“Sweet Sixteen” Anniversary
Significant life events has been described as a way to share important milestones with family and friends. I have two significant life events related to food. The first is my induction as a member of La Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international gourmet society. This has opened a gateway to foods that I had previously read about only in magazines and books. The Induction and Gala Dinner was held on Jan. 30, 1996, at the Grand Ballroom of the Cebu Plaza Hotel.
The second is my appointment as Food Editor of this prestigious newspaper, The Freeman, on June 18, 2002. I clearly remember that my first food assignment was the Ilongo Food Festival at the Lantaw Seafood and Native Restaurant, Cebu Plaza Hotel in July 2002. Then PR manager Alissa de la Cruz and F&B manager Danny del Rosario were very accommodating as guides to the culinary gems of Bacolod and Iloilo.
Cebu Plaza Hotel ceased operations in March 2003, and reopened in April 2006 as the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, a company under the flagship of Marco Polo Hotels, a hotel management company based in Hong Kong and a subsidiary of Wharf (Holdings) Limited.
This year, 2022, Marco Polo Plaza Hotel celebrates its 16th anniversary! My good friend Marco GM Lara Constantino-Scarrow sent a box of confectionaries (Peanut Butter Cookies, Malicious Cookies and Chocolate Crinkles) with a lovely card that read, “Thank you for choosing Marco Polo Plaza Cebu’s brand of hospitality these past 16 years.”
I have written 860 articles in The Freeman Lifestyle Section and 140 articles featured, excuse me, the Culinary Journeys at Café Marco, Gala Dinners (La Chaine des Rotisseurs) and memorable celebrations held at the Marco Polo Plaza. It has been a charming and fruitful relationship!
Friends asked me if I have a new destination for appetizers in my restaurant jumps. Two veterinary colleagues invited me for a jump and I decided to start with dim sum from the Hai Shin Lou Cebu, which is located inside Marco Polo Plaza. We had our drinks (beer) at the Lobby Lounge. I ordered these the classic Pork Siomai, Steamed Pork Ribs with Tausi, Hakaw and Fried Seafood Taro Puffs.
The food was good, the prices were reasonable and it was a lovely starting point for a restaurant jump!