Spiral's 21 Dining Ateliers: Conquering the Metro's Most Raved-About Buffet

Warning: This is my most photo-extensive post, even though I used less than half of the photos that we took as I did not want to hog anyone's bandwidth. 

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a blog on how I was able to score a couple of Spiral weekday lunch vouchers at 50% off via Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila's #SofitelSMDay promo (see my post on Spiral's Weekday Lunch Buffet at Half-Price!). After some tweeking with hubby's schedule, I was finally able to book a table using the hotel's Facebook reservation link. I requested for a nice table beside their fountain area near the buffet since the little boss is very fond of fountains, and I was counting on it to keep my boss amused during lunch. Reservation was a breeze via the hotel's Facebook page. Plus points for promptness!

There was, however, a little snag in my plans. I read in one blog that taking photos of Spiral, particularly the food, is generally not allowed except during media events. We were going there as regular diners, so the possibility that we won't be allowed to take extensive photos was very high. But I did not fancy the idea of posting only photos of our plates. So I sent a message to Spiral's Facebook page, which in turn referred me to Sofitel's Marketing Communications (MarCom) team. I sent an email, and was promptly replied with an offer to have a member of their team accompany us when we take our photos to avoid any misunderstanding with the security people. More plus points for being so accommodating!

So last Thursday, the three of us hurried over to Spiral after hubby's appointment as our reservation was for exactly 12 noon, and the grace period for holding it was only 15 minutes. I was hoping to get there early as I wanted to have the tour and photos done before the arrival of the lunch crowd, but the first appointment dragged on and we barely made it on time. One of the staff led us to our table and called Jane Santiago of MarCom upon my request.

This simple but elegant sign will greet you at the foyer leadingto Spiral
from the parking level

View of Spiral from the escalator

The Spiral ladies will greet you as you come in

La Veranda, which I think would look more beautiful at night

Jane arrived a few minutes later, and she immediately took us on a tour of Spiral's 21 Dining Ateliers. Our first stop was the French Stove, as Spiral was celebrating French Month and paying tribute to Tour de France by featuring cuisines from four different provinces of France every week of July. That week, they were featuring Perigord, the second province in Tour de France's route. 

Reliving Tour de France inside Spiral

The multi-million peso Bonnet Stove

Pizza from the wood-fired oven

A cute sign over one of Perigord's dishes

Pan-fried beef  bordelaise, my favorite dish that day,
aside from the desserts, of course (*wink*)

Sauteed porcini with truffles

Roasted chicken with yummy sides from the Rottiserie

One of the Chefs at the French Stove grilling seafood from L'Ecallier

After that, we moved on to the other Ateliers. I know a lot of bloggers have featured Spiral's 21 Ateliers in detail, so I'll just post some of the photos that we took that day.

Numerous pasta combinations for the pasta lover!

L'Epicerie: Cheese heaven!

Various meat inside the Cheese Room

Dried fruits, nuts and other condiments to go with your favorite cheese

You can even buy your favorite cheese and meats to take home!

Hot Japanese Atelier

Our favorite Atelier: The Chocolaterie!

Mouth-watering pralines

Cute and yummy chocolate lollipops

Award-winning chocolate creations by Master Chocolatier,
Chef Tweet Obsequio

Fresh bread at La Boulangerie

L'Ecallier's offering for the day

Fresh sashimi at the Sushi Sashimi Atelier

Duck and other roasted meat from the Peking Duck Oven

North Indian and Churrasco Ateliers

Asian Section composed of Asian Noodles, Steam Baskets,
Chinese Wok, Filipino, Thai and Korean Ateliers

Jane also showed us Spiral's Private Dining Rooms, which are very nice if one is dining with a large group of people. Unfortunately, almost all dining rooms were already occupied except for Voyeurs, so we were not able to check out each one.

