness for discounts. Not a paid post, by the way.

The minute I set foot on the hotel, I felt welcome. How can I not when the doorman greeted me, “Mrs. Gallares, welcome to the Raffles Hotel.” Very personalized.

The lobby, though not as elaborate nor grand as Shangrila’s or The Peninsula’s, was tastefully done and so much to my liking. It had all the charm and elegance of a quintessentially British drawing room, separated from the Writer’s Bar with floor to ceiling bookcases. Seeing books instantly made me feel comfortable. The Writer’s Bar is just the perfect venue for an afternoon tea and a date with the girl friends.

When my husband and I saw our suite, we reconsidered the look of our new house, which we are renovating. The room was exquisite, with hardwood flooring, luxurious linens, an intimate parlor, a bath with double sink, and the dreamiest soaking tub.

Each room is assigned a butler. Ours was Carl, who showed us the features of the room and was promptly at our doorstep whenever we needed anything.

Of all the Philippine hotels I have stayed in, Raffles Makati hits the highest mark in terms of service, which is at once attentive yet unobtrusive. All throughout our stay, I received warm smiles and all my requests were promptly attended to.

My husband and I slipped away from our daughter for about two hours to dine at Mireio, which serves our favorite Provençal cuisine. My husband loved his steak while I relished every bit of my clams marinières. The clams came with frites but I opted for the crusty bread to sop up the juices with. We had a fine meal.

The complimentary petit fours

Breakfast was at Spectrum, which the hotel shares with Fairmont Hotel guests. The selection was not extensive but well-curated.

The regular rate includes breakfast, and all-day refreshments, classic afternoon tea, and evening cocktails and canapés at Writer's Bar. Worth every penny.

Raffles Makati is an all-suite hotel that is small and intimate so you receive a proper amount of attention. Upon checkout, I was presented by My, the front office manager, with a box of chocolates from Café Macaron as a parting gift.

This is the kind of hotel I would go back to, again and again. And the great news is, it is now part of the Accor group (together with Sofitel, Novotel, etc.) so I can use my stay to continue racking up Accor loyalty points soon (integration is within 18 months).

Easter Break 2016 (Part II): Dean & Deluca

I’ve always liked the pizzas and pastries at Dean & Deluca so that’s where I took the pamangkins for dinner.

Dean & Deluca is a popular chain of upscale grocery stores that started in New York in the ‘70s. The lone store in Manila, however, is more a restaurant than a culinary emporium.

I was curious about these flavored sugar

The first time I visited the restaurant, I ordered its honey-glazed pork ribs and all-American grilled cheese sandwich, both of which were good, but not as memorable as its banana quinoa bread and carrot cake. I’ve also had the occasion of trying the Parma pizza, which earned my approval.

This time around, we got to try a wider selection because I knew my foodie troupe were up to the task of polishing off everything that was served on the table.

The girls, Joanna, Jenna and Julia, started with the slow-roasted pumpkin soup, which earned three thumbs up but with the qualification (by Joanna) that it’s still not as good as Cibo’s.

The crispy calamari was exactly that, and the squid was tender, not at all chewy.

This was Joaki’s choice, the herb-roasted chicken au jus. The slow roasting was evident in the tenderness of the chicken, which was deliciously seasoned. However, I found an off-putting alcohol-like taste in the barley chorizo risotto.

The skillet meatballs stopped me in my tracks. I didn’t expect to find the meatballs of my dreams at Dean & Deluca. The Angus beef ball falls apart in your mouth and it goes exceptionally well with the rich flavor of the arrabiata and peppery arugula. An exceptional bite. We loved it so much we ordered another plate.

The butifarra con salsa funghi e tratufo

Of the pastas, the butifarra con salsa funghi e tartufo was highly recommended but I’d say go for the good ol’ carbonara. Granted, it is not traditional because the noodles are slicked with cream, not egg (although there’s a poached egg on top). On the merit of taste alone, this is a winner. And, mind you, it’s hard to find good carbonara (our favorite is the one of Manila Peninsula, which we ordered by room service during a stay).

The carbonara topped with poached egg

We ordered two pizzas, my favorite Parma and one we haven't tried, Sausage duo. I am no snob when it comes to pizzas and I enjoy the occasional Shakey's thin crust and Pizza Hut pan pizza as much as the next person, but seeing a well-made crust like this, all puffy with raised blisters, buoys my spirit. 

The Parma

The Sausage Duo, Joanna's preference

We capped off our meal with Joanna’s choice, the Hokkaido cheesecake. What a heavenly pick it turned out to be. I enjoy the occasional cheesecake but I usually gravitate more towards sponge cakes and meringue-based cakes like sans rival. This though, I totally dig. It’s lighter and less sweet than the NY variety, and its texture more akin to a soufflé or chiffon cake. Pillowy, velvety, ethereal--everything a cheesecake should be.

Happy diners

On more than one occasion, I have complained about the slow service at Dean & Deluca, especially at the takeout counter. I think this has been addressed somewhat. We did experience a snag when one of our additional orders wasn't placed but this was attended to immediately.

