Tried and True, Veniz

Being a bit of a forgetful person, I always keep a camera in my itsybitsy bag. With it, I can turn any day into a Kodak moment and now, I’ve got archives of photos saved on the PC that I can look back on to remember.

Looking at all the folders of photos I’ve taken, I noticed one thing; when it comes to eating out, I keep coming back to Veniz.  Whether it’s their café on the first floor or the grill on the third floor of the hotel, I’ve spent a lot of time with family and friends in these restaurants.  It’s not far off considering; they’ve got the complete package of what I look for from places to eat at.

food (calamari, steak, Spanish omelet, salad, potato nuggets), drinks (four seasons, iced tea, pina colada, strawberry shake) and the view at Veniz

Ahhh, comfort in the familiar.  (“,)  Veniz has a great selection of dishes that are easy on the pocket, not to mention buffets galore like Mongolian buffet; salad, pizza and pasta buffet; and the cake all you can buffet.  They also serve buffet breakfast but I haven’t tried that yet, although, I’m sure it’s good.  (Note to self: Wake up early to experience Veniz’ breakfast buffet at the peak season.  Emphasis should be placed on ‘peak season’ because maybe they only have the breakfast buffet when the hotel has a full occupancy.)

Cake All You Can (caramel cake, black forest, carrot cake, pandan cake, strawberry cake)

In comparing the sister restaurants based on the ambiance, I’d have to say that Cafe Veniz looks better than Veniz Grill.  Small though the place is, they’ve got fantastic murals on the walls that make you feel like you’re in medieval Italy.  I guess Veniz Grill has got its big windows going for itself.  With a view of the city, and the trees and soccer field of Melvin Jones, the best seats in the house have got to be at the two to three seater tables pushed against these windows.

P3 Hobnobbing with Medieval Italians at Cafe Veniz

Veniz Grill was one of the places that my friends and I (P3) started eating at when we found out that we all had the same love for good food.  It was near our workplace for one.  It’s near everywhere being in the heart of the city.  We usually go for their unlimited Mongolian buffet (about P200) where you can get your fill of fresh veggies and meats and also glasses full of iced tea.  You don’t have to worry about getting the mix of your meal right because they also have some sort of cheat sheet at the bar for sauces and seasonings for your food.  My personal favorite is the Veniz mix.  Among the three of us, it’s our resident baker, Karla, who explores other ways of sprucing up her Mongolian bowl.  Got the qualities of a real cook, that one. =D

Me and My Foodie Friends at Veniz Grill. Shout out to Mai, Pauk and Ruel! (“,)

There’s also soup available so that you can whet your appetite for the Mongolian feast.  I love being at Veniz Grill on Thursdays because the soup of the day then is potato chowder.  (Gotta love potatoes, right?)  It’s got a great flavor and it’s soothing to eat especially on days where I’m feeling lazy to chew.  Sometimes, it’s crossed my mind to just get a Mongolian bowl at the bar and fill it with potato soup.

In terms of the service at Veniz, you sort of get close to the servers especially when you go for the Mongolian buffet.  With them fawning over you for your selection of meats at the beginning of the buffet line and you waving them over for a refill of your iced tea, you’re bound to get chummy.  Here, you’ll be choosing the nicest servers, strategically planning when you raise your glass to signal a refill so he or she will be the one to see you.

On some visits to the café or the grill when we’re not so famished, we order some of their stuff ala carte.  I almost always go for their salad with balsamic vinaigrette, ensalada (yummm, green mango *Homer Simpson tone), their four seasons drink (Be sure to ask for a glass of water with this one, it’s the type of drink that’s delicious but leaves you feeling thirsty) or one of their shakes.  And then we’ll probably finish it off with a slice of cake.  Their potato nuggets also make for good picapica.  Getting a plated breakfast at Cafe Veniz, don’t forget to try their Spanish omelet.  You guessed it… it’s gooooooood.  Just be sure to mix it all up on your plate with some ketchup.

Ensalada (yum, green mango)

At Veniz, having a great time is always possible.  You’ve got all the ingredients there, good food for a good price, as well as good service that will guarantee a great time.

X (that’s me-Xine) marks Cafe Veniz and Veniz Grill for good food in Baguio.

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Cafe Veniz

Veniz Grill

Hotel Veniz

1 Abanao Street

Baguio City, Philippines

074 446 0700

hotelveniz.com

***credits to teachthemhowtoread.blogspot.com/2011/01/ahoy-me-hearties-here-is-great-way-to.html for the image of the treasure chest. Thank you so much! (“,)