The elegant Voyeurs, so-called because of the glass window 
that allows diners to see the Chefs outside

Couch tables in front of the wine cellar just outside Voyeurs

In the middle of our tour, Jane had to leave for another appointment, so she turned us over to the very capable hands of Tanguy Gras, Spiral's Assistant Outlet Manager. Like Jane, Tanguy was very nice, and although I can tell he had so many duties to attend to as it was lunch time, he patiently guided us until the end of our tour, even asking the chefs to explain to me some of the dishes in the buffet.

Finally, it was time to conquer Spiral's 21 ateliers. One of the staff had already put a basket of Spiral olive bread on our table, and after a few bites, I made a beeline for the French stove and got some of Perigord's pan-fried beef bordelaise and salardais style potato with truffle. I hesitated over the pan-fried duck magret,  another Perigord specialty, as I wasn't too fond of duck. But as this blog is all about conquering picky little me, I got some as well. For the little boss, I got some Norwegian salmon, potato and Japanese rice. Needless to say, the dishes were very, very good, and I even enjoyed the bit of duck that I got. Hubby, meanwhile, got some sauteed porcini with truffles which he said was also very good.

After trying out Perigord's cuisine, we moved on to the Churrasco for some prime rib and lechon macau, which we forgot to take photos of. From L'Ecailler, we got fresh lobsters, prawns and crabs which the chef at the French stove gladly grilled for us with garlic, butter and cheese. I wanted some New Zealand mussels, but by time I remembered to go back for them I was already too full. But I did remember to get some hakao from the Steam Baskets, which I dare say are the best hakao I've had so far, while hubby got us some Chinese fare which included roasted duck. I have to say, the pan-fried duck from the French Stove tasted much better than the roasted one.

I also got a small assortment of cheese, jamon iberico and jamon serrano from L'Epicerie or Cheese Room. Sadly, hubby didn't enjoy my selection of cheese, though he liked the hams that I got. After that, hubby went back for more of Perigord cuisine while I got some carbonara from the pasta section as the little boss is very fond of pasta. I should have asked if they could make me some truffle oil pasta, but my carbonara was already done when I thought of it, and I didn't think I can finish two servings of pasta even with the little boss helping me.

Then, it was time for dessert. Where, oh, where to start?

Dark, milk and white chocolate truffles at the candy section

Orange, Dark Chocolate and Pistachio fountains,
all made with Spiral chocolate

Candies galore!

Assorted pastries at the chiller case

More pastries!

I think I got most of the dessert in the chiller case, and everything tasted sooo good. There were also four different kinds of cakes that were part of the Tour de France menu, as well as fruits, halohalo and native delicacies sections. But my favorite by far was the chocolate souffle, which was displayed in front of the puto bumbong and bibingka beside the Creamery. It was warm, rich and oh-so-yummy. Chocolate perfection! I was half hoping that French macarons would be part of the dessert offering, but it wasn't. Still, the dessert selection was simply the best I've seen and tasted.

The uber yummy chocolate souffle!

Hubby's mango crepe with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup

Of course, the little boss got a share of almost everything, plus a nice serving of chocolate rocks which he couldn't seem to get enough of. I had to hide the bowl from him as he kept on putting piece after piece into his mouth!

The little boss didn't look too happy with
the disappearance of his chocolate rocks, haha!

I went back for more chocolate truffles and some cake slices, and got one labelled Choco Fudge Cake. I veered away from the one that said Choco Fudge Chili as spicy food sometimes cause hyperacidity in me, but when I got back to the table, it turned out that the one I got was with chili! I got the cake after the last call was made, and the staff were already putting the remaining dessert into one chiller, so they probably mixed up the labels. The Choco Fudge Cake with Chili was actually interesting, as the chili doesn't really deliver a kick but somehow spreads like a warmth in your mouth. I tried a couple of small bites then stopped as I did not want to take my chances.

By then, the lunch hour was almost over and we were feeling quite full, so we asked for the check, had our parking card validated, and leisurely made our way back to the car. On the way out, the little boss checked out the pool area, which he was eyeing earlier during our tour of La Veranda, while hubby got the car.

