It all started with the daughter of Lawrence Ho, chairman and chief executive of Nasdaq-listed Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd., playing in a virtual reality zone in Tokyo developed by Bandai Namco Amusement.
“His daughter will always be playing VR. He told us to check it out,” said City of Dreams Manila’s chief operating officer Kevin Benning. “We tried to compare it with other VR companies in Southeast Asia, but none could match what Bandai is able to offer.”
Indeed, if it was good enough to make Mr. Ho’s daughter crazy about VR, it was definitely worth bringing into the world-class integrated resort and casino complex in Parañaque City.
And so City of Dreams Manila transformed a portion of its car park into a 2,714-square-meter VR zone and food park with an industrial exterior, aptly called “The Garage.”
“The virtual reality experience provided by Bandai Namco, a leader in video digital entertainment development, is complemented by quality food and drink choices offered by 10 of the hippest and contemporary food and beverage partners, including the resort’s own talented staff. This concept, curated all in one place, makes The Garage a first of its kind in the country—setting us apart from the rest,” added Benning.
“This is Bandai’s first VR Zone in Southeast Asia. We are honored to share our culture here in the Philippines. It was an easy choice, with City of Dreams as an excellent partner,” said Bandai Namco’s amusement manager Yukiharu Tamiya.
One of the exciting activities at the VR Zone is the famed Mario Kart Arcade GP VR, which was developed by Bandai Namco under license from Nintendo. The three-minute game allows players to step right into the action-packed world of the Mario Kart universe and race until the finish line through a course filled with traps. There is also the Hospital Escape Terror, which can be played by up to four participants, and has been described as a “horrifying experience unlike ever before.”
Tickets are available on site. Single player ticket price is available at P450 while packages are available for those playing in groups or pairs.
In between games, visitors are spoiled for choice. Hokkaido Ramen Santouka offers its signature Tonkotsu ramen, topped with mouthwatering slices of char siu pork and pickled plums, while Katsu Sora, which has become a household name for Japanese deep-fried pork cutlet, serves Iberico and Kurobuta Tonkatsu sets paired with their famed Juugokokumai rice, a premium blend that includes white rice, corn, barley, millet, sesame seeds, and black beans.
Los Angeles’ most popular hotdog stand, Pink’s Hot Dogs, brings its iconic “The Hollywood Legend”—a medley of Pink’s eponymous hotdog with chili, cheddar cheese, mustard, and chopped onions. Little Flour Café by the highly successful Wildflour Café + Bakery serves well-loved and locally-inspired Filipino rice bowls, including its sisig bowl.
El Chupacabra, a casual street taco bar, is known for burritos, enchiladas, and grilled chicken sticks, while Pizza Grigliata serves nothing but hot, freshly-made artisanal pizza handmade from scratch. Farmacy Ice Cream, on the other hand, will take visitors back to the time of the classic turn-of-the-century ice cream parlors.
Alongside the well-curated food and beverage outlets at The Garage are City of Dreams Manila’s own exceptional outlets: Chocol8, Juiced, and The Roaster.
Chocol8 features handcrafted chocolates enhanced with special ingredients such as fruits, nuts, and spices. Juiced offers a variety of freshly squeezed smoothies, slushies, and juices daily, while The Roaster is the go-to outlet for an array of gourmet coffee creations made from freshly roasted beans—a mix of 80 percent Benguet arabica and 20 percent Sulu robusta.
One would likely find it difficult to leave the area as it offers the best of both worlds—world-class gaming experience and a wide array of delicious gastronomic choices. You’d literally just want to park yourself at The Garage—and eat, and play, and repeat.
I’m at joyce.panares@gmail.com.