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Explore this stylish restaurant tucked away in historic Manila.

Daily Mirror Room. Favorite room of President Aquino

Casa Roces is a restaurant/café located in the historic district of San Miguel, Manila, right across the most influential address in the country: Malacañan Palace. This quaint ancestral home owned by the Roces family, a long line of freedom fighters, pioneer journalists and artists, has been recreated into a stylish, classic restaurant in partnership with The Cravings Group (operator of the successful Cravings, C2 Classic Cuisine, and The Coffee Beanery chain). Peachy Roces Prieto and her daughter Bianca Santos have transformed this house into a delightful place for great food, art appreciation, and intriguing Philippine history.

In-house Chef Paul Cruz and Executive Chef Mira Cruz

A CLASSIC ABODE

On the first floor there is a coffeehouse aptly called Kape Chino, after longtime Manila Times publisher Chino Roces. Here you will find an outdoor wooden deck that features artwork of famous artists Eduardo Castillo and Impy Pilapil, a dessert bar, and a memorabilia and accessories shop. A bar also serves cocktails, wine, beer and liquor for evening patrons. On the second floor are a bistro, an art and family heritage gallery as well as private rooms decorated with a mix of Commonwealth elegance and modern touches. Paintings of great Filipino artists like Juan Luna line the walls.

Casa Roces caters also to private functions for meetings, conferences, parties and other celebrations as the facility has several function rooms that can accommodate small groups from five up to 200 guests. These function rooms are named after the family newspapers of past, specifically La Vanguardia, The Daily Tribune, The Daily Mirror, Liwayway, and Manila Times.

THE ROCES RECIPES

Lamb Caldereta

Oven -baked Salmon Wellington

Crispy Lengua Caesar SaladCasa Roces features the timehonored recipes of the Roces Family, highlighting the rich culinary heritage of Filipino and Spanish cuisines, providing sophisticated, sensual and yet a casual dining experience to the delight of even the most finicky guests. The Roces family is known for hospitality centered on food, thus the dedication to serve only the finest food amidst elegant surroundings and refined service.

Casa Roces’ wonderfully crafted Casa Roces’ wonderfully crafted menu of Filipino and Spanish dishes includes Lengua in Mushroom Cognac Sauce, Salmon Wellington and Pork Stew Binagoongan. The house dessert craved for by Casa patrons is hands down the Malacañan Souffle.

HISTORIC DINING

The peaceful and lush surroundings add to the pleasurable dining experience in this highly influential setting. Add to that the magnificentview of the Palace and its immediate surroundings. If you have time after your meal, you may want to have atour of Malacañan Palace and some other historic landmarks in the area like the centuries-old San Miguel Parish Church.

Casa Roces boasts of having served President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino and his cabinet, ambassadors and dignitaries, and the crème de la crème of Philippine society.

Despite this very exclusive guest list, the average check for a satisfying meal in Casa Roces can range from P450 to P700 per cover only!

That is indeed a culinary delight, made more memorable with a touch of history interwoven into the dining experience.

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The guest comments about the Sky Deck on Trip Advisor speak for itself.

“An absolute highlight is the rooftop bar with a beautiful view over Intramuros and the rest of Manila. Intramuros is also one of the better places to be in Manila.”
- TobsenBo,
Baden-Württemberg, Germany

“Breath taking view from the Sky Deck View Bar: 360 degree Panorama of Manila- great place for the sunset. And all this for a very reasonable price.”
- Coron1977,Augsburg, Germany

“Above 9 Spoons is the Sky Deck View Bar, which is my favorite spot. The restaurant opens at 6 p.m. in time for the famous Manila Bay sunset. But it is when night falls that the place becomes more romantic as Metro Manila skyline comes alive. This is an open-air venue with good ambiance. My dinner date with my wife just got more romantic. Food was great. Be sure not to miss Quesong Puti Fondue for appetizer, Bagnet Binagoongan for the main course and The Chocolate Wall for dessert. I can’t wait to go back to try other food in their menu. I simply can’t get enough of this place.”
- Majicka, Tokyo, Japan

“The absolute killer argument for this hotel is the great roof deck, right above the restaurant. You shouldn’t miss out on this panoramic view over the whole of Manila. Great for cocktails while watching the Manila sun set behind the pier.”
- J.M. Suliban, Switzerland

“REALLY GREAT restaurant, great rooftop bar with cool breezes, and close proximity to a shopping mall. One last thing, I have had Calamansi juice drink everywhere in the Philippines, but they have the absolute BEST recipe. I had 5 of them one afternoon on the rooftop. It looks like it is currently rated #1 and with good reason.”
- PNJ Time, Bay Area 

Taking advantage of its location and pairing it with great food, Sky Deck View Bar at The Bayleaf Intramuros has captivated its guests with this combination.

