Mambucal feeds the hungry

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

MAMBUCAL Mountain Resort may be famous for its lush forests, hot springs, picturesque lagoons, and mineral-rich mud but what is often overlooked is the fact that Mambucal can feed the stomach as well as the eyes. After a trek to the famous seven falls (if you are bursting with energy and have strong kneecaps), it would be comforting to have a nice meal waiting for you somewhere in the resort.

For a minimum of thirty people, the resort can prepare lunch from among many combinations. What I had, for example, were grilled bangus stuffed with chopped tomatoes and onions, lechon kawali, salted egg salad, and chicken inasal. These dishes come with unlimited rice, one round of softdrinks and dessert of the creamiest leche flan ever. Lunch was served family style and cost P200 per person. For P15 more, we enjoyed young coconut (butong) served in its shell.

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Cheaper but as good are the set meals at P175: soup, 2 viands, dessert, rice, softdrink. Not bad, huh, considering that the catered meal frees the hosts, guests, or excursionists from worries since service includes waiters who will fulfill your every wish. This means that there will be no food to cook, no utensils to take out, no dishes to wash, and no heavy picnic hampers to lug back into the car.

Ms. Smalley, the resort's officer in charge, personally attends to catered functions just to assure the client that things are well taken care of and that there's someone the client can deal with. She said that the biggest number of guests that the resort had prepared a meal for is 600.

I remember that when the French Club brought our guests to Mambucal where they enjoyed themselves immensely. The food was very good and we never worried about anything while we entertained French Ambassador Gerard Chesnel and his wife Ning. Many visitors from around the Philippines had good experiences with the food, Ms. Smalley said. And the number one fan? No other than our good governor himself.

The food is of good quality and continues to attract clients who wish for a worry-free event when at Mambucal. The income for catering alone reached P9,000,000.00 last year. That's good news and very encouraging for the citizens to know that the government can come up with meritorious service and deliver the goods.

One can go to the Bacolod office of Mambucal at the Old Capitol Building to check the resort's menu and ask for recommendations. I heard that the resort kitchen can come up with mouth-watering valenciana and sweet and sour whole higda, a black fish that looks like tilapia.

Mambucal Mountain Resort continues to beckon to the tired plain-living souls. In its bosom are towering trees, pretty flowers, cool water springing from the depths of the mountain, interesting flying foxes, healing sulfuric water, clean air, and the sounds of nature that cannot be duplicated in the concrete jungle. A trip up the foot of Mt. Kanlaon should soothe the soul, but don't forget to feed the stomach.