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

A sip of serenity at Caffe Sant' Antonio

Late Saturday afternoon, hubby, who had been working almost non-stop since the previous day, suddenly turned off his laptop and suggested we attend the anticipated mass at Our Lady of Lourdes. Surprised but nonetheless happy for a little break, I grabbed Nathan's things, asked a friend if she wanted to come along, and off we went to Tagaytay. After the mass, we checked out the Sky Ranch, the new theme park that opened that day beside Taal Vista Hotel, then had dinner at one of the numerous restos along the ridge.

After dinner, hubby asked if we wanted coffee. We were about to go to the nearby coffee place when I remembered seeing a local coffee shop a couple of months back just beside Saint Anthony Rogationist College along Aguinaldo Highway. I suggested we try out the place, to which my companions immediately agreed to. It was a bit late and I was half-expecting the place to be closed already, but as we parked in front of the store, we saw a couple of people still inside. Turned out we still had about 45 minutes before closing time, yay!

Caffe Sant' Antonio

From what I gathered, Caffe Sant' Antonio is owned and managed by the Rogationist of the Heart of Jesus, who also run the school beside it. The cafe is located inside Rogate, the store that sells religious articles and church supplies. It occupies the corner that faces Aguinaldo Highway and while some might find the area a bit small, there is an al fresco area accessible through a side door for those who want to enjoy their coffee in the mini garden.

The corner that is Caffe Sant' Antonio

As expected, hubby ordered the Caffe Caramellato, which seemed closest to his usual caramel macchiato. I took a sip from his cup, and found it quite good. Not too sweet and the coffee flavor was strong but not bitter or overpowering, though hubby said it could use a bit more of the caramel flavor and aroma.

Caffe Caramellato Grandio

I would have ordered the same or a mocha, but on impulse I ordered the Caffe al Cioccolato Bianco, espresso with white chocolate. Now, I'm not a fan of white chocolate and I normally ask the barista to hold the whip on my ice blended drinks, but it seemed a good time to try something new. And I was not disappointed!  I had it in medio, which is their regular size, as I was afraid the combination of milk and white chocolate might drown the coffee taste, but was I wrong! The espresso, white chocolate and milk was blended perfectly that it seemed like I could taste the individual components of my drink while enjoying them mixed together! And it wasn't too sweet, either. I'm definitely going to order this again on my next visit.

Caffe al Cioccolato Bianco Medio

My friend, who isn't a coffee drinker and has an unusual aversion to hot drinks, got a Frappe al Cioccolato, which is chocolate and milk blended with ice. She was nice enough to let me have a taste, and although she seemed to really like it, I found the drink a bit too creamy for me. It was almost like chocolate shake but not too sweet, and would be just right for kids and non-coffee drinkers.

Frappe al Cioccolato Medio

Of course, since we had our little boss with us, we had to order some cake, so we got some of Ms. Polly's chocolate cake. The serving was quite generous!

Ms. Polly's chocolate cake

I wanted to try Pan di Sant' Antonio, the cafe's special whole wheat bread, but it wasn't on the display case. Maybe next time.

Our order is complete!

While waiting, we browsed around the store (well, my companions browsed while I made sure the little boss doesn't break anything, whew!).

Souvenir mugs

This little figurine of a chef will greet you at the counter

As we sat there sipping our coffee, it occurred to me how different Caffe Sant' Antonio is from the coffee shops that we usually go to. The place seemed more serene, more peaceful somehow. It might be an effect of the religious displays in the store, or just the absence of incessant chatter and boisterous laughter that is usually present in popular coffee shops. Whatever it was, it was good, a relaxing way to end a long tiring day.

My boys at the counter

Photos by Myk and Shella Esguerra

Birthday Lunch at Vikings - A Feast from the Sea

I got wind of Vikings' birthday promo via a social networking site. Their rules are pretty simple: you dine there on the day of your birthday accompanied by a full paying adult, present a government-issued ID indicating your date of birth, and you get to eat for free! Neat, eh?

