The next 17 days are the best days to dine at Novotel Manila because of the “MASARAP NGA! MEET AND EAT”—a food festival showcasing seventeen products from the most promising Small and Medium-sized Food and Agribusiness Enterprises (SMEs) in the Philippines.
Thrown together by the country’s famous online food critic who goes by the alias “Kat Abaan Jr.” a.k.a. MasarapBa, the Masarap Nga! Meet and Eat is a reverberation of the MasarapBa online community’s clamor for a grand foodie event. Thanks to Novotel Manila Araneta Center, the outcry was (promptly) heard.
“Finally, it’s happening. We can realize this project that has been popularly in demand by both my online followers and consumers who have been yearning for food that they are comfortable with and yet offer innovative concepts and experiences,” Kat said.
Months of preparation led to this day. According to MasarapBa on an interview with ABS-CBN, the challenge was to coordinate with a number of people but satisfyingly, getting the chefs of Novotel to approve the “ingredients” from the SMEs went smoothly.
For Kat, the main goal of Masarap Nga! Meet and Eat! is to open opportunities for and empower the SMEs, so getting an institution like Novotel to agree with the collaboration is truly beneficial.
Novotel Manila Araneta Center’s General Manager, Mike Brown, strongly supports MasarapBa’s ambition for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs who clearly have potential. He affirms Novotel is aligned to creatively promoting these small businesses through the property. He then expressed his gratitude towards the SMEs and MasarapBa at the official launch of the Masarap Nga! meet and Eat!
“Novotel Manila is not just a fun global brand that provides the best for its guests but it’s also a cooperative member of the community. We are grateful that Masarap Ba? chose us for this creative collaboration which also includes some of our food products. This innovative move brings out the best of both local players and our hotel’s global culinary team,” he said.
Featured Small and Medium-sized Food and Agribusiness Enterprises:
1. Benedicto Kitchen
2. Daddy Mikks
3. Papa Bear
4. Mishees
5. Beth’s Chicken Galantina
6. Che-che’s Gourmet
7. Mad Meats
8. La Petite Fromagerie
9. Gng. Bukid
10. Eddy’s
11. Tamagochips
12. Halfsaints
13. Lia’s Cake in Season
14. Cake Shots
15. Mango Grill Manila
16. BuenLago Kitchen
17. Auro Chocolate
18. LSL Chocolates
The products are Mad Meat’s homemade bacon, Beth’s classic chicken gallantina, roast beef and baked salmon by Benedicto Kitchen, Binagoongan and Chicken flakes by Mishee’s, Gourmet Tuyo by Che-che’s Gourmet, Cream Cheese by La Petite Fromagerie, Zero-sugar Peanut Butter by Gng. Bukid, Papa Bear’s chili oil, Tamago Chips, Eddy’s old style chicharrones, Mango Grill Manila’s Cheesy Cassava, the 64% Dark Chocolate Tart by Halfsaints, Auro Chocolate Cacao from Davao, Daddy Mikk’s Chilli and Garlic Crunch, Buenlago Kitchen’s Indie Sauce, cupcakes by Cake Shots and Le Sucre Club’s dream cake.
Some of my favorites:
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Cassava Cake of Mango Grill |
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Dark Chocolate Tart by Half Saints |
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Choco Dream Cake of Le Sucre Lab |
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Pizza Bianco featuring Mad Meats’ smoked crispy pancetta |
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Daddy Mikk’s Garlic and Chili Crunch is featured in this Aglio Olio pasta dish |
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Just me enjoying the buffet |
Parting Words
SMEs teamed up with Novotel Manila’s global culinary team to create mouthwatering, innovative, top staple dishes for you to enjoy at a buffet lunch (Php1,588nett) or dinner (Php1,688nett) from March 29 to April 14, 2019 at the FOOD EXCHANGE MANILA located at the ground floor of Novotel Manila Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. If you want to satisfy your inner foodie while supporting local entrepreneurs and advocacy to help stray animals, don’t miss this 17-day event!