The world is your OYSTER at Circles Event Cafe, Makati Shangri-la Hotel

Summer is here and you know what I'm wishing I can do at the moment?

To wake up to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, to be able to comb my feet over meters after meters of powdery white sand and to indulge and have all the seafood that my tummy can take. That would be one great vacation and while I'm miles away from home at the moment, all I can do now is to daydream about it. Nuninuninu....

We all know that an oyster is a famous aphrodisiac. It has been linked with l-o-v-e from way back that's why most Valentine's Day dinners would normallly have oysters as part of their menu line-up. However, did you know that oysters are also considered brain food as they can boost your mental ability and it can balance your mood too. Personally, it was only lately when I found the guts to eat oysters. Having a very sensitive tummy, I take extra caution when having shellfish and I only eat them in places that I trust.

Thus, when I received an invite from Circles Event Cafe in Makati Shangri-la Hotel, I immediately said yes as they are one of the best hotels in the country and you can definitely expect top notch quality when it comes to food, service and experience. Circles recently launched their Oyster Festival which happens every Monday.

Don't worry as you'll still be able to have your favorite Circles dishes but with the addition of a lot of oyster-themed specialties as well. Piece of advice, never have oysters with an empty stomach. Therefore, do survey the other stations first such as the salad bar, cold cuts and cheese section or have some hand-rolled Japanese makis at the far end of the buffet. I had some Indian papadum, mango chutney and lots of cheese on my first round. A weird combination, I know, but these are my favorite starters!

As soon as I was able to cushion my tummy, I began with Oyster Maki, lightly breaded hand-rolled sushi filled with fresh oysters. It was so delicious! I love dipping this into my wasabi-soy sauce dip before popping it into my mouth. I think I ate half of this place before I realized that I have to share. :)

While Paul and I were enjoying our bowl of soup and some salad, a friendly man came over and look what he had! It was a tray-full of oysters! Oh, Paul had a ball! He got one of each and happily placed them in front of him. It looked so mouthwatering, don't you think?


Paul's a big fan of kilawin (raw seafood in vinegar) and this one, according to him, tasted like it. I tried the one with sweet mangoes on top and loved how good it was. No weird fishy aftertaste, I guess it really does make a difference when you're having fresh oysters.

In between our oyster feast, I headed to the Prime Rib carving station to have my meat. I love Yorkshire Pudding! I highly recommend that you have this with your steak. Yum!

Going back to my oyster feast, I had a couple of Baked Oysters with Spinach and Cheese. Now this is exactly the way I like my oysters. While the raw version was really fresh and good, I still love the overly cheesy, overly garlicky and really yummy baked version anyday.

What a delicious feast! We were told that these oysters were flown in from Europe as the yummiest oysters are those cultivated in extremely cold places. This is because winter oysters can get really meaty and fat thus they become more flavorful in the process. We never thought the temparature would make a difference. Now, our taste buds have been spoiled after tasting the creme dela creme of oysters.

We capped our dinner off with our favorite dessert treats from Circles Event Cafe. My staples are the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the chocolate fondue, salted caramel macarons and some homemade ice cream.

Mark your calendar and make sure to make every Monday night, Oyster Fiesta Night!

Buffet rate:
Adult - Php. 1,635++
Kids - Php. 817.50++

Circles Event Cafe is located at the Lobby Level, Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Ayala avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City. For reservations, call 813-8888.