Celebrations at Shangri-La

It all began in 1933 when a novel "Lost Horizon" was written by James Hilton about a mystical valley called Shangri-La and the main character Hugh Conway found the perfect place to be spiritually and mentally at peace. Sixty years later, October 18, 1993, the first international resort, Shangri-La's Mactan Resort & Spa was opened in Cebu with the theme to replicate the conditions of that fabled valley and 2013 marks its 20th anniversary.

Unfortunately, 3 days earlier (October 15, 2013), an earthquake struck Bohol and Cebu and the festivities had to be rescheduled. Then, another natural calamity, Typhoon Yolanda devastated Central Visayas last November 8, 2013. So much tragedy and misery in this 2013 Year of the Snake!

Christmas, the time to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ however cannot be postponed and the management of Mactan Resort and Spa led by its General Manager Marco Vazzoler supports this view. Instead of holding separate Christmas & 20th Anniversary celebrations, one dinner event na lang was decided to celebrate and raise funds to donate to the typhoon victims.

I joined my media colleagues in this celebration at this 5-star resort and top honcho of Cebu's hospitality industry. While the Christmas lighting ceremonies was on-going, I went to the Mactan Ballroom to take these food photos in all its glory.

An international cuisine selection was prepared for the guests with emphasis on Filipino, Chinese and Japanese with live cooking and live food preparations which is now the norm for many buffet dinners. It indeed whets your appetite to see your order, smell the wonderful aromas and even hear the sounds while food is being cooked.

Filipino dishes selected for the evening were the following: Chicken Inasal, Bistik Tagalog (Beef Tenderloin Steak, Filipino Style) and the ubiquitous Lechon Cebuano.  Chinese foods prepared were Chicken Kung Pao, Chinese Barbecue Platter and Steamed Sio Mai with Crab Roe.

There was a Japanese Food Station with Sushi, Salad Bar for Caesar's Salad, Live Cooking Pasta Station and my favorite that night, Oven Baked Whole Salmon, sitting in a lonely corner table.

Actually, rare are the times I eat salmon because of over consumption of salmon heads and bellies (sinigang, gi-un-unan) but there was something in the way the fish was presented with its back to the observer. There was difficulty in extracting all those delicious meats, fats and tendons but it was worth the effort.

Desserts served were: Bocarelyo, Chocolate Forrest Cake, Mini Tiramisu & Coffee Crème Brûlée and Mango Short Cake. Bocarelyo, a product from Carcar (other products are ampao and chicharon) is made with coconut and lots of food coloring applied to make it attractive. When it comes to choices for desserts, I am a very simple man, I sample everything.

Ending the affair was the announcement of the winners of the silent auction and the exciting live auction for the four gift vouchers from the sister hotel properties of Shangri-La. Proceeds were destined for the rehabilitation of baranggay Dalingding in Daanbantayan and your favorite columnist kept silent during both live and silent auctions because typhoon victim pud with residence in baranggay Agujo. [email protected]