So last month on hubby's birthday, we trooped to their MOA branch for lunch (we made reservations a week earlier) and dived into what Vikings had to offer. I guess I was a bit overwhelmed by the buffet spread (ok, I was starving, too!) that I just got whatever looked good to me. By the time I spotted the fresh seafood at the grilling station, the pasta section, and the oyster rockefeller and array of dimsum at the Asian section, I was already too full to even take another sip of juice. I promised myself that next time would be different.

February came around, and as planned, off to Vikings went our little family of three. After being shown to our table, hubby went off to take photos of the food while the little boss and I went around hunting for goodies.

First stop: Grilling Section. We selected an assortment of fish for Nathan as he isn't too fond of meat and added a couple of squid to be grilled. They had shrimps but it was brought out later, while crabs, we learned, are served during dinner and weekends. As I am allergic to crabs, it was not really a big deal, though hubby would have liked to try some. We settled for a good serving of freshly cooked shrimp tempura which was just being brought out beside the Grilling section.

Next: Carving Section, which is adjacent to the Grilling Section. Got some beef tenderloin, US top blade and crispy baked pork belly. Hubby also got some leg of lamb, which I tasted since I never had lamb before. It was ok, but I still prefer my steaks. Their beef tenderloin was so tender and flavorful that it doesn't really need any sauce. The top blade was good, too, but not as good as the tenderloin, while the pork belly tasted pretty much like lechon. They also had a lot of meat on skewers, including sausages and what looked like gizzards, but we skipped that.

Some of the goodies we had that day :)

As we passed by the appetizer section, the little boss started reaching for nachos. I got some of that and added some cheese, canapes, little ham sandwiches, and shrimp in a little red cup called ceviche. Also got a small serving of their pumpkin soup which Nathan and I shared. It was good, but the wild mushroom soup they had during our first visit tasted much better, at least to me.

No tummy space left for the yummy-looking bread and salad

At the Asian section, we got some oysters and hubby's plate of sushi. I never had oysters before simply because they, uh, look slimey to me. The ones at Vikings have cheese on top, just like baked mussels. Well, here goes... Hmmm... not bad. It was actually good. But as I was trying it for the first time and I just found out the hard way that I'm allergic to white clams, I decided not to overdo it and settled for just a couple. I was so intent on finding new things to try that I totally forgot one of our dimsum staples: the hakao. And they were really good! Tsk!

I was eyeing the pomelo and waldorf salads, but decided that if I want dessert, I'd have to skip them. So it was off to the dessert section for me and little boss. We peeked at the chiller and was a bit disappointed that there was no chocolate mouse that day. So we got a mango crepe with ice cream, cappuccino panna cotta, and an assortment of cakes. Then we went back for more ice cream (it was yummy and not too sweet!), some gummy candies, and another mango crepe. And since there are no photos to show just how much dessert we had, the calories in them don't count, haha!

Last time, they had prepared crepes in a covered dish which you can fill with your choice of filling. This time, a crew was assigned to the area so that each crepe was made as soon as you order one. We skipped the chocolate fountain as we weren't too impressed with it the last time. The chocolate was much too thin and runny, and tasted more sugary than chocolatey. It also looked like Vikings will be adding puto bumbong and bibingka to the native dessert line-up, since equipment for making them are already set up beside the crepe station, although at the time of our visit, they weren't in use yet.

While waiting in line to get some coffee (they only have 2 machines and the one I went to was sooooo slow!), I saw the frozen yogurt machine and thought, why not? Brought some back to our table and shared it with Nathan. Also beside it was a bartender preparing the shake of the day, cucumber with mint. However, I'm no fan of cucumber so I stuck with my ever-dependable dalandan juice while hubby alternated between that and the flavored iced tea, which happened to be his current favorite, Twining's passion fruit, mango and orange. There was also a soda machine dispensing 2 kinds of flavored lemonade (strawberry and blueberry, I think), sago at gulaman, and even draft beer (strictly for 18 and above only says the sign). Wine, on the other hand, is charged separately.