Well, it would seem that my quest to conquer Spiral's 21 Dining Ateliers was a dismal failure.  I barely made it through half of it, and I was already defeated. I think conquering Spiral will need more than one visit, and hubby is more than happy to accompany me should I return for another attempt. Perhaps it would be for dinner as he wants to try the foie gras which is offered only during dinner, though I'm a bit hesitant to try it myself. However, I think we will wait for a really big occasion so I can justify to myself such a splurge (Haha!).

*Update: Cashcashpinoy has a new deal for Sofitel's restaurants, including lunch and dinner vouchers at Spiral. Thinking... thinking... thinking...

Many thanks to Jane Santiago of Sofitel's Marketing team and Tanguy Gras of Spiral for giving us the tour and accompanying us as we took photos during our visit. Both also dropped by our table at least once as we were already dining just to ask if we needed anything else, and we truly appreciate their kindness and patience with us.

With the gracious pair of Jane Santiago and Tanguy Gras

Here are some interesting facts on Spiral

(Information provided by Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila's media/press kit)

Number of steps of the Spiral staircase – 31 steps

Number of Sofitel Ambassadors working for Spiral

-         80 Service team

-         80 Chefs and Kitchen team

Popular dishes in Spiral

- Peking Duck – 20 pcs of ducks a day (served with a pancake)

- Foie Gras – 4,200 grams a day

- Norwegian Salmon –  30 kilos a day (used in most ateliers , the most popular being salmon sashimi

-Truffles Chocolate – 1,000 pieces per day or 6,000 pieces a week

- Chocolate couverture – 25 kgs.

- Mussels from New Zealand – 12 kilos a day (raw or baked with butter and garlic)

- Fresh Oysters from Aklan Province

- Spiral’s signature bread - olive bread

OTHER FACTS:

Sunday brunch with Cillebart Salmon champagne and mojitos

Timing: 12noon- 3pm

Champagne and Mojitos are served until 2pm only

+La Veranda (indoor Parisian-style bar) features:

-Hennessy Richard Extra Cognac

-Chateau Haut-Brion

-Champagne Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque or Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots

-Six private dining rooms seating 8-12 guests (can be combined for up to 36)

Spiral also has the following social media accounts:
Facebook:Spiral Manila
Twitter: Spiral Manila
For reservations, you may use the reservation link at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila's Facebook page.

One other interesting fact that I read from the press kit is the information that Spiral's supply of herbs comes from the Old Kano Farm from my hometown of Silang, Cavite! Good to know that Manila's best buffet restaurant supports local farmers, and in particular, one that is a few minutes away from me. 

Note: This is not a sponsored post. We used GCs that we bought during the #SofitelSMDay promo for our meal. The tour of Spiral was a courtesy extended by the Marketing Team in reply to my request for permission to take photos inside Spiral as I did not want any awkward situation to arise should I persist to take photos without prior permission from the management.

Spiral's Weekday Lunch Buffet at Half-Price!

I've read a lot of raves about Sofitel Philippine Plaza's Spiral, particularly after it's re-launch late last year. Foodies and bloggers are touting it to be the best buffet in Manila (some even claimed in the country), so I've been wanting to try it for some time. However, their buffet rates are also topnotch (*wink*), which is why every time I am tempted to go for it, one look at their buffet price is enough to make go, "Naaahh!"

Last Friday as I was browsing my Facebook feed, a post suddenly caught my attention:

Spiral vouchers at 50% off!!!

Selling period is only from June 29,2013 to July 3, 2013. Was it fate that on the first day of their sale, we were scheduled to go to Manila? Maybe, maybe not. Still, I printed a copy of the post and took a screenshot on my mobile phone (both are required if one wants to avail of the offer), then told myself I'll purchase the vouchers if the weather isn't bad in Manila as I didn't want us to get caught in a flood (stormy weather was expected that day), and if our appointment ends early. To cut the story short, Saturday in Manila turned out to be quite sunny AND we were finished with our appointment by noon, so I took it to mean that fate was giving me a shot at Spiral's discounted vouchers (hehe!).

