We arrived at 6:00 p.m., despite the horrendous traffic we had to wade through along Buendia, way too early for our 7:00 p.m. reservation. For our fourth anniversary dinner, Hubby Sweet had wanted to try out The Goose Station, Rob Pengson & Sunshine Puey’s new restaurant at the Fort, but degustation (get it?) did not really appeal to me. Midway through it, I envisioned myself pulling at my hair and screaming, “DAAAAAAAAARRRRNN!!! Can you please just set everything down so I can eat what I want at the pace that I want?!” Hahaha. How plebian. =D
That said, I also thought it was ridiculously expensive. P2,500 for a 9-course set, P1,500 for a 5-course set. I mean, of course I know Rob and Sunshine from all their TV and magazine exposures, but I don’t think they have established themselves enough in my mind as culinary gods worthy of such price. So I told the Hubby, what if we eat in Circle or Spiral instead? I mean, it’s practically the same price and there’d be different stations pa?! I mean, come on!
It didn’t take much for him to change his mind. Haha!
So there we were, an hour early for our reservation, but no biggie. Apparently, the buffet opens at 6:30pm. We would have to wait it out.
“Can we sit out on the deck?” we asked, thinking that the temperature in the then relatively empty restaurant was too cold.
The hostess looked up at the sky. It was relatively blue, but the gray clouds looming in the horizon seemed to worry her. After all, it hasn’t even been two full days since Typhoon Basyang battered the Manila Bay coastline.
“You may sit outside, Ma’am, if you wish. I can just retain your original table inside for now—just in case it rains.”
She walked us out and told us she’d be back shortly with a complimentary bread basket.
“It’s OK,” I stopped her. “No need. We want to reserve space for the buffet.”
“Beer for me, please, “ Hubby Sweet piped up, “Beer na lang. Chaka, meron ba kayong….roasted highland legumes?”
She smiled, recognizing the joke, “Meron, Sir. Sandali lang po.”
We kicked back on the deck. Despite the fact that we were not quite beside the pool, and that the air was not quite as fresh as if we had driven out-of-town, the wide-open space looking out to coco trees and blue skies still provided a different vibe. It was a well-appreciated pocket of calm within the metro, especially coming from work stress and the traffic gridlocks we were immersed in practically just half an hour earlier.
That said, I also thought it was ridiculously expensive. P2,500 for a 9-course set, P1,500 for a 5-course set. I mean, of course I know Rob and Sunshine from all their TV and magazine exposures, but I don’t think they have established themselves enough in my mind as culinary gods worthy of such price. So I told the Hubby, what if we eat in Circle or Spiral instead? I mean, it’s practically the same price and there’d be different stations pa?! I mean, come on!
It didn’t take much for him to change his mind. Haha!
So there we were, an hour early for our reservation, but no biggie. Apparently, the buffet opens at 6:30pm. We would have to wait it out.
“Can we sit out on the deck?” we asked, thinking that the temperature in the then relatively empty restaurant was too cold.
The hostess looked up at the sky. It was relatively blue, but the gray clouds looming in the horizon seemed to worry her. After all, it hasn’t even been two full days since Typhoon Basyang battered the Manila Bay coastline.
“You may sit outside, Ma’am, if you wish. I can just retain your original table inside for now—just in case it rains.”
She walked us out and told us she’d be back shortly with a complimentary bread basket.
“It’s OK,” I stopped her. “No need. We want to reserve space for the buffet.”
“Beer for me, please, “ Hubby Sweet piped up, “Beer na lang. Chaka, meron ba kayong….roasted highland legumes?”
She smiled, recognizing the joke, “Meron, Sir. Sandali lang po.”
We kicked back on the deck. Despite the fact that we were not quite beside the pool, and that the air was not quite as fresh as if we had driven out-of-town, the wide-open space looking out to coco trees and blue skies still provided a different vibe. It was a well-appreciated pocket of calm within the metro, especially coming from work stress and the traffic gridlocks we were immersed in practically just half an hour earlier.
6:30 came soon enough. And then, the feeding frenzy began. Haha!
Actually, frenzy wouldn’t be the correct term to use as we actually took things SLOW. While waiting for our turn to be seated, Hubby Sweet made the rounds of the different stations. There was an oyster bar, a cheese station, a grilling station, an Italian station, a Japanese station, an Indian/Mid-Eastern Station, a Chinese Station, a Thai Station in addition to the dessert buffet.
From the range of food that he saw and reported back to me, we realized that the only way we will survive this dinner is if we: (1) choose wisely, (2) eat slowly, and (3) walk around a lot. Hahaha.
