Nope, we weren't blue at all. Conrad Hotel in MOA is a luxury hotel with a grand view of Manila Bay. Sure, other hotels near the Bay offer the same breathtaking view but Conrad takes it several notches higher. The lobby at the 3rd floor has glass windows from floor to ceiling that makes it impossible for any guest to miss sunrise, sunset, evening fireworks or even just the huge Ferris wheel by the bay.
Choosing where to dine can be a chore but my bet is you can't go wrong with any choice. The Lounge is perfect for coffee and desserts, but best for cocktails especially around sunset. A hearty appetite is what you need dining in the Brasserie while a more discerning taste (for Chinese cuisine) should rest well with China Blue. All 3 dining outlets are on the 3rd floor.
This is one classy Chinese joint. Really. I love the interiors, the appointments, the high ceiling, the handpainted charger plate, the glass windows overlooking the bay. The function room at the corner means unobstructed views of the Bay and the 7pm evening fireworks. Feast for your eyes and a feast for your bellies! The spacious room even has a lovely Chinese painting adorning a corner where a "waiting sofa" is.
I know. You want to know what we ate. I had a most savory clear soup while my friend went for the standard hot and sour soup. Except that it wasn't your "standard hot & sour soup". I would have wanted the soup to come a tad later after we've feasted on the dim sum but it wasn't my luck. You see, I tend to confuse my taste buds easily that I've made it a habit to take one dish at a time. But both are best eaten while still hot, so what to do, what to do?
It would be a shame not to linger and straight away dig into the dim sum. I mean, we so enjoyed how they looked, plated and all. Not your ordinary wild fungus, nor taro dumpling, nor truffle mushroom buns. The fungus was the best-tasting in all its "blackness". The taro dumpling with scallops looks different from what we've been used to, and tastes divine. But the steamed truffle mushroom siopao? How did they make those buns look like huge mushrooms? I kinda miss the truffle but I just love the playful presentation of these Chinese buns!
Midway through this feast, we decided we can do more healthy items like more stir-fried mushrooms served with a special vinaigrette, some Shanghai-style soya-braised fish, more tofu, and bang -- noodles & wok-fried rice 😂 Oh dear, all diet plans whizzed through those glass windows straight into the waters of Manila Bay. Everything we ordered was good, plated perfectly and promptly served.
We resisted any dessert suggestions and struggled to rise from our chairs. But not without making that final look at the handpainted charger plate and beautiful cups where we poured the fragrant tea from Chrysanthemum bulbs. But we weren't yet ready to go. We passed by The Lounge and imagined ourselves enjoying cocktail hours here while waiting for the sun to set. We checked out the Kenneth Cobonpue wide stools and before long, we made ourselves comfortable in the lounge. Coffee, Cappuccino flowed. And a single order of panacotta. T'was the only way to end a beautiful day. 😘
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