Our Spiral vouchers! Yay!

Now, on to conquer Spiral's 21 Dining Ateliers. Can I do it? We'll see. :)

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

Post-Anniversary Lunch at 7 Corners, Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

Along with Christmas and birthdays in the family, our anniversary is one of our "dedicated to family" dates. But this year, it coincided with the observance of Holy Week, so we decided to just celebrate it a week or two later.

Just before our anniversary came up, I was browsing through an online buying site when I chanced upon a deal for lunch buffet at 7 Corners Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria. Now, I'm really not into buying stuff online, but sometimes I see some deals that really pique my interest. And with our anniversary coming up, I thought, why not celebrate it with a bit of posh? Still, it took a lot of procrastinating and waiting until the last moment before I finally purchased those coupons since even at a discount, it was pricier than our usual buffet fare. I could almost hear the "ka-ching!" of the cash register as I clicked that button to finalize my purchase, haha!

Two weeks later, off to Ortigas we went with the little boss (who fortunately was having another free meal due to his age *wink*). As we entered 7 Corners, I noticed that the place was not even half-full and looked like it could use some improvements in decor. But then, I'm no interior decorator, so for all I know the old feel could be part of the place's charm.

7 Corners Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

Guests will be greeted by this wine display at the entrance

The hostess led us to our table, verified our coupons, and wished us a nice lunch. As my habit whenever I'm trying out a new buffet place, I took the little boss with me to make a survey of the food selections while hubby clicked away with his camera. I have read reviews about 7 Corners, and I already have an idea of how big their spread was. Still, I was a little surprised at what I saw. Bearing in mind the regular price of their lunch buffet, I was expecting more than what they had that day. Now, I always make it a point to veer away from saying negative things about a place, but in this case, I think a little constructive criticism wouldn't hurt.

Their famed US Ribeye, which was touted to be worth more than the price of the buffet, was there, along with a few side dishes and three or four other cooked dishes. Then there was the pasta station, the Mongolian, Indian, seafood, and Japanese sections. There was also a section for bread, pizza and some appetizers and cheese, and another section for dessert composed of cakes, fruits and ice cream.

The carving and cooked dishes section

US Ribeye, said to be worth more than the price of the buffet

Mongolian section

Japanese and seafood sections

Seafood with an array of sauces

A small assortment of cheese

Bread

Dessert Section

Although the buffet can be considered complete (all the basics were there), it still felt like the selection was limited. Aside from the ribeye (which was as good as they claimed it to be), the only items I got were a lobster, a couple of shrimps, some soup, teeny slices of cheese, and a bit of cooked fish for the little boss. I was actually looking forward to the lobster since I haven't tried it due to my food allergy, but after asking the chef to grill it with lemon and butter and getting plain grilled lobster that tasted like it had been boiled in water and lost all flavor, I didn't bother getting another one. Hubby got some Japanese fare but didn't go back for seconds which told me he wasn't impressed with what he got. And this is the only Japanese section I've seen that didn't have tempura.  (I was informed much later that it was only served during weekday dinner and weekends. Huh?). Nearing the end of our meal, we saw the lechon at the back counter of the section directly in front of us, but by that time we were quite disappointed with what we had that we didn't bother getting any. 

US Ribeye, good but not really worth all that hassle

Lobster and shrimps. Didn't get any more after this.

At the dessert section, we were in for more disappointment as the sever informed us that the chocolate cakes in the chiller were for display purposes only. Guests are allowed to get only those at the open counter. So we settled for a couple of little cakes which we weren't able to finish despite their teeny size, and a cone filled with chocolate mousse that didn't really taste like chocolate mousse but the little boss enjoyed as he thought it was ice cream in a cone. Hubby managed to cajole one server to give him a mousse in a shot glass for his photos, though. (Days later, he management clarified that the cakes in question were for ala carte orders and not part of the buffet offering. But as it was displayed in the chiller along with cakes that were part of the buffet, how was I to know that? Plus the server said the cakes were for display only.)

