For a long while I've regarded The Crescent Moon Cafe and Studio Pottery as a place where people can get high quality stoneware ceramic plates created by the famous Lanelle Abueva Fernando. I cannot count how many of my friends who are mainly chefs, restaurateur, photographer, and fellow food stylists have I accompanied to Crescent Moon to buy plates they needed since I am from Antipolo.
And funny how it was only recently that I took a great interest with their restaurant. Mainly because I find reserving for their lunch buffet a bit tricky. Now don't get me wrong, I love Crescent Moon Cafe.
You see, based on my experience, unless you will be reserving for a big group, there really is no guarantee if you will be scoring lunch buffet or if you will be served a set meal. It depends on how many reservation they have for that day.
Crescent Moon Cafe is not really easy to find especially if you are not familiar with the area. Even some of my fellow locals in Antipolo are having a hard time locating the place because it is tucked along a road surrounded by residential area.
The photo of the map from Crescent Moon Cafe's Facebook page which I posted at the end of this blog post is rather helpful in terms of accuracy. The photo above on the other hand is the facade of the property. Sign board isn't really that big so it's easy to miss. If you're going to follow the map provided, Crescent Moon is located at the left side of the road.
The entire property is really big as it also houses Ms. Lanelle's pottery studio and work area. Surrounded by nature, it is a beautiful dining destination just near Manila.
The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Once you enter their property, you will be warmly greeted and guided accordingly.
Inside the restaurant are the main dining hall and a little corner where Ms. Lanelle's creations are on display. The dining area can accommodate around 50 diners. The long table in the middle is where the buffet spread is set up if ever there's a schedule for the day.
The corner that features Ms. Lanelle's creations is a sight to behold. If you have affinity for potterywares, your heart might flutter. Everything is gorgeous and downright impressive.
In the event that you find some eye candies - those creations that make your heart skip a beat, feel free to ask if you can buy it because some of these creations are for sale.
At the back of the restaurant, there is this little area where guests can buy slightly damaged (rejects) stoneware ceramic cranes and plates priced at Php200 per kilo. I was told that the plates are all oven and microwave friendly. I got several plates from them and I can assure you that the quality is really impressive.
Now, about the buffet.
The Crescent Moon Cafe kitchen is open from Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm only, reservation is required. I was informed that they do offer set menu from Thursdays to Saturdays priced at Php450 per head and buffet during Sundays priced at Php550 per head. But then again, depending on the number of reservation, sometimes the set menu is converted into a buffet lunch just like what happened during our visit one Saturday.
Menu varies depending on what ingredients are in season but their famous Alagao appetizer and suman for dessert are constant. The food selection aren't as many as the usual buffet of the same price range I have tried but everything was of excellent taste.
Take for instance the Squash Soup with Coconut Meat - it was nothing like any soup I have ever tried. It was slightly sweet and savory at the same time. The coconut meat was a good accompaniments that lends a delightful texture to the soup. It was good as it is, but I threw in some slices of chilies for a good measure and I was introduced to a completely different world of flavor I cannot soon forget. It was amazing.
The popular Alagao appetizer is one of the things that The Crescent Moon Cafe is known for. I was not too keen to try it at first because I wasn't crazy about alagao in the first place.
Yet, the band of other ingredients meant to be eaten wrapped by the leaves made it a delightful grub I know I could only experience at Crescent Moon in all its authentic glory.
There was also Chicken Afritada which reminded me of the dish I grew up eating back in the days. The thing about Crescent Moon is that they have deep respect for every dish that they serve. It tasted as if everything was cooked with so much love and passion. It's hardcore home cooked meal.
Then there's the Grilled Salmon. Simple and yet one of the best I have ever had, to be honest. This alone I must say makes the buffet price tag well worth it. It was obviously fresh and perfectly grilled. Serving portion was big but since it was so good, I really cannot help but to have ore of it.
The Crispy Noddle with Vegetable in Coconut Sauce was another delightful dish included on the buffet spread. I rarely enjoy crispy noodle as I always favored those kinds with soup. I have to make an exception for this one because the Vegetable in Coconut Sauce was a feat on its own. It can even be eaten as a viand.
Despite the limited choices, everything was so good I cannot count how many servings of rice have I finished. Which is rare because I rarely consume excessive rice when dining buffet style. This time around, I got to enjoy this good ol' carbo with my meal.
For the dessert, we had the famous Suman with Mango. A lot of people really like the Suman at Crescent Moon Cafe and while I could understand why, I have had other great tasting suman elsewhere so I cannot really rave about this one. But for what its worth, this is one of those which should not be missed when dining at Crescent Moon.
Like what I have mentioned, the choices of food at The Crescent Moon Cafe's Lunch Buffet aren't as extensive as other buffet restaurants, but it is guaranteed that everything is delicious. The stoneware ceramics are also sight to behold that one may not be able to fight the urge to acquire some. Good thing that they do have plenty for sale.
The Crescent Moon Cafe also conducts some workshops on pottery, calligraphy, photography, etc. so it is safe to say that this place is a heaven for both food lovers and artists.
The Crescent Moon Cafe
Ascencion Road,
Brgy. Dalig, Antipolo City
Restaurant Operating Hours:
Thurs - Sunday
11am to 4pm
Contact No.: 234-5724
Email: crescentmooncafeantipolo@gmail.com
Facebook: /CrescentMoonCafeAndStudioPottery
Ascencion Road,
Brgy. Dalig, Antipolo City
Restaurant Operating Hours:
Thurs - Sunday
11am to 4pm
Contact No.: 234-5724
Email: crescentmooncafeantipolo@gmail.com
Facebook: /CrescentMoonCafeAndStudioPottery
