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Category: Parañaque

  • Review of Prego Ristorante and Bar (City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque)

    Review of Prego Ristorante and Bar (City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque)

    From the team that brought L’Opera Ristorante Italiano and Balducci, Prego Ristorante and Bar in City of Dreams Manila is an Italian restaurant and bar specializing in regional Tuscan cuisine. Prego translates to “please” or “you’re welcome” in English. No wonder why this place is so welcoming! After our first visit yesterday, we’re ready to say that we do like this place a lot. Every dish was presented like a masterpiece before our eyes, and the flavors were beyond superb.

    Lunch was booked through BigDish’s website a week ago, and we had an instant discount off our meal. In case you’re not yet familiar, BigDish is a brand-new way of offering dining deals and discounts. There’s no membership fee required. Just reserve online and get discounts off your bill depending on the number of people, date and time, and the restaurant chosen. Once booking is done, a confirmation code will show up and this should be presented to the restaurant at the time of visit.

    Review of Prego Ristorante and Bar (City of Dreams Manila, Parañaque)

    Ambiance:

    If you long for the gold standard for fine, not fussy Italian dining in Metro Manila, this will be it. Prego has a cozy yet chic feel, far from stuffy, yet formal enough to function as a post-work or pre-casino destination for those eating in this area for that purpose, or a place where you can celebrate and hold momentous events with loved ones. Prego has a main dining area with sofa seating for families and groups, a bar area for those who wants some booze, and a lounge where guests can go for coffee and dessert. The charming space is outfitted with high ceilings and good lighting. Wine bottles displayed on the walls and positioned at the back raise the glamour quotient.

     

    Service:

    The upscale atmosphere is enhanced by professional and accommodating servers providing the finishing touch on this gastronomic gem. Our plates were changed as soon as we finished every last entree, our glasses were filled with water in a timely manner, and we were asked every now and then if we needed anything. The plates did not arrive all at once, giving us time to really relish and finish our food and have some conversations in between. The first-class service added up to the refined mood that’s perfect for client entertaining or a fancy date night. Simply put, the warm, receptive staff won our hearts.

    Food:

    Who can pass up on fresh bread? 😉 Certainly not us.

    Prego Ristorante and Bar isn’t reinventing the wheel when it comes to Italian cuisine. It has all the makings of a great restaurant, and an even better place to discover food you love. Dishes on the menu are written in Italian with descriptions in English. For antipasti de terra, we had the house recommendation: Affettati Assortiti con Coccole e Salsa al Gorgonzola e Mascarpone (PhP 590), which basically consisted of assorted Italian cuts and pizza puffs, served with gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese sauce. This platter got our meal to an eye-catching start. Thinly sliced and arranged artistically in like triangular handkerchiefs, the cured meat had a mild taste and delicate texture. Most notable for me were the prosciutto and mortadella.


    The selection of pasta was pretty impressive as well, but our eyes were set on Ravioli all’ Aragosta (PhP 590) the moment we saw “lobster” and “shrimp” together in one. And we made no mistake, the homemade lobster and shrimp-filled ravioli in cream sauce was a true hit. Each pasta pillow was filled with a hearty and savory blend of the crustaceans, and the cream was loaded with heavy buttery goodness. The raviolis were colored with the flag of Italy, featuring three equally-sized vertical pales of green, white and red, with the green at the hoist side. Now, this is what we call creative!

    For our main dish, we chose to go with Bistecca Disossata alla Griglia con Spinaci (PhP 520/100g, minimum 300g per order). It’s certified angus beef rib-eye accompanied with sautéed spinach and vegetables. Again, we enjoyed every single bit of its parts. Cooked to medium doneness (as we requested), the steak retained the buttery, flavorful taste of medium-rare steaks while still having juiciness and tenderness that comes with a good piece of beef.


    For our dessert, we opted for something more unique than the traditional mango or chocolate panna cotta. Panna Cotta al Miele Tartufato (PhP 420) is a special version of the famous Italian cream custard with truffled honey syrup and sweet balsamic vinegar. Apparently, truffles aren’t just for pasta, pizza, fries, and risotto, and balsamic vinegar isn’t only for bread, pizza, and salads.

    It appears that nothing is impossible nowadays, and we were very pleased. Now we know that panna cotta ticks the box of things that go well with truffles. The flavor and fragrance of the truffled honey complemented the savory tones and richness of the cream. Texture was custard-like, silky smooth, and thick but still melts in the mouth.