Sky Deck View Bar at the top of The Bayleaf Intramuros with Ed Vitug, General Manager of the hotel

Intramuros—a name that literally means within the walls—has always held an important role as Manila’s historic center and oldest district. The Walled City has been declared a National Historic Monument, although there are also fears that it may be on the verge of irreparable loss and destruction, according to the Global Heritage Fund. And in recent years, it may have been overlooked as a dining spot, given its location.

It is fortunate that within the three mile-circuit of these protective walls, a new boutique hotel arose in November 2011 that promised to provide a restful experience for its guests. The Bayleaf Intramuros (The Bayleaf) has already won Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice Award for 2013 and Agoda’s prestigious 2012 Gold Award since it opened.

ADDING A DIFFERENT HOTEL DINING EXPERIENCE

Of course, it has been important for The Bayleaf is to take advantage of its unique location while creating a different dining experience for its guests. The hotel, in fact, boasts to its guests that no visit to the hotel will be complete with out a visit to the Sky Deck View Bar, with its 3600 views of the old and the new Manila, plus our world famous Manila bay sunset.

The hotel’s young and dynamic General Manager Ed Vitug, together with Executive Chef Carlo Santiago, designed a bar menu that will make you return again and again. These dishes include Kanji Beef Salad, Fried Hainanese Chicken Rice, an array of tapas and pizzas. The Sky Deck’s signature ice tea should not be missed. On weekends, the Sky Deck offers a mouth watering buffet and live music.

THE SUCCESS OF BAYLEAF

The success of The Bay Leaf in terms of both their rooms and food business is very encouraging, specially because this first class boutique hotel is 100% Filipino in concept, management style and operations.

The Bayleaf will soon be opening a Trattoria in their huge terrazzo on the third floor, directly facing the old walls of Intramuros. Their culinary offerings here will specialize on ‘wood fired’ dishes.

For this hotel that has been experiencing occupancies in the very high 90s, what else might they whip up next?

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Hospitality Human Resources chiefs ‘Tete A Tete’ with Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz at the Mandarin Oriental Manila. The Association of Human Resources Managers in the hospitality industry recently met with Sec. Baldoz to discuss human` capital issues concerning the Tourism & Hospitality industry.

Seated from left: Stella Santiago (The Bayleaf Intramuros), Anabelle Ochoa (Tourism Industry Board Chair); Grace Del Rosario (Hospitality International); Grace Fernandez (Manila Polo Club); USEC. Rebecca Chato (DOLE); Sec. Baldoz, AHRM President Vic Alcuaz (Narra Hospitality, Inc.); Barbarra Reyes (Mandarin Oriental Manila); Angie Blanco (Asian School of Hospitality Arts); Judith Imperial (The Cravings Group); Wilma Estaura (Ayala Hotels & Resorts). Standing From Left: Ed Valenciano (De La Salle - College Of Saint Benilde); Nina Quinto (Marriott Hotel Manila); Ed Vitug (The Bayleaf Intramuros); Ferlyn Leyson (AIM Conference Center); Merril Yu (Y&S 1874); Grazie Magsalin (Heritage Hotel Manila); Choy Baltazar (Dusit Thani Manila); Mimie Reyes (Lyceum of The Philippines University); Joseph Lao (Intercontinental Manila); Vene Geronimo (Philippine International Convention Center); Arlyn Alino (Island Cove Hotel & Leisure Park); Andre Alip (Hotel H20/Manila Ocean Park); Irma Andaya (Fairmont-Raffles Makati); Lanelle Barba (Waterfront Manila Pavillion); Dave Romano (Holiday Inn & Suites Makati); Kat Matundan (Richmonde Hotel); Myra Yamsuan (Intercontinental Manila); Gueul Auste (New World Makati Hotel); Au Caday (Manila Hotel) & Christlyn Maranoc (Hospitality International).

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Vic Alcuaz with DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz (Photo by: Jomar Lagmay, LCO)

“Enabling the People to Feel the DOLE”

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz receives a token of appreciation from Vic Alcuaz, President of the Association of Human Resources Managers in the Hospitality Industry (AHRM) during the tête-à-tête held at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, Makati City.

PHOTO RELEASE 086-2013
June 07, 2013
Ref: Director Nicon F. Fameronag
527-3000 loc. 621/622 • Telefax: 527-3446

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The hospitality industry in the Philippines is filled with some of the best, highly productive, and passionate stars at all levels. This industry continues to grow at a steady rate of 5% annually, contributing to the over-all economic performance of the country, which grew by 7% in 2012, second only to China in this region.

