Marco Polo Davao's Lotus Court, to experience Mabuhay Palace

Emilio Yap (listed by Forbes last year as the 13th richest Filipino), is now acknowledged for having the best Chinese restaurant, called the Mabuhay Palace, in the country. The Mabuhay Palace has gained its reputation for offering exquisite gastronomic fares featuring Cantonese favourites as well as the extraordinary blend of dishes inspired by the cuisines of Beijing, Hong Kong and Guangdong. The Mabuhay Palace has been quietly garnering praises from customers; and the respect of the country’s noted food critiques and reviewers.

Philippine Tattler duly gave recognition to the Mabuhay Palace as one of the country’s best restaurants in 2009. It has since become a charming stop for breakfast or lunch with its buffet offerings although the real draw is still its dinners.

The good news is, Davao’s food aficionados may now have the rare opportunity to feast on the famed five-star Chinese cooking of the Manila Hotel’s Mabuhay Palace at the Lotus Court of the Marco Polo Hotel-Davao this summer season (April to May). Mabuhay Palace’s culinary virtuosos namely executive sous chef Josephine Yu Tanganco-Candelaria and chef Wenceslao Gacutan (former chefs of Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s Tin Hau) are in town busily concocting delightful dishes using the freshest of ingredients and produce Davao has to offer. The Mabuhay Palace’s culinary masters offer a lot of exciting flavours, textures and aromas to delight the palate of the loyal patrons of the Lotus Court. Theirs is refined food, more popularly known as fusion cuisine, which makes for sensational dining at the elegant Lotus Court.

Undeniably, the Mabuhay Palace’s Chinese fare has been modulated to accommodate well-heeled international tastes, but I like the menu to quibble over it. The Long Life Prawns (celestially light, miraculously ungreasy), the Beef Cubes in Honeyed Peppercorn Sauce (reminds me of a yummy beef dish I ate in Singapore which lingers in my memory), the Honey-Glazed Chicken Fillet in Crispy young Ginger, and the Slow-Cooked Pork Belly simmered in Shao Sing Wine (tastes like the delicate Japanese dish su buta) offer irrefutable proof of that.

To end Mabuhay Palace’s family style dinner at the Lotus Court, you just have to try chef Josephine’s ingeniously concocted salted egg ice cream which took Manila by storm last month. “This original ice cream recipe was created from a wonderful culinary dream. I’ve made other good recipes from dreams I’ve had,” explained chef Josephine. Oh my, keep on dreaming, chef Josephine!

“Now you know why chef Josephine Yu Tanganco-Candelaria was handpicked by Mr. Emilio Yap himself. The good natured chef has since become the toast of the town. Chef Josephine thinks outside of the box and has masterfully created innovative recipes that have become signature dishes of the highly acclaimed Mabuhay Palace of the Manila Hotel,” said the recently promoted Food and Beverage Director of the Marco Polo Hotel-Davao, Bernard Bulaong.

“This is one good opportunity to try Mabuhay Palace’s celebrated Cantonese fusion cuisine, either through a la carte or sumptuous buffet style, right here at the Lotus Court of the Marco Polo Hotel-Davao,” informed PR Executive Meg Sta. Ines.