Avenue Plaza Hotel's Afternoon Tea

Avenue Plaza Hotel is lauded as the most awarded hotel in Bicol. This is undeniably true as they continue to innovate their products and services in a way they can accommodate each and every Bicolano and guests to Experience The Good Life. Last September 16, the famous Afternoon Tea was re-launched. It was the first Chef's Table exclusive event for the Luxe Club Members. Key personalities in Naga and bloggers also graced the event.

How did the Afternoon Tea get so famous? It was also of the same month last year when the first ever Afternoon Tea was introduced to us Bicolanos with only one set which is the Classic (read about it HERE). The Afternoon Tea became very popular and in demand.  There were even days when the three-tier trays gets all out in one afternoon. 

Then there were three. After two months and just in time for Christmas, two new sets were added, the Signature and Exquisite set. The new lovely sets added more to the curiosity of the people. (Read more about it HERE). The Afternoon Tea became like a culture especially to many Nagueños. With this re-launching of the Afternoon Tea, one could expect more from the former three sets. 

Avenue Plaza Hotel invests in people. Isn't it amazing when companies really invests in remarkable people? With the new sets of Afternoon Tea, comes the new Chefs of Avenue Plaza Hotel. They may be new here but the decade-old experiences of these two people will very much suffice as to why the pastries are close to perfection. 

I believe we will be expecting more from the new Executive Chef. His expertise will surely blow as away.

 I need not say more about these two remarkable chefs.  Just look at their experiences and achievements.

This guy was connected to Starbucks Philippines, take note of that. 

From Left-Right: The new Classic, Exquisite, Signature

My first plate of pastries during the event.

Now let's head on to the new sets of Afternoon Tea. Remember, each set is even good for four (or more) persons depending upon your appetite and your companion's too. For group gatherings and get-togethers, I have always reiterated that this is a good option rather than having coffee especially from international brands plus a slice of cake or any other pastry. The ambiance at the Avenue Plaza Hotel is always for the win, it is like a fundamental gesture of the hotel for you to feel at home. This you won't get in a crowded coffee shop.

Afternoon Tea is available daily at the Cafe Plazuela of Avenue Plaza Hotel from 2PM to 6PM. Each set is served with a hot pot of your favorite Twinnings tea. For inquiries and reservations call (054)4739999.

CLASSIC (P580)

Coffee Panna Cotta, Mudcake, Baba Au Rhum with Pistacchio, Boston Cream Cake

Double Chocolate Cookies, Oatmeal Dates Cookies, Avenue Minie Ensaimada, Apricot Dreams

Quiche Lorraine, Chicken Mango Crepes, Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich

Compare it with the old Classic set HERE

Please don't ask me anymore if they taste good because basically I love pastries and they all tasted good for me. But if I were to describe the sweets and pastries, they are all heavenly with unique textures and taste that will be complemented by your choice of tea. Highlighted pastries are my personal favorites. 

EXQUISITE (P620)

Carrot Wallnut Muffin, Mini Brioche Filled with Ube, Mango Yoghurt Terrine, Macapuno Pie

Revel Bars, Mocca Paris Brest, Ube Almond Macaroons, Fruit Tart

Swan Liver Mousse, Croque Monsieur, Smoked Salmon Sandwich 

Compare it with the old Exquisite set HERE

SIGNATURE (P680)


Silvanas, Macademia Cranberry Tart, Double Chocolate Pudding, Cream Cheese Brownies



Butter Scotch, Cinnamon Swirl, Profiteroles, Scones



Ham, Cheese and Salami Sandwich, Chicken Empanada, Quiche Florentine

Compare it with the old Signature set HERE

The QUICHE FLORENTINE is probably the pastry that I got so intrigued in. I tried guessing the main ingredient but I failed after asking Chef Paul about it. The main ingredient is SPINACH. To be honest, I have never tasted anything like it and I just love it!

PRICING. If you were able to compare the new sets of Afternoon Tea from the old ones, there's a significant increase in number of pastries and sweets per plate. The experience of Chef Paul is incomparable, his creations will amaze you. There is a slight increase in the prices of the Afternoon Tea. Let me tell you why. The prices of the previous sets of Afternoon Tea was a PROMO RATE, meaning, discounts can't be availed by anyone. This time, Luxe Club members can avail of the discount as well as senior citizens. Now better start convincing your parents/seniors to visit the Cafe Plazuela for an Afternoon Tea. 