Of course, I got a birthday cake and a birthday song from Vikings' friendly crew :)

It was indeed a very nice birthday lunch. I got a free birthday treat, was able to try at least a couple of new things, and had two of my favorite boys with me. What more could a girl ask for? :)

Photos by Myk Esguerra

Sunday Brunch at Buon Giorno, Tagaytay

About a year ago, hubby and I agreed that Sundays will be devoted to: 1. attending mass, preferably in the morning since one tends to get a bit lazy later in the day, and 2. quality time spent with the family. This after we noticed that on most Sundays, we get so wrapped up in attending to little work details that it has become just another workday. It was fine when there were just the two of us. But now that we have our son, our priorities naturally changed, and we want to spend as much quality time with him as we could.

Last Sunday, our little boss woke up much later than his usual hour. As we wouldn't be able to make it to the 8:30AM mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, we opted to attend the 10AM mass. The mass finished shortly after 11AM, so instead of our usual late breakfast, we decided to try out something new.

We have been to Buon Giorno before, we live about 5 minutes away after all. However, upon learning that we were up for at least 20 minutes of waiting to get a table, we decided to just head out and find another place. Since it was still a bit early for lunch when we got there last Sunday, only a couple of tables were occupied, although more than half of the place was already reserved including all the tables on the open veranda. But luck was on our side as we were given a spacious corner couch that had a view of the whole restaurant as well as a glimpse of the view outside. Not bad! :)

The boss having milk at the corner couch which can double as a daybed.

As Nathan is sure to share my drink upon waking up (he fell asleep just before the mass ended), I got a glass of dalandan juice. It's actually a shake on the menu, but you can ask for it to be served as juice. Hubby decided to just have water as he wasn't too keen on their iced tea which the server informed us was a commercial brand one. Good decision, as I was surprised at my drink's size when they served it. It was HUGE!

Dalandan juice (Php120) in a  gigantic mug!

While waiting, they gave us some house bread, which was quite good. It was warm, light and had a hint of herbs. 

House bread

The bread went quite well with their cream of broccoli soup, which hubby and I shared. It might look a bit small, but if you're planning on having a heavy main course, it would be wise to just share a bowl as it can fill you up if you finish the whole serving on your own.

Crema de Broccoli (Php140)

Having seen risotto on reality cooking shows, hubby has long been wanting to try some. A food blog that I read a while back mentioned that Buon Giorno has really good risotto, so he decided to order one of their bestsellers, the chicken and mushroom. And good it was! I though at first that the generous-sized strips of chicken and mushroom were just toppings for the risotto, but when hubby started eating, we saw that there were more chicken and mushroom mixed in. Nathan seemed to like it, too, though as he just had his milk, he was more interested in sipping the dalandan juice than eating.

Pollo E Funghi risotto (Php302)

After debating with myself whether I should order their other bestseller risotto (smoked salmon and asparagus), I finally decided to have their rib eye which the served said was the bestseller in the steak/meat menu. I initially wanted prime rib but was informed that they no longer have it although it's still on the menu (with N/A written beside it). It was quite big, maybe 10 oz or more,  butterfly cut, and came with 2 sides and  mushroom and wine sauce. I asked that it be cooked medium well, but upon cutting into it, I realized that they had it well done. So well done, in fact, that the steak was almost dry and tough. It was also a bit on the salty side, just like the sides. I was contemplating on having it replaced, but decided against it as it was not entirely bad. But I'll definitely steer clear of it in future visits and stick to their risotto, pasta and salad.

Rib eye with potatoes and vegetables (Php598)

Overall it was a nice Sunday brunch for us. Nathan got a few bites of everything, but wasn't really impressed with the food. I guess he still wanted his pancakes and french toast which are his staples after Sunday mass. I'm sure we'd be going back to sample more of their menu (with pancakes thrown in for the little boss).

Buon Giorno Caffee and Bistro is located at The Cliffhouse, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City.