Choosing to dine al fresco—while more inconvenient because it meant being seated farther away from the buffet stations inside—quite serendipitously proved to be the strategically correct move. Now, I didn’t want to keep lugging my bag around while going through the buffet so we also decided that only one of us should stand at any given time so that the other can stay with our stuff while the other one was away. While he was still unwinding with his beer and peanuts, I decided to go inside. (Unfortunately, taking pictures of the buffet was not allowed, so I would just have to resort to listing them down.)
Early on, I decided on a strategy. From light to heavy. From bland to spicy. Oh, and yes, I thought I’d skip those that I already regularly eat somewhere else. We also decided to just go for different things and taste each other’s buffet pick. We figured it’s the only way we can actually taste everything.
Actually, frenzy wouldn’t be the correct term to use as we actually took things SLOW. While waiting for our turn to be seated, Hubby Sweet made the rounds of the different stations. There was an oyster bar, a cheese station, a grilling station, an Italian station, a Japanese station, an Indian/Mid-Eastern Station, a Chinese Station, a Thai Station in addition to the dessert buffet.
From the range of food that he saw and reported back to me, we realized that the only way we will survive this dinner is if we: (1) choose wisely, (2) eat slowly, and (3) walk around a lot. Hahaha.
Choosing to dine al fresco—while more inconvenient because it meant being seated farther away from the buffet stations inside—quite serendipitously proved to be the strategically correct move. Now, I didn’t want to keep lugging my bag around while going through the buffet so we also decided that only one of us should stand at any given time so that the other can stay with our stuff while the other one was away. While he was still unwinding with his beer and peanuts, I decided to go inside. (Unfortunately, taking pictures of the buffet was not allowed, so I would just have to resort to listing them down.)
Early on, I decided on a strategy. From light to heavy. From bland to spicy. Oh, and yes, I thought I’d skip those that I already regularly eat somewhere else. We also decided to just go for different things and taste each other’s buffet pick. We figured it’s the only way we can actually taste everything.
FIRST ROUND: MINE!
Three Types of Breads: whole wheat dinner roll, pretzel, crusty bread
Different Types of Spreads: hummus, baba ghanoush, yoghurt, olive tapenade, etc., etc.
FIRST ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Kalimutan ang appetizers! Haha! The Hubby, apparently, decided to go straight for the jugular.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Jelly (which turned out to be worthy enough to be declared Top of the Heap, the Best of the Bunch, the kind that we continue to dream of to this day….haha! ^_^)
Grilled Fish (also, reeeeeeeeeeallllllly good, although we continue to debate whether it was gindara or local “salmon”) =)
SECOND ROUND: MINE!
Pork Siomai, Beef Siomai, Sharksfin (Ack! Bad. =S) Dumpling, Cuchay Dumpling
Raddish Cake
Mini-Asado Siopao
Fine! I know I said I’d skip those that I can eat somewhere else but curiosity got the better of me. With memories of Emperor’s Court at the Renaissance in my mind, I needed to know if it will be soooooo much better than all the other siomai I can buy for P25 in all the kiosks that seem to have sprouted all over the metro. Haha! (For the record, it was. Then again, it was much smaller and much more expensive so dapat lang. Haha. =))
SECOND ROUND: HUBBY’S!
A Platterful of Crab Claws
Raspberry Vinegar
Three Types of Breads: whole wheat dinner roll, pretzel, crusty bread
Different Types of Spreads: hummus, baba ghanoush, yoghurt, olive tapenade, etc., etc.
FIRST ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Kalimutan ang appetizers! Haha! The Hubby, apparently, decided to go straight for the jugular.
Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Jelly (which turned out to be worthy enough to be declared Top of the Heap, the Best of the Bunch, the kind that we continue to dream of to this day….haha! ^_^)
Grilled Fish (also, reeeeeeeeeeallllllly good, although we continue to debate whether it was gindara or local “salmon”) =)
SECOND ROUND: MINE!
Pork Siomai, Beef Siomai, Sharksfin (Ack! Bad. =S) Dumpling, Cuchay Dumpling
Raddish Cake
Mini-Asado Siopao
Fine! I know I said I’d skip those that I can eat somewhere else but curiosity got the better of me. With memories of Emperor’s Court at the Renaissance in my mind, I needed to know if it will be soooooo much better than all the other siomai I can buy for P25 in all the kiosks that seem to have sprouted all over the metro. Haha! (For the record, it was. Then again, it was much smaller and much more expensive so dapat lang. Haha. =))
SECOND ROUND: HUBBY’S!
