Business Lunch Buffet @ News Cafe - Ramada Manila Central

When we think about the food in Ongpin and Binondo, we almost certainly have pictures of Chinese dimsum flashing right before our eyes. There’s the usual dumplings selection (pork siomai or shrimp hakaw), steamed/fried buns (siopao, xiao long bao, and the like), Peking duck, bean curd, chicken feet, and other delights that are very ‘stereotypical’ for Chinese cuisine. So when we saw this deal from LivingSocial (Ensogo) about a ‘Business Lunch Buffet’ in Ramada Manila Central’s News Café, the curious ‘foody’ in me wanted to find out what else Ongpin had to offer…

Situated right beside the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz (formerly known as Binondo Chruch), Ramada Manila Central boasts of a different dining experience in Ongpin through their fairly newly opened News Café (I think they opened late 2012). The New York Times-themed resto is on the mezzanine floor of the hotel and is said to specialize in Western/Asian cuisine.

Quite frankly we were amazed when we got inside this place. Through the hustle and bustle of Ongpin, we were instantly transported into a very clean, serene, and elegant place the very second we walked in. In fact, we actually asked ourselves if we were still in Ongpin! This place could rival any other hotels that you could find in Makati, BGC, and the like (very worthy of its 4-star rating).

The Hotel Facade
(Photo courtesy of Ramada Manila Central website)

The Hotel Lobby
(Photo courtesy of Ramada Manila Central website)

Pictures of 'Old Manila' hung across the room. The lights emit a very cozy feel which is very relaxing. To top it off, they have an LED TV which incidentally is tuned-in to the TLC channel which makes you hungrier (almost like they're mocking your tummy - in a good way). The place is perfect for casual business meetings, meet-ups with a client you want to impress, a lunch date with your special someone, or simply for people who want to momentarily get away from all the ‘city life’. A place to sit down, relax, and most importantly, eat good food…

Speaking of which, let’s take a look at their ‘spread'. All the items in their menu and buffet often changes depending on what’s ‘in’ the market for a particular month (especially with fruits). This says Manager Bong when he came by and chatted with us while we were admiring the place (and taking some pictures).

The News Café offers a ‘Business Lunch Buffet’ which is only Php370 (roughly around US$9-10). So why ‘Business’ you ask? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe it’s because this buffet is offered during weekdays only and because of that, most of the people who avail of it are mainly from the business district near the hotel (but then again, I may be wrong).

Anyway, our deal didn't include any drinks but we were given the option of availing their 'Unlimited Drinks' promo which allows you to drink as many glasses/cups of soda, iced tea, coffee, or any juice available for a reasonable price (Php100 or roughly US$2). The buffet starts at 11:00AM until 3:00PM so you have lots and lots of time to enjoy the place, the people you're with, and of course the food.

For starters, they have their bread station with 2 baskets filled with bread and some butter/marmalade on the side. They also have mantao and kutchay dumplings which are placed in an old style steamer (cute).

They also have this cute and tasty treat that they call 'Chili Beef in Crispy Cups'. It's somehow reminiscent of sisig shooters or mini tacos... but with its own personality. We loved this one!

Next is their salad station... They have a big wooden bowl of mixed lettuce (different types) and a few other stuff that you may want to add to the mix (cucumber, tomatoes, olives, onions, and bell peppers(?)). To top it off, they have different dressings available for you (Caesar, Thousand Island, and Vinaigrette). Oh, and they have a big bowl of fruit salad too!

A buffet wouldn't be complete without soup. They served 'Pumpkin Soup' and 'Beef Spicy Laksa'. Unfortunately, we didn't get to try any of these as (1) I don't really fancy pumpkin soup and (2) we thought the 'Beef Spicy Laksa' would upset our stomach due to the coconut milk in it. If you share our sentiment, don't fret. As was mentioned above, the food selection often changes so you might be served a different variety of soup on your visit there. (cross your fingers!)

Next on the 'line up' is their 'Cold Cuts Platter' and a square-cut sliced 'Pesto and Margherita Pizza'. We didn't get a chance to sample the platter however, we loved the pizza. The crust was thin and crunchy, there wasn't any lack of toppings either. However, we always found ourselves in a situation where the toppings would detach itself from the crust whenever we bite into the pizza (leaving us with the crust and a layer of tomato sauce). I wonder why... hmmm. =P

They also had some 'Fish Fillet with Tomato based sauce' and some 'Sweet Style Grilled Chicken Fillet'. Frankly, I forgot what they were really called as we couldn't help ourselves from taking samples of the dishes and devouring them immediately. To my dismay, I even forgot to take some pictures. (Darn you hungry tummy!) T___T

Along with the buffet selection, the deal that we got from LivingSocial (Ensogo) includes ‘1 Hearty Main Course Selection from the Menu’. The selection, we were told, often changes as well. At the time of our visit, they had a very interesting ‘line-up’ for the day.

Pillow legs, my forever adventure companion, chose ‘Pork Tonkatsu’ (as it seems to be her life mission to find the best tonkatsu in the metro). While on the other hand, I chose ‘Pan Seared Salmon with Teriyaki Glaze’.

Food was good! The salmon was perfectly seared on the outside but tender and flaky on the inside. It's pure melt-in-your-mouth seafood goodness. The 'Teriyaki Glaze' seals the deal with its savory and sweet coat. Unfortunately, PillowLegs couldn't say the same for the tonkatsu. According to her, it's not necessarily bad, the pork was tender and juicy plus it was fried to a golden brown finish. I guess her bar is just set to a higher level than most as she has tried almost all tonkatsu's out there. For me though, it's somewhat 'up there' in my list of 'tops'.

I was curious as to why they served our selections on one plate… Maybe because we’re a couple? Or perhaps our table was already crowded with plates? I guess this is one of life’s greatest questions that will never be answered for me… =P


If you think we're done, you are definitely wrong. The buffet also has a pasta station which lets you eat as many plates of pasta as you want. They have a basic selection of sauces to choose from (red sauce, white sauce, and oil-based sauce) plus you can choose from a variety of other things to top your pasta (ham, bacon, olives, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions). The kicker? They cook it right there in front of you. =)

Simple Pesto with Olives

The last and best part of their feast is, of course, their desserts. They have a halo-halo station where you can make your very own mix of the ice treat (topped with leche flan and cherry), unique tasting ice cream, a huge selection of bite size cakes, ‘dessert shooters’, and as if your sweet tooth hasn't had enough, a chocolate fondue! What did we like best? The shooters!

Warning: These babies are very addicting.

Overall, our newly discovered Ongpin dining place lived up to their ‘star rating’. They provided us with good food, a cozy place to enjoy it, and a very accommodating staff to boot. A huge ‘Thank you’ to the very friendly staff/crew of News Café for making our dining experience here a blast! We will definitely come back here and spread a good word about the place.

From left to right: ChubbyCheeks (me), PillowLegs (sitting), Kevin, Manager Bong,
Joanna, and Kristine

News Café
Mezzanine floor - Ramada Manila Central
Ongpin Cor Quintin Paredes Sts
Manila 1006, Philippines
Phone: +63 2 623 7144
Website: http://www.ramadamanilacentral.com

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

(Date of Visit: July 4, 2013)