The dessert plate that hubby and I shared but didn't finish, with
the little boss enjoying his chocolate mousse cone in the background

At the ice cream section, I asked for two flavors of ice cream to be mixed with toppings at the teppanyaki board, as this was one the features that merited special mention in the details of the 7 Corners buffet. But after scooping out one flavor, the server handed the cup to me and turned to the next guest who was still contemplating what to get. After a long pause, I decided not to make a fuss and just take my plain ice cream. 

However, it seemed that my patience was to be tested some more. I requested for our coffee to be served and waited 10 minutes before we realized that the server forgot our coffee. So I asked another server to follow it up. He smiled, said he will get it, and promptly forgot about it, too. The third server finally went to the bar after my request, poured out the coffee and brought it to us. I then asked for the check, since I was not familiar with 7 Corners and some restaurants issue receipts that show coupon transactions. The first two servers that I asked never got back to us, so I called a third server to follow it up. He asked if we had coupons and if we ordered ala carte items, then explained that we do not need to wait for the receipt. Why oh why didn't the other servers bother to tell me that? 

So that was how the "posh" anniversary lunch went. We went to 7 Corners expecting to be wowed by an amazing hotel buffet, and left with the opinion that the ribeye, no matter how good, wasn't worth the money and the long drive from home. To be fair, the buying site where I got the coupons have apologized and promptly relayed all my comments to 7 Corners. The restaurant's management have also extended their apologies along with a promise to make improvements based on my feedback.

So will we dine there again? For now, I'd say no. But then again, the management has been gracious in accepting feedback, so we just might give it another try, but not anytime soon.

Update: Purchased a couple of coupons from Deal Grocer as I have been convinced to give 7 Corners another try, this time for a weekend lunch. Hopefully improvements have been made in the food selection, particularly the desserts section. Will post a follow up after our visit.

Photos by Myk Esguerra

Starbucks' Asian Dolce Latte

(Note: This is a really late post. Been trying to get some decent shots of the Asian Dolce Latte, but I guess luck isn't on my side. Tsk!)

The first time I saw this at Starbucks Philippines' fanpage, my first thought was "I'd like to take a photo of that drink!" Then I read "Double Espresso shots for Tall". Now THAT really made me want to go out and grab a cup.

Promo photo from Starbucks Philippines Facebook fanpage

A week after the launch of the Asian Dolce Latte, I was finally able to drop by Starbucks to get a cup of its hot version. I asked hubby to order it for me, which he he did. He even meticulously stirred the cup (oh no!) before bringing it back to me. Result: the drink tasted pretty much like a caramel macchiato with an extra shot of espresso. Oh well...

The second time, I ordered the drinks. This is what I got:

Hot Asian Dolce Latte. Would have looked better in a crystal/clear mug

Hubby's favorite coffee companion: the improved Cinnamon Roll

At first sip, the foam and espresso on top hit you first. Pretty strong, especially for someone like me who doesn't take plain espresso. Then the sweet milk at bottom follows, a contrast to the first sip of espresso. I guess this is what makes it different from the regular mixed coffee drinks. That, and the fact that this drink has double the espresso shots of the regular ones, without the added cost. Plus points for those who like their coffee strong!

A few days later, I tried the iced version. Now since this is taken through a straw, I got to taste the milk at the bottom first. Then I pulled up the straw a bit so I can get to the espresso. I usually ask the barista to hold the whip on my cold drinks, but this time I made an exception because it was espresso whipped cream! Tastes nice, not as creamy as regular whip, with just the slightest hint of sweetness and espresso flavor. I wonder if I can ask them to put this on my mocha and java chip frap instead of the regular whip.

Iced Asian Dolce Latte

Verdict: This is the drink for those who want that extra coffee kick without shelling out  extra bucks for additional espresso shot. I ordered all my drinks in venti, so that's a whopping 4 shots of espresso in every drink. I only wish they had glass mugs for the hot version so people can see the nice layers. That said, the Asian Dolce Latte is a cheaper, stronger alternative to the usual Caramel Macchiato and I'd probably be ordering this until they pull it out of the menu.