Dean & Deluca
Edades Tower
Amorsolo Drive,
Rockwell, Makati

Easter Break 2016 (Part I): Aruga By Rockwell

 

Since it was the end of the school year for my nieces (my nephew Joaki will have his by end April) and the eldest, Joanna, is graduating from High School, I arranged a staycation with them at Aruga by Rockwell this Easter break. As anticipated, there was hardly any traffic, the only time of the year that we Manileños get such a respite.

I booked a two-bedroom suite. It was a good size at 107 square meters with spacious living, dining and kitchen areas. It even has a laundry room with washer and dryer, which is practical for long stays.

The fully equipped kitchen

The rooms were rather small. The master’s bedroom has a king bed that can fit a couple and a child (or maybe a slight teen). The second room has a double bed that is good for two. You may request for a rollaway bed but since the rooms don’t have enough space for one, I assume it will be set up in the living area.The kids loved the soft beds so much they hardly noticed they were cramped. They slept so well they almost missed breakfast.

The master's bedroom

The second room

There were two bathrooms, one inside the master's and another beside the second room. I was expecting to find a bathtub but neither had one.

Probably one of the best things about staying at Aruga is getting access to the Rockwell Club. Aruga has its own pool and gym but the Club's are much bigger.

Aruga's pool area

The Rockwell Club also has more amenities to offer including a spa with its own Jacuzzi, steam bath, and sauna; a wider selection of restaurants such as the topnotch Chef Jessie; sports courts; and, dance and fitness studios. From Aruga, we took a buggy to take us to the Club (it was close by but we were on staycation mode).

The Rockwell Club's pool area

Julia at the pool

The Clubhouse all lit up when evening set in

The teens trying to earn their dinner

For dinner, we opted to go to Dean & Deluca (next post), which the kids haven't tried and is right beside Aruga. We had reservations at Powerplant Cinema for the 10:30 p.m. screening of Batman vs. Superman. I booked and paid for our tickets and chose our seats earlier in the day using their very convenient online payment system.

The following day, we had breakfast at Aruga's cafe. Since it was small and we were having our meal very close to the 10 a.m. cut-off, I anticipated it would get packed. I decided to advise guest services that we will be needing a table for five. They called our room when our table was ready (it didn't take  long). They had to set up our table at the lobby just outside the cafe entrance but we didn't mind.

The cafe

Inside the cafe

The buffet selection was spare but it had all the breakfast favorites of the kids such as cereals, beef tapa, corned beef, eggs, and pancakes, and bonus treats like lady fingers with nutella and chocolate eggs.

Aruga By Rockwell
Waterfront Drive, Rockwell Center,
Makati City, 1200
Metro Manila, Philippines
PHONE (632) 818 0000
FAX (632) 230 6732
reservations@aruga.com.ph

Pros: Location and proximity to shopping and a great selection of restaurants
         Access to the Rockwell Club and all its facilities
         Attentive Service
         Tastefully decorated and fully equipped suites
         Late checkout until 2 p.m.
     
Cons: Relatively expensive
          No bathtub
          Check-in was quick but the room wasn't ready even if we arrived late (we had to wait about 20 minutes)
          We spotted a roach in our living room but it was most likely an isolated incident because every corner of the suite was spotless

Mitsuyado Sei-Men: House of Tsukemen

I make it a point to try something random from time to time so when I arrived 30 minutes early for an appointment in Makati, I decided to swing by Jupiter St. to look for a new restaurant to try. Mitsuyado Sei-Men’s signage got me at its tagline, “House of Tsukemen.” I wondered, what is tsukemen?

When I stepped inside, I didn't expect to see the above interiors. It transported immediately to a corner of old-world Japan clustered with lantern-lit yatais that had steam rising off their kitchens. Yatais are mobile open-air food stalls that usually open at night and are carted away during the day.

The tsukemen

Tsukemen is a Japanese noodle dish where the noodles and broth are served in separate bowls. The serving style is not its only unique characteristic. Typically, tsukemen noodles, which are fat strings made of cake flour, are served cold, at which they are at their most al dente. You can also opt to have them served warm or hot. I had mine warm, and they were as chewy as I wanted them to be.

The broth of the spicy tsukemen had just enough kick to make my nose run slightly without blunting my taste buds. It was denser and heartier than ramen soup, making it perfect for dipping.

To eat, grab a hunk of noodles with your chopsticks and dip it in the broth, allowing the silken liquid to coat every string.

Searching online after my visit, I discovered Mitsuyado Sei-Men’s gyoza has been earning rave reviews, so there will certainly be another visit for me.

Mitsuyado Sei-Men
Monday to Sundays:11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
No. 22 Jupiter Street, Bel Air, Makati City
Phone 632-511-1390; 632-511-1759

Second branch:
Blue Bay Walk, EDSA Cor. Macapagal Ave. Pasay City
Phone 632-843-4329