Sand Under My Feet: Romulo Cafe at Azumi Boutique Hotel Alabang

Romulo Cafe is one of those restaurants in Manila that I really like because of two things: the menu and the ambiance. Their menu consists of old-fashioned Filipino comfort food which are mainly heirloom recipes of the Romulo family. The beautiful and well-thought of interior design of the place is something that can't be missed.

It is one of the metro's most beautiful restaurants, very elegant and relaxed at the same time. I'm a sucker for restaurants with eye-pleasing interiors and ambiance because it truly adds a lot in one's dining experience, if I can say so myself.

Sandie Romulo Squillantini and her husband Enzo Squillantini conceptualized the idea of celebrating the legacy of Sandie’s famous grandfather, General Carlos P. Romulo, through the medium of food. Together with their partners Ivy Almario, Yong Nieva, Liana Romulo and Irene Montemayor they set up Romulo Café, and Liana filled the restaurant with photographs & mementos of Carlos P. Romulo's family, friends and other world leaders.

During our staycation at Azumi Boutique Hotel in Alabang, I got to enjoy once more Romulo Café's, sumptuous food offerings. This is the third branch of Romulo Café, and they have covered the North to South of the metro for food-lovers to enjoy their menu. The first and flagship branch is in QC (North), the second is in Makati (Central) and the third is in Alabang (South). And I've also learned that they now have their first international branch in Kensington, London (which you can check out here). By the way, there's also a Romulo Café, at the roofdeck of Azumi Hotel, where the infinity pool is; but they only offer drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic ones) and bar foods.

Our accommodations at Azumi Hotel came with two buffet breakfasts at Romulo Café which runs from 6:00 to 10:00am. For the rest of the day the restaurant "offers" their usual menu. During our staycation at Azumi, it was raining so we ditched the plan to eat at Molito and decided to have dinner at Romulo Café instead. Here's what we ordered:

Beef Kaldereta with Keso de Bola - chunks of stewing beef sautéed in olive oil and garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, then slow-cooked in tomato sauce and sprinkled with keso de bola.

Gising-Gising - string beans and ground beef cooked in coconut milk

Pandan Rice

Cool as Cucunmber - fresh lime, fresh cucumber, mint leaves

Orange Juice

Calamansi Shake

The following morning we availed of our free breakfast also at Romulo. Since we are 3 pax we availed another buffet breakfast 400++ pesos. The breakfast buffet spread are as follows:

The menu was just the usual food items you can whip in your kitchen, nothing is a stand out even the taste (it pains my heart to say that). But the breakfast buffet spread never went empty -- which was good. Then again I don't think it was worth 400 bucks. But what can you do, you're eating inside a restaurant inside of a hotel which is normally costly.

Also when it is time for the breakfast buffet you can only order anything from their menu after 10:00am. I was expecting something at par with their signature menu. I still love Romulo Cafe's original menu, I hope they can incorporate even just a bit of that in the buffet breakfast selections. Anyhoo, I "still" enjoyed filling up my tummy with my peanut butter and jelly sandwich made from scratch, the variety of cheeses and their fresh juices before taking a dip in Azumi's infinity pool.