Caffe San Marco's Lunch Buffet: A Review

     It was a lazy day when my brother and I visited this restaurant in Legazpi City for our next buffet adventure. We were both feeling sleepy that time and we thought that perhaps some good food will perk up our moods. And we were right!

     Hey guys, welcome back to The Pinoy Wanderer! Here’s another restaurant in Legazpi City that absolutely deserves a spot in my list of awesome “Buffet Destinations in Albay.” 

     I’ve visited this restaurant in the past and have tried their breakfast buffet which, at that time, was an incentive for staying in their hotel. This time, with my brother, I’ll be trying out their lunch buffet to give you guys a peek on what to expect in case you go visit them. Without further ado, I introduce you folks to -- Caffe San Marco.

     Caffe San Marco is a restaurant inside Hotel Venezia in F. Aquende Drive, Legaazpi City. They have breakfast and lunch buffets all days of the week, from Mondays to Sundays. Schedule of their daily lunch buffet is from 11:30AM to 2:00PM for only P250.00 pesos per head. Below is Hotel Venezia’s location on Google Map for your reference.

     We arrived at the hotel around 11:30AM and because we’re already starving, went directly to the restaurant. Here’s what was served on the buffet table that Friday lunch:

     For starters, they had Tomato Bisque Soup and Crispy Tuna Rolls.

     Their tomato bisque soup was  not as creamy as the ones I've tried but I liked it nonetheless. I love everything with tomato and their subtly sour version definitely engaged my appetite.

Appetizer: Tomato Bisque Soup

     I consumed four slices of crispy tuna rolls, how embarrassing, haha! Crispy tuna rolls dipped in mustard? I can eat them anytime!

Appetizer: Crispy Tuna Rolls

     After I'm done with the appetizers, I filled my plate with steamed rice and checked the rest of the selections on the buffet table.

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     First on the main course are these sautéed veggies: Sautéed Bokchoy (left on the photo below) and Adobong Sitaw. My brother and I love Bokchoy (or Chinese Cabbage) and we usually put them in our sinigang. Caffe San Marco's sautéed Bokchoy certainly have hit the spot. Adobong Sitaw (sautéed string beans) was also good too. Nothing too special about these dishes, that’s actually how I normally cook my veggies when I was on my own in Manila -- so yeah, that's why I was able to connect with them instantly.☺

Sautéed Bokchoy and Adobong Sitaw

     Most fish recipes have aftertaste that I don’t like but the two fish dishes they have on the buffet table that Friday were absolutely great-tasting. You should definitely try their Pan Fried Fish Fillet with Hoisin Lime Glaze (photo below)…

Pan Fried Fish Fillet with Hoisin Lime Glaze

… and their Fish Cutlet ala Milanese. The names are a bit hard to spell (needed to take a photo of the name tags so I’ll get them right, pfftt) but there’s nothing hard about them. Tender to the bite and really tasteful. The sauce that they’ve used for each dish also complemented the taste. These two dishes have made eating fish a lot easier for me.

Fish Cutlet ala Milanese

     Next on their buffet table is Szechuan Pork. Szechuan (or Szechwan) is a style of Chinese cuisine characterized by bold flavours, particularly the pungency and spiciness resulting from liberal use of garlic, chili peppers, as well as the unique flavor of the Sichuan pepper. Caffe San Marco's Szechuan Pork is a well-balanced dish that's not really too spicy nor too pungent. I find this dish very easy to eat: tender, meaty and on the contrary, seasoned just right.

Szechuan Pork

     For their chicken dish, I truly enjoyed their Roast Lemongrass Chicken. Roast Lemongrass Chicken is classic roast chicken with a kick of lemongrass flavor which I like.

Roast Lemongrass Chicken

     And yes, you can ask the food attendant to prepare for you their Pork Sisig which is still part of the buffet package. Here’s the classic pork sisig they served on our table. Who can say no to pork sisig? Yummm!

Pork Sisig

     Watermelon and pineapple slices for dessert...

Dessert: Fruit platter

… and some blueberry crepes and cherry crepes. They were good!

Dessert: Blueberry crepe and Cherry Crepe

     Bottomless refreshment (which on that day was iced tea mixed with orange) is also part of Caffe San Marco's lunch buffet package.

     My brother and I both agreed that Caffe San Marco’s buffet dishes are well thought of, very tasty and satisfyingly delicious. We were able to enjoy their food as well as the friendly, intimate ambiance.

Some more photos...

Look, it's 11:30AM yet I look like I just woke up. LOL!

     As you can see on the photo above, I'm just about to start with my soup and crispy tuna rolls...

... while my brother Jeb is halfway done with his plate.  I guess he was much hungrier than I am, haha!  We were both really hungry (and sleepy) that day, thankfully Caffe San Marco's lunch buffet did not disappoint.

Other Points of interest:

The place - Caffe San Marco is a fine-dining restaurant inside Venezia Hotel and features Italian-inspired cuisines. The place gives off a villa-style impression with the comfort and convenience of modern day amenities. The restaurant is well kept, classy, and perfect for those with discriminating taste. 

 

My brother Jeb (in blue) and myself (in white). I admit I don't look any better (LOL!) but I certainly look more awake in this than an earlier photo above when I'm just about to start eating.

Jeb at the hotel lobby...

I think Jeb was asking me which way to the restroom and I said: "that way!" Do I look angry? Haha!

The people - with places like Venezia Hotel, I expect the staff to be refined, accommodating, and that they should treat their guests with respect and kindness. They did not let us down. This is the sort of place where you bring special people in your life to hang out and have fun, thus, people who serve you and take care of you should make your experience better but not get in the way of your good times. Awesome job guys!

Your money's worth - absolutely worth every penny. I was told that they have different entrees everyday so yeah, I'm ready to be surprised the next time I visit them for another go at their buffet.

You can contact Caffe San Marco at this number: (052) 481 0888
You can visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hotelveneziaofficialfanpage

     That's it for now folks! Thank you for joining me in my adventures. See you on my next buffet destination!

UPDATE: Caffe San Marco's daily buffet is no more, they have scheduled buffets instead. Visit their facebook page for details.

Check out my other reviews featuring "BUFFET DESTINATIONS IN ALBAY"


Tags: Caffe San Marco Hotel Venezia lunch buffet schedule, Café San Marco, Buffet Destinations in Albay, restaurants in Legazpi City, Albay