A closer look

SHARING THE "EXPERIENCE THE GOOD LIFE". It was already the Penafrancia holidays and we had relatives from Ilocos Norte and Cavite  who traveled a long way to celebrate with us. Three days after the launching, we surprised them to Avenue for an Afternoon Tea. We ordered the Classic and Signature set. Since the Luxe Club card is a blessing, I did not hesitate to use it for the Afternoon Tea to avail of the discount. We were at the Umbria-Poolside of the hotel and catching up with my relatives has gone really interesting and sweet as we indulge in the heavenly pastries. Extending the "Experience of the Good Life" to your loved ones who you only see once in a blue moon is really heartwarming.

This is the other kind of tray of the Afternoon Tea

Here are some of the photos they took while enjoying the poolside of the hotel.

My cousin, Febie.

Avenue now has additional fans from Ilocos Norte and Cavite. 

For the nth time, THANK YOU BIG TIME Avenue Plaza Hotel, Sir Allan Cu, the General Manager, Sir Jerome, the Marketing Manager and Ms. Apple of SoleSearchingSoul.com and the rest of the staff of Avenue. You all played a big part in nagacitydeck's growth in the social media from the beginning up until today and for that I am always grateful. More power and God bless!!

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Year 2013 with NCD

2013 is almost over and what a journey it has been for www.nagacitydeck.com. Year 2014 will be a little special, for we will be celebrating our 5th year online. Before we head on to our 5th year journey, allow me to thank the following people for giving color to our blog and allowing us to experience first hand what Naga City industries can offer to us locals giving us a reason to stay. Hopefully NCD was able to influence fellow Naguenos what we can enjoy here in Maogmang Lugar.

JANUARY

Mr. Kengkoy PH for showing us how social entrepreneurship can give a positive social change to our community. Wearing Mr. Kengkoy backpacks does not only give us a fashion statement but a genuine statement of caring for our local communities' welfare. Kudos to Mr. Kengkoy, hope to see more bags next year!

NuecaPOS RS - Nueva Caceres Technology Solutions Inc. launched a mobile app the Nueca Point of Sales Restaurant Edition. They are the same team who made iTyphoon which is known worldwide. Yes! We do have mobile app developers based in Naga. We are so damn lucky to have this kind of industry in the city.

Kick off of Bigg's 30th Anniversary - Witnessing how Bigg's takes care of their employees gives us more reasons to patronize our homegrown brand. 30 years of providing 'good food' to Bicolanos is a milestone that we really have to celebrate. Thank you Bigg's!

FEBRUARY

Who would have taught that someone from NCD Facebook page was so kind enough to give me a Starbucks Planner? Well it did happen, Ms. Jet Jet, a total stranger reminded and inspired me more to continue what I'm doing online here in ncd. 

MARCH
David Pomeranz in Naga City - I value simple moments, as they become vivid memories. Welcomed, greeted, hand shaked, photographed and watched David Pomeranz's live performance. Thank you Avenue Plaza Hotel, the organizers, Ms. Apple and Fr. Andrew!

APRIL
A Benefit Dinner Concert for the Thyroid and Breast Cancer Surgery Patients with Luke Mejares, Kitchie Nadal and Juris. Also got to taste a recipe of one of the most skillful and talented ladies in Naga, Junior Master Chef Louis Mabulo. Three artists in one night of performance was awesome. Thank you for having us there.

JUNE
P-Bar at Magsaysay - One of the best bars in town! This place has become a personal favorite. Great food with the coldest beer in town, the Beer Below Zero. The place is almost always crowded with the youth, yuppies, professionals.. see? P-Bar it is for everybody. Looking forward for an even more amazing year with P-Bar!

JULY
A fellow Nagueno, now based in Auckland. Thank you for the pasalubong, that is sooooo useful for NCD (blogging has been a whole lot easier) and in my profession.

SEPTEMBER
Afternoon Tea was introduced to Naguenos by Cafe Plazuela of Avenue Plaza Hotel - Another first in Naga or in Bicol perhaps. Have a cup of tea with delightful cakes, pastries or sandwiches, all these are best enjoyed with your company. Avenue Plaza Hotel never fails to let us experience the good life.

A little kitchen with big taste - Woodstone Kitchen. Thank you Woodstone for showing us how diverse your menu is. From local dishes to international cuisines, Woodstone Kitchen has a lot of ideas to share to Naguenos and Bicolanos. I bet the coming year will be even more exciting for Woodstone. More power!

