Oakroom Restaurant Pasig, Indian Food Festival in Manila!

Craving for something different this week? Check out this Indian Food Festival happening in Manila from today until March 1, 2013 (next Friday) at Oakroom! Let me give you a sampling below and if you want more, maybe you'll give spice-y world of Indian cuisine a chance. My spotlight today is again with this restaurant because it has made it into my Favorite Guiltless Date Places in Manila list. As I've said before in that post:
Eating different cuisines in Manila is a great way to experience a slice of life in different parts of the world. Read all about my previous Oakroom review here.
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A brief introduction of my food preference: I fell in love with Indian food (a particular dessert actually called Gulab Jamun) during my first try in Shanghai, China. When I came back to Manila, I wanted to broaden my Indian food vocab so I dragged J to New Bombay Restaurant (then newly opened in Wilson). My Indian favorites soon included Masala, Butter Naan, Palak Paneer, Mango Lassi - some things I could eat over and over leaving me fully satisfied and potentially, actually easily, making me a thousand-peso poorer haha (so expensive relative to other cuisines in Manila..). But I do know that these are just the tip of the iceberg. India is super big and for sure, there are many more dishes to try! I've been on the lookout for more Indian restaurants in the metro until now like that time when we went to Kashmir in Makati. I find that Indian food doesn't necessarily mean spicy, I think spice-y is my term (they call it "spice-kissed" - as in lots of spices in your mouth and rich flavors.


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So, Oakroom's Indian Cuisine Festival just started yesterday and it will go on until March 1, 2013. Indian Chef Ashutosh Nerlekar from Oakwood Bangalore (right below) is in town to bring the flavors of India to Manila =) 


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You have 6 Indian appetizers, 6 main Indian dishes and 3 Indian desserts to choose from (no soup). 

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The menu is a la carte so you can do an Oakroom normal buffet then just order more from the Indian Food Festival menu too! hehe. Here are the important dates to remember!


Indian Food Festival a la carte (until March 1, 2013) - bill depends on your order
Available Lunch 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Daily Lunch Buffet (ongoing) - P999++
Available Lunch 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Chinoy Friday Dinner Buffet (until May 3, 2013) - P888++
Available Fridays 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

American Sunday Brunch Buffet (until March 24, 2013) - P1699++
Available Sundays 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

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An experiment I tried during this event was to be considered "vegetarian" haha (because I can eat just Paneer, Indian cottage cheese, all day long). I was thinking it was easier (of all cuisines) to eat all veggies when it comes to Indian food because I already eat their veggie dishes, and cheese, without hesitation. And so, I was the only one who chose the vegetarian option I was told hahaha (of course I made a deal with my seatmate to try her dishes as well). Please note that the portions here are sample sizes so we got to taste a lot in the menu (actual sizes of the dish may vary). Some of the dishes are also not available in the menu and were just added by the chef for us (kasi nga vegetarian ako haha and I just like to complete the experience for this post, bait ni Chef diba?!).

Appetizers
From the left, Paneer Pakoda (fried cottage cheeeesssee!!! yum-my, ako na ang special at ako lang ang meron haha, not in menu), Aloo Tikki (I like this the most, all those flavors in your mouth) and Chana Palak Kebab (garbanzo beans and spinach with cashews, nutty and crunchy). All are yummy! I was super glad I chose vegetarian! Haha.

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For meat-eaters from the left, there's Mutton Galouti Kebab (minced lamb), Fish Amritsari (deep fried and full of spices) and Chicken Tikka (boneless, marinated in masala).

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Not in Menu
This one's a bonus for us - Tomato Rasam (tomato and lentil broth with fritters, tastes plain but suddenly very spicy kick in your throat after haha, not in menu). 

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They served us this long-grained Basmati rice Pulao to go with our main course. Although this is not in the menu, there's a Basmati rice dish - Biryani in chicken, mutton or vegetable options available in the Indian Food Festival a la carte menu.

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Main Courses (sample sizes only in my pictures, may not be actual size)
They said every main course comes with this finger food (Amuse bouche so to speak or bite-sized hors d'œuvre). Note: the serving is actually only as big as a 5-peso coin hehehe. But the flavor will burst in your mouth! It's a mini Masala Papad with some Red Kidney Bean Topping. Mmm..

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It may all look the same since they have almost the same color but trust me, it tastes completely different. From the left, there's the Paneer Makhani (no meat just cottage cheese! haha), some Dal (made of lentils or beans, basta tastes like monggo hehe, all meals will be served with Dal of the Day) and a vegetarian cauliflower concoction (not in menu, tastes good also). 

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These is the Paratha (not sure if included under bread in the menu) for dipping into everything! But I like it plain because it's stuffed with something inside. 

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Others like this one better.

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For meat-eaters, there's Dal, Allepey Prawn Curry (prawn with curry and coconut), Methi Murgh (boneless chicken in rich gravy) and two more - Mutton Curry and South Indian Fish Fry.

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Desserts
I made a new discovery for dessert. From the left, there's Gulab Jamun (like leche flan hehe, I like it warm and soft), raspberry sherbet (cleansed my palette, not in menu, vanilla ice cream in menu) and last but not the least, Carrot Hulwa (that's some small but terrible dish very nice haha, grated carrots stewed in milk and nuts)! There's another dessert called Bebinca (go figure! use Filipino haha).

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So there you have it! Have some Indian food for a change, you guys! You have until March 1 to go to Oakroom!

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The Oakroom Restaurant and Bar is located on the 6th floor of the Oakwood Joy~Nostalg Center (a premiere hotel for staycations in Manila).

Have you ever tried Indian food? If yes, what is your favorite dish (doesn't have to be in this menu)? If no, what dishes would you like to try first from the Indian Food Festival a la carte menu (you can enlarge the menu photos) and who would you take with you for the Oakroom dining experience? Please feel free to comment below. You can also subscribe to my updates via email on the top left part of the sidebar if you liked this post.

Want some Indian food? I'm giving this away to one reader =)

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Contest Period is from February 21, 2013 12:00 a.m. EST to February 26, 2012 12:00 a.m. EST.

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Restaurant Details:
6th Floor, Oakwood Premier Joy~Nostalg Center Manila
17 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig
Open Mondays to Sundays
719-1160 (direct line) / 637-7888 ext. 8604