A Platterful of Crab Claws
Raspberry Vinegar
THIRD ROUND: MINE!
A small bowl of Sukiyaki
A ramekin of Edamame
A ramekin of Chawan Musni (My winner discovery of the day! Yey! It tasted strangely like balut soup—yes, the duck egg—except that it was all about steamed egg white with a treasure of sliced mushroom, chicken, fish cake, etc. at the bottom. I dishes that provide multi-layered texture and tastes in a manner that combine almost effortlessly into a simple, comfort dish. )
THIRD ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Prime Rib (end-cut) with Demi-glace
A small bowl of Sukiyaki
A ramekin of Edamame
A ramekin of Chawan Musni (My winner discovery of the day! Yey! It tasted strangely like balut soup—yes, the duck egg—except that it was all about steamed egg white with a treasure of sliced mushroom, chicken, fish cake, etc. at the bottom. I dishes that provide multi-layered texture and tastes in a manner that combine almost effortlessly into a simple, comfort dish. )
THIRD ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Prime Rib (end-cut) with Demi-glace
FOURTH ROUND: MINE!
Chicken Tandoori
Lamb Curry
Roti
Mango Chutney
FOURTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Four Slices of Fois Gras with Fruit Confit
FIFTH ROUND: MINE!
Nahilo sa fois gras at naumay sa tandoori and curry, so I decided to go for something relatively neutral (walang kokontra, haha).
Crab Claws
Steamed, then iced Mollusks (a.k.a., tahong! Haha. Gigantic, succulent ones. ^_^)
Oysters (Wooooooooooooow….more…I want more….@_@...haha!)
Raspberry Vinegar
FIFTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Chawan Musni (he was so intrigued when he got to taste mine, he decided to get one for himself)
A ramekin of Edamame
Several Yakitori sticks
SIXTH ROUND: MINE!
Still reeling from the fois gras (and I actually only ate half a slice!), I decided to defer taking from the Thai buffet . Instead, I got these.
Several Crackers
Slivers of about Ten Types of European cheese (the names of which I no longer remember—except for the plain goat cheese and the goat cheese with ash, haha. ;D)
SIXTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Thai Prawn-Pomelo Salad
Two other types of salad whose name escapes me now
SEVENTH ROUND: MINE!
Fresh Fruit Platter: Pineapple, Melon, Watermelon
Japanese Green Tea
Yes, I was still reeling from the Fois Gras. It’s either I’m really no longer as young as I used to be. Or I shouldn’t eat Fois Gras in quick succession after Lamb Curry or Chicken Tandoori. Haha!
SEVENTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Mango Sorbet
Green Tea Sorbet
SIXTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Thai Prawn-Pomelo Salad
Two other types of salad whose name escapes me now
SEVENTH ROUND: MINE!
Fresh Fruit Platter: Pineapple, Melon, Watermelon
Japanese Green Tea
Yes, I was still reeling from the Fois Gras. It’s either I’m really no longer as young as I used to be. Or I shouldn’t eat Fois Gras in quick succession after Lamb Curry or Chicken Tandoori. Haha!
SEVENTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Mango Sorbet
Green Tea Sorbet
EIGHTH ROUND: MINE!
Yes, humirit pa ako ng eighth round. Bakit ba! Haha.
Cold Stone Ice Cream with marshmallow bits, M&Ms, plus white & milk choco chips
EIGHTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Yes, humirit pa ako ng eighth round. Bakit ba! Haha.
Cold Stone Ice Cream with marshmallow bits, M&Ms, plus white & milk choco chips
EIGHTH ROUND: HUBBY’S!
Japanese Green Tea
NINTH ROUND:.....
Wala nang ninth round! Wala nang space. =D
Hubby Sweet looked at his watch. 9:45 p.m. By the time we surrendered (yes, "surrendered" seems particularly apt, haha), we have been eating three hours straight.
BAD NEWS:
Three hours! But still, not nearly enough time (and stomach space) to try everything. =(
GOOD NEWS:
Oh, yessssssssssss......we left with reason enough to go back. =D
BAD NEWS:
Three hours! But still, not nearly enough time (and stomach space) to try everything. =(
GOOD NEWS:
Oh, yessssssssssss......we left with reason enough to go back. =D
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For reservations, call 551-5555 or 832-6988.
My personal tip. Go easy on the drinks. Not only did they take up stomach space, they actually took up about P800 of our bill. Wah! Lesson learned. Next time, tubig na lang. Haha! =p