The abundance of wonderful hospitality people prompted me to accept an authoring challenge to write my first trade book, which I have aptly titled Hospitality Superstars. The book will be published and ready for a launch in the last quarter of 2013. Choosing my 10 superstars was not an easy task. Suffice it to say that these 10 surely deserve the honor and recognition. I would like to introduce to you the 10 Hospitality Superstars who will be featured in this book:

Alfred Reyes

Alfred Reyes
Chief Operating Office, Quantuvis Resources Corporation

Alfred is considered the youngest Filipino to become a General Manager of an international hotel in the country at the age of 36. Alfred started his career as a Sales Executive of the Hyatt Regency Manila in the mid-’80s rising, to his current position as Chief Operating Officer of the owning company of the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila at the Ortigas Center.

Vanessa Suatengco

Vanessa Suatengco
General Manager, Diamond Hotel Philippines

Vanessa is the first Filipina general manager of a fivestar hotel in the Philippines. Her meteoric rise to the top hotel post did not come easy, having to learn the ropes of hotel operations very much on her own. Vanessa was a human resources practitioner, before venturing into the operations side of hotel management in 1995. Vanessa was named Hotelier of the Year in 2008.

Leticia Delarmente

Leticia Delarmente
Dean, School of Hotel & Restaurant Institution Management, De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde

Dean Lettie Delarmente is in charge of one of the top (if not the top) hospitality institutions in the Philippines. The De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde was wise to appoint a dean of her caliber, having been a long time industry practitioner in the fields of human resources, administration as well as operations with hotel chains like Nikko and Days Inn.

Gee Auste

Gueul Auste
Director of Human Resources, New World Makati City Manila Hotel

Gee Auste considers himself lucky to be alive today. He survived an assassin’s bullet that ripped through his face, arising from a hotel labor dispute in the mid-’80s. Gee is the longest staying HR Director of a five-star hotel in the country, having held his current position since the hotel opened in 1993.

Peggy Angeles

Peggy Angeles
Senior Vice-President, Sales & Marketing Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts

Peggy started her career in Shangri-La as Director of Sales of its very first property in the Philippines, the EDSA Shangri-La Manila. She is the highestranking Filipina in this internationally renowned hotel chain, which continues to be one of the world’s most admired hotel companies. Peggy was named Hotelier of the Year in 2009.

Bobby Horrigan

Bobby Horrigan
General Manager, Acacia Hotel Manila • Managing Director, Enderun Hospitality

Bobby is a hotelier inside and out, asleep and awake. He is the kind of General Manager everybody would love working with. A great mentor, an inspiring leader. After graduating from Les Roches in 1992, he joined the pre-opening team of the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong as a management trainee at the age of 21, the youngest in Hyatt then. Bobby was recently honored as Hotelier of the Year for 2012.

Arthur Gindap

Arthur Gindap
Area General Manager, The Ascott Limited

Arthur holds a unique distinction of being a country head for the largest international serviced residence company based in Singapore. Arthur worked with other distinctive hotel chains like the Mandarin, Shangri-La and Swiss-Belhotel. He was named Hotelier of the Year in 2007.

Ed Vitug

Ed Vitug
General Manager, The Bayleaf Intramuros

Ed Vitug is one of the best Filipino general managers in the country. His expertise in food and beverage was honed while working in Edsa and Makati Shangri-La, Sofitel Philippine Plaza and the Intercontinental Manila. His first break as General Manager was to open a boutique hotel in Intramuros, The Bayleaf which he has successfully steered to be one of the best hotels in the metropolis.

Merril Yu

Merril Yu
Chief Executive Officer, Y&S Hospitality Consultants • Managing Director, GHM Hotels Philippines Inc.

Merril worked with some of the world’s best hotel companies like the Four Seasons, The Peninsula Group and the MGM Mirage. He developed, opened, and managed the Xianglu Grand Xiamen, China’s biggest hotel with 1,525 rooms, just before returning to the Philippines in 2007 to become Executive Vice President of SM Hotels & Entertainment.

Martin De Castro

Martin De Castro
Program Manager for Food & Beverage, Shangri-La Academy

Martin de Castro is a born mentor. His soft and gentle approach to teaching is his very best asset, endearing him to his students at first contact. Martin has worked as F&B Manager for both Edsa and Makati Shangri-La before accepting the role as Program Manager for Food & Beverage of the Shangri-La Academy in Beijing.
Click here to download the report.

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