Manila Hotel now serves Halal food with certification from Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Incorporated

I’m not familiar with the taste and how the halal food is being prepared and serve, and this is my first time to eat halal food in a buffet style serving at the Café Ilang-Ilang of Manila Hotel, and I didn’t expected that all my favorite food are prepared and cooked in a halal way. The big news here is that they got a Halal certification from the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Incorporated (MMHCB, Inc.) last August 1, 2012. And starting September 2012, they will offer halal certified food in the buffet of Café Ilang-Ilang and also to room service menu. Manila Hotel can now offer halal food and meals to Muslim and Middle Eastern guests, this is the 1st hotel and commercial dining in the Philippines to receive a halal certification.

I learned some info from Chef Hanna Usman (photo above), who is the supervising chef for Manila Hotel’s halal kitchen and stand beside Manila Hotel’s Indian Head Chef Kiran Singh, they are the one incharge of making sure that all products prepared are halal. Manila Hotel prepares a new section of kitchen that is exclusively for cooking halal food.

The taste of halal is very special for me, I discovered that eating halal food is healthy, because animals are also taken care of and slaughtered properly and unlike those in a poultry or farm which is very unlawful to our Muslim friends to eat it, the preparation is different and it’s a must for a Muslim person to follow these guidelines based on Qur'an.

It’s a special food adventure for me to try halal food and it was my best meal ever! I can’t believed that I already forgot my diet and finish my food with 3 plates on the table. All meaty and tasty halal food, I just can’t let go my favorite – kambing caldereta, lamb roganjosh and beef rendang.

If you are curious on halal food, I super recommend that you try the halal food buffet in Café Ilang-Ilang in Manila Hotel, you can also try their other cuisine, they have a wide selection of food.

For inquiries, please call 527 0011 local 1260 to 62 or visit www.manila-hotel.com.ph.

Cafe Ilang Ilang - Buffet Price

Breakfast - Php 1,200 ++

Lunch - Mon to Sat - Php 1,800 net

Sunday Brunch - Php 2,000 net

Dinner - Sat to Wed - Php 2,100 net

Steak Night Thursday - Php 2,500 net

Children age four and below eat for free.

Presenting the Manila Hotel’s Halal Kitchen and Menu, this is now offered forever and it will be available everyday in Manila Hotel.

The Halal Certificate, this will prove that the halal food are authentic

My quick view of the buffet area at the halal section of Café Ilang-Ilang, the hala food are located at the far right corner of the restaurant.

You can spot the mosque mini building at the halal buffet area, I think the set up is made of sand sculpted into a mini mosque.

Chicken Biriyani rice
- best rice for your halal food, the rice contains some chucks of chicken meat, you can get the rice only.

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Roganjosh lamb
- my favorite halal food (and also Indian food), very tasty and I love any food with tomato sauce on it, when I eat this, I feel like that I’m in heaven.

Fried Prawn

Samosa

Kambing Caldereta
- another favorite that I can eat it forever

Beef Rendang
- I also love this, not that spicy, but you can tell the exoticness of the spice flavor – tomatoey salty sweet feeling in your taste buds. I super love the sauces.

Chicken Pastil

Here’s the other side of the halal food buffet

Vegetable Cutlet
- I also like this veggie cutlet, it’s a veggie patty that was deep fried, crunchy and softy in inside

Plain Basmati Rice
- also known as long rice, I didn’t eat this because it will be heavy inside my stomach

Mixed Vegetable Curry
- I love the taste and concept of this curry veggies, I can try it at home, with a simple veggie cuts and curry sauce, a must try too here in Café Ilang Ilang

Paneer Butter Masala
- Its an Indian cottage cheese in tomato sauce with buttery creamy taste.

King Kebab
- hmm its like your ordinary kebab but the meat is different, I’m expecting a roast beef, but looks like the beef is grinded and filled in a long sausage like bread and cut it into pieces after baking.

Fish Metti Curry
- fish in curry sauce, very tasty and spicy taste (not chili ha)

and here are from their salad section

Shrimp Salad

Mixed Veggies

Taboulle

Vine leaves

All salad veggies are best served with Babaghanuj and also Humus

My wife pours some salad vinegar oil to her veggies

Olives

Another look of the halal kitchen and menu of Manila Hotel

The certificate

Okay, so I roamed around the Café Ilang Ilang, I got informed that we can cross over to some of the cuisine, but that day I dedicated myself only to halal food. Its my first time here in Café Ilang Ilang and I ‘ amazed on the set up of their buffet and also cozy ambiance.

Dessert area are so lovely. I’m going back here next week.

more sweets and chill food

cakes and pastries

Another way to the other buffet area

Italian style is here

Yup, this is a cheese

Pizza mania is non stop

customized pizza for you

Leaning tower of Pisa is made of pasta

Let the sunshine in, this section of Café Ilang Ilang is for people who love to eat with natural light, and also a good spot for food photography

The chef that can assist you for your Italian food needs

Café Ilang Ilang dining area

sofe style chair for guests, perfect for young and old people

my first plate for lunch

my lovely wife with sparkling eyes…because its lunch time hahhah

my 2nd plate, with all meat and sauces

President and Director of Manila Hotel – Mr. Joey Lina

A rep. from Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Incorporated (MMHCB, Inc.) speaks about the halal food for Muslims and non-Muslims.

Manila Hotel Indian Head Chef Kiran Singh

Manila Hotel gets Halal Certification from the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Inc. (MMHCBI) In photo:Manila Hotel F&B Manager Anthony Panganiban, Manila Hotel Human Resources Director Aurora Caday, Manila Hotel Resident Manager Raniel Vicarez, Manila Hotel Senior Vice President Georgina Banaag, Manila Hotel President Atty. Joey Lina, MMHCBI Chairman and Mufti of the Assembly of the Darul Ifta of the Philippines Sheikh Abdul Wahid Inju, Manila Hotel Executive Chef Konrad Walter, and MMHCBI Exec. Director Mariam Pasigan Daud, Chef Nazruel Sekh, Chef Hanna Usman

Manila Hotel gets Halal Certification from the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board, Inc. (MMHCBI) In photo: MMHCBI Exec. Director Mariam Pasigan Daud, Chef Nazruel Sekh, Chef Hanna Usman, MH Indian Head Chef Kiran Singh, MH Executive Chef Konrad Walter, MMHCBI Chairman and Mufti of the Assembly of the Darul Ifta of the Philippines Sheikh Abdul Wahid Inju and MH President Atty. Joey Lina