Around the world in MARKET CAFE

In the Philippines, a market or “palengke” in Tagalog parlance is more than a place for buying the fresh produce of the day. It is a beehive of activity and reflects the way of life in the community. It is here where news is exchanged, kitchen tips are shared, deals are made and of course so much haggling occurs.

The buzz, variety and excitement of the traditional market is the idea behind the new Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila’s flagship restaurant called – what else but - Market Café. The striking difference is that this market is in a five-star setting and what is showcased here is the global kitchen with all the textures and flavors of the world’s great culinary destinations.

Since it opened a few months ago, Market Café has aroused the curiosity of discriminating diners eager to sample the latest offering of the prestigious Hyatt chain. While the idea of an "open kitchen" is nothing new (think Wok Inn!), the café can be credited for bringing it to perfection. In Manila’s bustling tourist district dotted with all sorts of cuisines, Market Café is pioneering a lifestyle trend which puts emphasis on fast, fresh and healthy eating.

A point in fact: Pots of fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary and dill are grown right beside the roasting stations for everyone to see. And it’s not just for show. They are for the convenient use of the chefs who can be seen grilling and roasting mouthwatering specialties like lamb, chicken and beef right before the very eyes of drooling customers.

"We believe that ice cream should be frozen. Everything should be fresh," declares Hubertus Cramer who, as Executive Chef, is in charge of the new Hyatt Hotel & Casino’s various kitchens.

Prior to being posted in Manila, Cramer was opening executive chef for the Park Hyatt Melbourne and the Hyatt Regency Incheon in Korea where he also experimented with the same show kitchen concept, aptly described in the hotel brochure as elevating cooking to a "performance art."

"We have no secrets here, the chef cannot hide. I show you my quality, and it is only the very best," Cramer says in explaining the idea for Market Café. Because everything is transparent, guests can see the cooks flipping the crepes, turning the steaks or tossing the noodles and how the chicken is browning in the oven. Even some of the ingredients such as the cheeses, whipping cream, bottles of honey and sausages are on display in the neatly-arranged refrigerator showcases in the main dining area.

Cramer appeared to us as gracious and charming as much as he was precise and uncompromising. Much to our amazement, he told us that the oysters he gets from a supplier in Aklan are laboratory-tested for the absence of bacteria before being shipped to Manila daily. The kitchen is also as clean as the restaurant. And because the upscale resto wants to give its customers an authentic dining experience, even the miso used in the cafe is imported from Japan. Their wasabi, we noticed, was the genuine one because of the smooth vegetable taste, not like the harsh flavor of the dyed horseradish used commercially.

"It is really not a matter of how fancy you are but how consistent you are," Cramer explains.

After having been duly apprised by the executive chef of Market Café’s virtues, we then decided to tour the buffet areas for the scrumptious selections. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Our first destination was the Western Kitchen which can be distinguished by those gleaming Le Creuset pans hanging from an overhead rack. Meats, fish, seafood and vegetables are grilled and roasted in this section. My roasted lamb was one of the best I’ve had so far..so succulent and perfect. The chef warned me not to put too much gravy as I could lose its natural taste and I agreed. In the counter, one could have pasta with a choice of sauces as well as an array of delectable accompaniments to go with the main dishes. The heaping bowl of hot pumpkin soup is the closest thing to home cooking one can get. Pizza lovers can rejoice with different varieties baked in a wood-fired oven.

We made a stop-over to the Anti Pasto Station which had an assortment of cheeses, cold cuts, sausages and other appetizers. I relished the tomato mozzarella salad and foccacia bread which I dipped in both salsa verde and olive tapenade.

Vegetarians can head off to the Salad Bar for fresh greens but I chose to be in the Crustacean Station where I had my fill of those aphrodisiac oysters shucked in front of me by Chef Malcolm. Also available are shelled fresh prawns, crabs, mussels and clams lying on a bed of ice.

As expected, the Japanese Kitchen looked Zen-like and very classy. I was afraid of using the expensive-looking glazed tableware for fear they might break. Then I remembered that Japanese cuisine encompasses three elements: The artistic presentation of the food, the selection of the plate or the serving piece, and the taste of the food itself. Needless to say, this kitchen fulfilled all expectations. Filipinos already accustomed to the usual tempura can expand their horizons further by trying the different kinds of sushi, sashimi, teppanyaki and kushiyaki (broiled Japanese-style barbecue). My underrated favorite was the tofu with sushi rice filling. Every bite seemed like a taste of heaven.

Certainly one of the most popular and interesting sections in the café is the Chinese Kitchen. The chef de cuisine, Choi Wing Ki, speaks a smattering of Tagalog and will gladly pile up your plate with savory dishes like sweet & sour pork, beef in oyster sauce, spareribs, soy chicken and the ever-reliable yang chow fried rice. The place is a virtual trip into Chinatown with all those dumplings being steamed in dainty baskets, roast specialties such as pork shanks and belly hanging on skewers and assorted noodles boiling in pots. The presence of four other Hong Kong chefs assure you that this is "the real thing."

Now I don’t have a sweet tooth but the Bakery and Dessert Kitchen sure made me put off my resistance to those tempting, calorie-inducing desserts. At the helm is award-winning pastry chef Victor Hasting who has lined up an array of saccharine delights which include cakes, chocolates, homemade ice cream, crepes, pies and even native kakanin like maja blanca and turon.

To go with all of these, Market Café has a long list of drinks which one can order from the bar . My friends and I have been raving about the iced tea which is not your generic iced tea but available in exotic flavors such as raspberry, guava, chrysanthemum and ginseng. The health-conscious may choose from celery, cucumber, carrot or apple juice. The wine list is also extensive and have been imported from vineyards in Chile, Australia, Argentina, Italy, South Africa, Spain and California.

We learned from public relations manager Sharon Samarista that Market Café is just a preview of better things to come. When the hotel’s grand doors formally open in February, gourmands will have sampled the Cantonese offerings of the Lily Chinese Restaurant and The Fireplace, a premium steakhouse which will also boast of a wine library with over 2000 famous wines from all over the world.

On the other hand, tourists and travelers alike can now sample the hotel’s 378 luxurious guest rooms, the exclusive Regency Club, banquet facilities and the new generation casino which covers 15,000 square meters of gaming area, the largest in the country.

Market Café is open 24-hours a day. Buffet hours are from 6 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (breakfast), 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (lunch) and 6:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. (dinner). Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila is at 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar St., Malate, Manila.