Update: Check out Starbucks' Coffee Perfection App and get a chance to win Buy 1 Take 1 vouchers on the Asian Dolce Latte. Visit this link:
https://www.facebook.com/StarbucksPhilippines/app_129173033939784

Oh, and in case anyone's wondering, this isn't a sponsored post. I just really like coffee, and thought other coffee lovers out there might like to get some freebies from Starbucks. :)

Photos by Myk and Shella Esguerra

Getting some non-coffee fix at Happy Lemon

Recently, I noticed that a cousin of mine have been raving about a certain drink that she can't seem to get enough of. It was iced cocoa with, of all things, rock salt and cheese, one of the bestsellers of Happy Lemon, which I always thought of as just another milk tea place. My first reaction was, huh? Salt and cheese in a chocolate drink? Nu-uh, not for me!

Then my curiosity got the better of me. I knew from watching cooking shows that chocolate tastes better when you put in a bit of salt as it makes the chocolate taste more intense. Plus picky little me has been prodding me for a while to try something out of my comfort zone. So while walking to the parking lot last weekend, I looked into the Happy Lemon store which I passed by countless of times in the past, saw the counter was empty save for a girl waiting for her drink, and decided on the spot to march right in and order a Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese.

Happy Lemon's bestselling Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese

As the server handed me a large cup without a cover (the counter crew talked me into upsizing my order for a 10-peso difference), I noticed that the cream on top had a bit of powdered cocoa mixed with a teeny amount of salt. The cheese,however, was not visible to me. I asked for a cover and a straw since we were on our way home already and put in on, intending to drink it in the car. Then, I remembered another drink which tasted different when stirred, so I immediately took the cover off again and had a couple of sips. Hmmm... not bad. In fact, it was quite good! The sweet cocoa flavor is enhanced by the saltiness of the cheese and rock salt which sticks to your lips. The taste reminded me of the keso sorbetes of my childhood, the so-called dirty ice cream that was the staple of birthday parties where the ice keeping the ice cream tub cold is sprinkled with salt to delay melting. As a consequence, some of the salt sometimes get into the cheese-flavored ice cream, making the sweet, salty and cheese flavors blend together, but not in an unpleasant way. Then I gave the cup a good stir to mix in all the flavors, and it still tasted good. But it tasted better when you drink it straight from the cup sans the straw.

I can make out the salt crystals mixed with the cocoa

A few days later, I chanced upon another Happy Lemon store with no waiting customers, so in I went. I ordered a couple of Cocoas, then noticed a new bestseller, Lemon Calamansi Tea with jelly. As it was a sweltering day, the idea of a refreshing citrus drink seemed oh-so-appealing to me. Without another thought, I ordered one, intending to drink it first and save my cocoa for later. (Tip: The cocoa drink still tasted good after being kept overnight in the refrigerator. Just make sure to tape up the hole for the straw.)

My Lemon Calamansi Tea

The server asked me for the level of sweetness for my drinks (apparently it can be adjusted to one's liking), and I said everything 100%. Lucky, because the Lemon Calamansi Tea turned out to be really tart and citrusy with a slight bite to the tongue due the calamansi halves that were put in it. It was hardly sweet but it was very good, though I'm not sure if it would be a hit for those who are not so fond of tart or sour drinks.

My little boss doing a Happy Everyday! pose ;-)

Aside from the drinks that I tried, Happy Lemon has quite a long list of drinks, neatly arranged into categories (or series as the menu says), perhaps to allow customers to easily identify each individual drink.

Got a Happy Lemon menu to check what's next on my must-try list ;-)

So now my usual coffee break has taken a slightly different turn. Not saying that I'm giving up coffee (love my mochas and macchiatos!), but it sure is nice to have something different every now and then

Take a sip and enjoy!

Photos by Myk and Shella Esguerra