SMB Fiesta Fever at Avenue Square with Calalily and Banda ni Kleggy -  The month of September is always a busy month for all of us Naguenos. Avenue Square the first lifestyle center in Magsaysay have always given us a star studded fiesta.

OCTOBER
University of the Philippines Harong or commonly known as UP Harong. They conduct a yearly Academic Fest for high school students. It's so nice to keep in touch with the youth through this academic event. Thank you for having NCD as one of your online social media partner for the 2nd time in a row.

DECEMBER
Two New Sets of Afternoon Tea - For the first time, I was with fellow bloggers and "social media influencers". They were my company in trying out the two new sets of afternoon tea offered by Cafe Plazuela. I can't thank enough Ms. Apple for always pampering us when we are at the Avenue. While having met the two amazing Chefs of Cafe Plazuela, it has always been heartwarming being welcomed by Mr. Allan Cu, the GM of the hotel. God bless you more Avenue!

Gas Up!
I attended a wedding in Tagaytay last December 18th and I had to look for means on how to save a little since I was on a tight budget. God really knows how to provide for my road trip. Two gasoline stations serving Naguenos with a very competitive price - Stop And Fill Express (SAFE) Gas Station with branches at Roxas Avenue (Diversion road beside Bangkot Sentral) and San Felipe. Stop and Fill offers almost a peso lesser than the major gas stations. If you are brand conscious, I will recommend Caltex also along Diversion road. Thanks a lot Ms. Cathy of Stop and Fill and Mommy Myonee of Caltex! God bless you more!

Shawarma All The Way!
For us, Spice Eleven Shawarma offers the best shawarma in town. With two branches beside St. Joseph School and 2nd Level of Nagaland E-mall. So either you're on the go or at the mall, Spice Eleven will always spice you up with their tasty shawarma.

I also would like to apologize if I have missed or delayed other requests because of my busy schedule. I'll make sure that the delayed features will be set for January. 2014 will be our 5th year, every corner of Naga City Deck is growing and I'm trying to learn every aspect of it. I will try my very best this 2014 to keep a timetable between my work and NCD. Dios Mabalos po sa gabos! I'm really excited for what's next in Naga this year!

Most importantly, thank you to our fellow Naguenos and those who are in love with Naga. Thank for supporting NCD. Maogmang bagong taon po saindo gabos!

P.S. Want to be featured next year? Let's have a talk, you can message me on NCD Facebook Page so that I can respond promptly. 

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Afternoon Tea: Two New Lovely Sets

Cafe Plazuela of Avenue Plaza Hotel I believe, is one of the many reasons why they have been receiving a lot of awards both from the local and international tourism scene. The Afternoon Tea  as part of what Cafe Plazuela offers, has been a common past time and leisure to a lot of Naguenos and guests after it was introduced a few months ago.

*UPDATE* September 16, 2014 - Avenue Plaza Hotel re-launches the famous Avenue Plaza Hotel. CLICK HERE

While most of us Filipinos are fond of eating the usual baduya or simply pugon with butter alongside softdrinks or coffee, Avenue Plaza Hotel introduced us to a whole lot of "experiencing the good life" through different perspectives. From fun filled activities to skill building sessions, musical presentations across genres to food adventures from around the world. The Avenue has been always providing us not only an alternative but a journey of experiencing the good life right in the comfort of our city.

If there's a saying that "it's sweeter the second time around", the two new lovely sets of the Afternoon Tea is a testament to that. The first set is known as the Classic (3rd from left). You can read my previous post about that HERE. 

Feast your eyes! Everything is beautifully presented both in plating and how the cakes and pastries were made. The "looks" of the sets will not deceive you, for everything is really palatable and next to perfection. Everything you see on the plates are cooked / baked with passion by the Chefs of Avenue Plaza Hotel. The sets along with the its name, carries a different personality or taste that anyone of us will be able to appreciate. But if you have this "love for food", don't forget to try all the sets to satisfy your craving for food adventures. 

The Classic set consists of the following

From bottom to top layer:

Smoke Salmon Sandwich and Clubhouse Sanwich

Banana Chocochip Cupcake, Avenue Ensaymada, Walnut Muffins

Blueberry and Marble Cheese Cake, White Panacota Vanilla, Chocolate Cake, Tiramisu

More pics by layers on our previous post HERE

Only P342 good for 2 to 3 persons (or more).

The two new sets are just as lovely as the first set, only that they are more special this time.

