Kusina Sea Kitchens at Hilton Manila: Filipino Favorites Cooked Fresh Dampa-Style
Have you ever wanted to feast dampa-style but for one reason or another you’re just not comfortable heading to the market to pick out your food before having it cooked to your liking? I’ve had this dilemma many times. First of all, I am not adept at choosing the freshest seafood. Second, when I am showing around some guests, especially foreign, it’s always slightly embarrassing to take them to our local wet markets. The smells and sights are not exactly appetizing. Frankly, many of the restaurants there are slightly sticky and smelly as well.
Thank God for KUSINA SEA KITCHENS at Hilton Manila. I’m glad I discovered that the buffet there offers the same perks as the dampa without having to go through the not-so-pleasant aspects. Let’s jump right in to the paluto section of the buffet.
Right in the middle of the buffet spread, you’ll see the Talipapa Fresh Market section. Here, you’ll find baskets of fresh seafood. The good thing is, the staff here already does the most of the selection for you. You’ll only find the freshest crabs, squid, shrimps, salmon, mussels and other seafood. You won’t have any sneaky market vendors conning you to buy what they need to dispose of.
It’s basically dampa for dummies. Just grab a bucket, fill it with the best seafood and hand it over to the kitchen staff to work their magic. You can tell them your preference of cooking style and flavor. I like my seafood grilled or flash fried with butter and garlic, but the staff will gladly accommodate your other requests.
Another thing that I really like about KUSINA SEA KITCHENS is the fact that there’s really so much more than just the fresh seafood. I’m a huge fan of their Filipino section. The local dishes were done well, with very little tweaking. That’s exactly how I want my local dishes to be served, the way I had them while growing up.
You’ll find the classic favorites like kare-kare, sinigang, lumpia and the like. It’s a good place to bring someone who wants to try a variety of local food.
There’s also a good spread of international dishes if you’re dining with someone who’s not too familiar nor comfortable with Filipino fare. Pizza, roasted meats, sushi and a variety of noodle dishes are on hand as safe options.
My personal favorite is the dimsum station!
With this being a buffet, there’s also a customary salad bar, cheese and charcuterie selection, as well as a room full of desserts. Frankly, considering how expensive it is to eat at the dampa places nowadays, this is a great deal!
Buffet Rates:
| Lunch 12noon – 2:30pm | Mon-Fri | PHP1850 |
| Brunch 11:30am – 2:30pm | Sat-Sun | PHP2300 |
| Dinner 6pm – 10:30pm | Mon-Thu,Sun | PHP1950 |
| Dinner 6pm – 10:30pm | Fri-Sat | PHP2300 |