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| Tower Inn's Selection of Kakanin. |
There are times when I find myself seeking comfort food, and I want to have my meal in my comfort zone. On days when I bring both my children to the doctor's for their regular check-up and vaccinations, I also schedule a trip to a merienda buffet right after. I tell my 2 helpful yayas Nene and Rollie to save space in their tummies as we would go to Tower Inn Makati for their all-you-can-eat Filipino food at their restaurant called Nick's Cafe. I have many reasons why I love coming back to this place.
The first reason: I get to have my fill of Pinoy favorites. Typical merienda fare include classic rice cakes or kakanin like puto, kutsinta, palitaw, maja blanca, and biko. There's also cassava cake, banana fritters, and turon. Another section of the buffet has hot offerings like arroz caldo, dinuguan, and pansit. Other savory items include tokwa't baboy, lumpia, and pork siomai. I want my kids to grow up knowing, liking, and loving! Filipino dishes. Narra, like any other toddler who's becoming more independent, likes getting to choose from the available selection. She's also fascinated with the presentation of hot food on traditional clay pots or palayok and the clay charcoal stoves they sit on.
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| Arroz Caldo, Dinuguan, and Tokwa't Baboy. |
A second reason is the ambience. I like coming here for a relaxing time away from the crowd. It is quiet and laid back. There's plenty of space for two strollers parked next to our table without being in the way of other patrons. And since this is the restaurant of a hotel, and the staff are steeped in the the ethos of hospitality, everyone is much nicer, from the guards outside assisting with the parking and opening doors, to the servers at our table. One can stay for an extended period without feeling the pressure to leave - I hate feeling rushed in busy restaurants! The afternoon buffet is open from 2 pm to 6 pm on weekdays, so I get to "park" my entourage here while doing a few other errands. I can do my banking just next door, and there's also a cool shop for baby-toddler stuff called Shop Familia a stone's throw away. I can take my time browsing through the shop as I am able to leave my babies with their yayas who are comfortable with being left behind since they have a buffet to slowly work their way through. An added bonus for me is the proximity of the place to the beauty salon my mom owns, which is just down the street. I give her a call and she's there in a flash and able to join us for some maximum togetherness.
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| Afternoon merienda with my mom and daughter: 3 generations of rice cake eaters. |
A third reason is the sensible price. For 150 pesos per person, the buffet is declared "super-sulit", or great value for money! by our household staff. They enjoy coming here because there's food they like served in abundance without the queuing and frenzy found in usual buffet restaurants. It's a good way to give them a calming and much-needed breather in between errands - without breaking the bank. Senior citizen discounts are honored so my mom gets to pay even less while small kids get to eat for free, so Narra didn't get charged at all!
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| Narra enjoying food she chose by herself. Yaya Nene in the background, doing the same. |
So what makes this place kid friendly? We were given a high chair immediately (a very good sign - this is the first gesture that makes me feel welcome in any food establishment). The hotel is handicapped accessible, which also means it is stroller-friendly. The dining area is laid out in such a way that even if there are other diners, you can find a secluded spot somewhere. It is relatively quiet, which helps a lot when you have a sleeping newborn. The place offers a relaxed and safe venue for introducing kids to a wide variety of Filipino delicacies. Coming here on a regular day is a pleasant undertaking, fuss-free, and simply rewarding. The most rewarding part: Narra was eating by herself, behaving well, and enjoying her food - plus, she added new Pinoy words to her vocabulary such as kutsinta, palitaw, and dinuguan! I hope these become her comfort food too in years to come.
For details on Nick's Cafe, visit Tower Inn's Website:
Related Posts on Kid-Friendly Restos:
Ice Cream Night at Swensen's
The Frazzled Cook in Mandaluyong
Wow, I didn't know this! I'll check it out one of these days. It's also a great venue to bring balikbayans.
ReplyDeleteHi Alex, I can imagine you with your staff doing a planning session for your farm projects here. Then maybe, you can offer your own Filipino merienda buffet at your farm - that would be an awesome foodie destination with amazing ambience!
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