Makati Chronicles: Epicurean Party at I'M Hotel

I have been stuck to my couch for days. With crackers and smoked salmon spread within reach to keep me alive, I had no intentions of going out at all. I was motivated to trim my backlog to at least half before 2018. Though an impossible task given my three digit pending articles, I had to start somewhere. And when the day of the Epicurean Party came, I was not in the mood to socialize until when I realized that I missed hanging out with everyone.

Thanks to the foodies behind What To Eat PH and The Foodie Station, we got to celebrate the most anticipated holiday together at I'M Hotel's Antidote Bar. 

Located at the roof deck of the hotel, Antidote boasts to be the first jellyfish bar in the country featuring a massive 8-meter long jellyfish aquarium in colorful luminescent lights. 

I was at first iffy with the idea of having live jellyfish as interior accent. But after finding out that I'M Hotel is actually affiliated with Manila Ocean Park and that the jellyfish are in good hands, I let out a sigh of relief and took hundreds of snapshots afterwards. 

Though known for its cocktails, Antidote also offers dishes such as this succulent braised pork belly. I also heard that its Mozzarella Jalapeno Cigars are great! 

One of the superstars of the party was ElarZ Lechon. Its crispy skin paired with its juicy and flavorful meat was a feast on its own. Each bite was like a party in my mouth. And yes, it made me crave for rice. It definitely deserves the Pambansang Lechon title. 

Another favorite of mine was Empanada Mas' empanaditas. These bite-size empanadas are perfect for those light afternoon snacks. My favorite is cheese and chive which I first had at The Gourmand Market. 

As I stuff myself with more of my favorites, I grabbed a glass full of ice and a bottle of Lick Raspberry. 

I heard that this flavor is one of its bestsellers, aside from Lemon and Huckle Berry, and it was good. Its light flavor was great in quenching my thirst. Though a bit pricey at PHP150, it's a nice and healthy alternative to your usual iced tea as Lick uses Stevia. 

I was so busy catching up with friends that I totally missed the scrumptious pizzas prepared by Amici and Angel's Pizza, lasagna by Mama Lou's, European platter by Vanderlust, signature dishes by Tien Ma's and Crystal Jade, decadent brownies by Kenny Rogers, party platters by Party Toques and the heavenly sisig kanin balls by The Broken Oven.

As the sun start to set, the beauty of the jellyfish aquarium put us under its spell with its colorful lights. 

But the powerful voice of our host, H of RX 93.1, released us from our trance and we gathered at the al fresco area of Antidote for some games. 

We had two fun activities before ending the program and these were hosted by Lick Iced Tea and Stips Salted Egg Chips. 

Our first challenge was to come up with a fun mannequin video featuring Lick while we had to come up with a creative group shot with Stips. 

Well, we thought ours were brilliant. But the other groups had better ideas. 

The tita in me kicked in after the games and got sleepy. It was timely though that West Town's Coffee did a coffee brewing demo. 

Aside from learning how to properly brew a cup of joe, we got to enjoy some of West Town's fragrant brews. 

I then capped my long dinner with some smooth and creamy gelato from Gelatofix. (I love it so much that I had another scoop the following day.)

For some of us who stayed behind after all the festivities, we got a tour of I'M Hotel's rooms and facilities. 

I must say, I was very impressed with the two-bedroom suite. With a built-in kitchen, spacious living room, and well equip bathrooms, it felt more like home than a cold hotel room. Though its published price is PHP20,000 + per night, you can score this luxurious room for half the price on lean months.

We also passed by the Mermaid Bar which has some striking elevated day beds that give its occupants a lovely view of the city. 

And a quick look of Bloom, I'M Hotel's buffet restaurant. They also have a hot pot section which is open on hours when Bloom is closed.

Weary from the event and the tour, I decided to head back home with my yummy loot from Pan de Manila, Figaro, Stips, Gastronomy by Joy and Golden Fiesta.

I was so happy to get my favorite Pan de Manila goodies and smiled from ear to ear when I saw my favorite coconut jam in the bag! 

Stips salted egg chips were so addicting that I finished my bags in less than 10 minutes. And that was with an effort to only finish half a bag. I loved that there was a rich taste of salted egg without it being cloying. 

And thanks to the vicious cycle of craving for something salty then sweet, I indulged in some of Gastronomy by Joy's white chocolate treat.  

Giddy with my Figaro Card, I'm already planning when to get my favorite Five Cheese and Garlic Pizza. But for now, I paired my pastries with Figaro's coffee. 

Again, thank you What To Eat PH and The Foodie Station for the fun event. It was nice to meet everyone before 2017 ends.