The Exquisite set consists of:

From bottom to top layer:

Pork Barbecue Quesadillas with Tomato Salsa

Chocolate-Coffee Cupcake, Cinammon Twist, Cream Puffs

Chocolate Sponge Caramel Shot, Triple Rush Chocolate Cake, Orea Cheesecake, Lemon Cake

The Avenue Signature set consists of: 

From bottom to top layer:

Grilled Chicken Panini, Mini Beef Burger

Tomato and Cheese Scones, Apple Crumble, Nutella Eclairs, Fruit Tart

Truffle Chocolate Cheesecake, Pistachio Sansirval, Banana Cream Pie, Red Velvet Cake

Give your self, your friends or your family a treat once in a while. Price ranges from Php 580 to Php 480 down to Php 340. What you see is what you get, no other hidden charges once you get the bill. The alternatives are here and it's up to you to choose. I know, you along with your company have a certain taste for cakes or pastries, but I bet you'll find it hard to choose which set will you order first. But then again, you are always welcome to come back and enjoy the rest of the sets (over and over again) or until you have tried all three.

Now here's another favorite from Cafe Plazuela, the Avenue Ensaymada. This will be perfect for the holidays as gifts or for Noche Buena. Available in Box of 6 and 12. For bulk orders make sure you order a day before you intend to purchase. Freshness guaranteed! 

So if you are running out of gift ideas, why not give them a gift certificate of any of the Afternoon Tea Sets, the Business Lunch (a menu which we will also feature soon) or a box of the Avenue Ensaymada. Or perhaps a night stay at the hotel or Olympia Gym membership. By the way, we Bicolanos can avail of the 25% discount on published room rates with Avenue Plaza Hotel's Hometown Specials Promo. For more details about the gift certificates and Hometown Specials Promo just call (054) 473-9999.

I enjoyed the company of the other bloggers and social media 'influencers' last Friday the 13th. Just like what Ms. Sam Brown said that Friday the 13th was a lucky day for us. Thank you Sir Allan Cu for pampering us and Ms. Apple, for making us always feel so at home whenever we are at the Avenue. Hats off to the two amazing Chefs of Cafe Plazuela who we personally met and spared us a few minutes of their busy 'kitchen time'. (apologies, I forgot their names hehe)

Remember, afternoons are better with tea and company only at the Cafe Plazuela of Avenue Plaza Hotel. So come visit and enjoy the afternoon tea, the holidays are here to stay with your friends and loved ones. Cheers to Avenue! More power!

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Afternoon Tea anyone?

A cup of tea is best enjoyed with your date, your friend, or your family. Or better yet, afternoons are better with tea and company. Imagine ordering one tall or grande sized Frapp plus sandwich or a slice of cake at Starbucks, it will cost you around 300 to 350 and it is only good for one right? The Afternoon Tea offered by Cafe Plazuela at the Avenue Plaza Hotel is one of the best alternatives that you can find in Naga City. You can choose to stay at the Umbria poolside of the Avenue Plaza Hotel or inside the Cafe Plazuela with soothing music as the background. It will surely make you feel like you are in a European country. These days coffee shops get to be a bit crowded and loud especially during peak hours that you cannot anymore enjoy your cup of tea or coffee. So why not give the Afternoon Tea a try?

*UPDATE* September 16, 2014 - Avenue Plaza Hotel re-launches the famous Avenue Plaza Hotel. CLICK HERE

Check out the new lovely sets of Afternoon Tea! CLICK HERE

Check out our review at http://www.nagacitydeck.com/2013/12/two-new-lovely-sets.html

Just look at the set of tea and pastries, it's even lovelier if you see it up close.

The Afternoon Tea would be also very ideal for business meetings or treat yourselves a reward after a tiring day at work.

The Afternoon Tea is available from 2pm to 6pm for only Php 342.

Apart from the affordable Afternoon Tea, you'll get to enjoy this lovely ambiance inside the Cafe Plazuela.

First plate on top with cakes.

Second plate with muffins and cupcake.

Clubhouse sandwich on the third plate.

According to Avenue, they are considering a substitute to any one of the plates. Feel free to give your comments on the combination. Tell us which is your favorite!

The tea comes in different flavors and is kept hot during your stay. Enjoy the ambiance, the delicious pastries coupled with a quiet talk with your company. Let us do away with the notion that the Avenue Plaza Hotel is a bit pricey because it's not. Avenue is an avenue of Love and they are reaching out to us all to experience the good life. Afternoon Tea anyone?

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