    Price for Value:

    Prego Ristorante and Bar in City of Dreams Manila is everything you’d expect from a fine-dining Italian restaurant and bar. It pairs elegant and tasty plates with beautiful and serene surroundings overseen by their welcoming staff. Any meal would be a special occasion and although the experience is decidedly not cheap, it’s certainly worth what you pay. Plus, booking with BigDish would be a nice move to get discounted rates. Dine smarter and click on the button below to reserve a table now. 🙂

    To know more about BigDish, check out its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BigDishPH/ or visit its website at https://bigdish.ph/. Click this button to book a table now:

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.cityofdreamsmanila.com/restaurants/prego” name=”Prego Ristorante and Bar” description=”Upper Ground Level, City of Dreams Manila, Roxas Blvd, Parañaque, 1701 Metro Manila” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 893 4155″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco” pubdate=”2017-06-05″ ]

  • Review of Vikings Luxury Buffet (SM BF, Parañaque City) #EatLikeAViking

    Review of Vikings Luxury Buffet (SM BF, Parañaque City) #EatLikeAViking

    Vikings fans in BF Parañaque, rejoice! The largest buffet restaurant in the Philippines has opened its seventh branch last January 24, 2015, Friday in SM City BF Parañaque. As soon as I received and read the invitation, I felt excited to embrace yet another Vikings experience as if it were my first. 🙂

    Vikings Luxury Buffet is the kind of buffet restaurant you walk into and immediately know you’re in a place where good things happen. Each branch has a different environment that somewhat tells a different story apart from the other. Just like Vikings in SM Jazz Residences, Makati which I’ve visited not too long ago, Vikings SM BF is likewise a foodie destination that has touched my heart, and of course, my stomach! 😛

    With Ms. Raquel, Vikings Marketing Manager, and my parents

    Review of Vikings Luxury Buffet SMBF (SM City, BF Homes, Parañaque)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Designed with earthy tones all throughout, Vikings SM BF is a great place to fetch some serenity while indulging with a huge variety of delicious food. A cozy space with about 350-400 seats, Vikings’ atmosphere is surrounded with woodwork and plants, enough to make guests feel like they’re in an enchanted modern forest.

    The natural surfaces and sweeping lines are mostly composed of green and brown palette, speaking to the structure of trees, reminiscent of nature and all its beauty.

    Not to be missed are the elegant chandeliers which came draping from the high-vault ceilings. I was most enamored with the one by the reception area. It looked like it was made with diamonds, ice, or crystal constellations.

    The decors certainly brought energy that lit up in bright colors. Fish accents on the wall in the function room especially gave the impression of a fun, dynamic, and harmonious effect.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The level of Vikings’ service was really up there with the staff being super attentive to customers’ requests and needs. Everyone was nice, helpful, and friendly.

    Have someone in your table who celebrates his/her birthday? They will happily play and sing a mash-up Happy Birthday song to serenade the celebrant. 🙂

    Food: ★★★★★

    Serving food ranging from upscale contemporary to timeless classics, Vikings Luxury Buffet branch in SM Parañaque left an impressionistic mark. Taking pictures of the beautifully presented dishes alone already made me swallow my saliva before eating. Everything looked just so irresistible. 😆

    Being on the constant lookout for something spectacular and food renditions that scream wow, I stayed away from the regular favorites (Japanese and Chinese food) this time. The goal was to give myself the chance to taste those I haven’t given much attention in my previous Vikings encounters and discover new preferences.

    For appetizers, I filled my plate with the international salads, bread, and cold cuts before proceeding to attack the mains. Highlights for me included Roasted Beef Steak Tagalog, Davao de Humba, Baked Chicken Caldereta, Beer Batter Fish Escabeche, Pinakbet Con Hipon, Black Palabok, and Green Chicken. The flavors were all BOLD and SAVORY to say the least.

    On the Mediterranean counter, recommended dishes are Pescado con Salsa Verde, Pollo con Champignon, Callos, and the very special Valenciana Paella. In the Meat section, you will not go wrong with the US Beef Entrecôte, Spit-Her Leg of Lamb, Baked Cajun Turkey, Whole Barbeque Chicken Jamaican Jerky, and Belly-Chon. The moist, tender, and hearty meat can be delicately paired with your sauce or gravy of choice: Mint Jelly, Mustard, or Sea Salt with Rosemary.

    Drinks and desserts available were no different from those in other Vikings branches. We quenched our thirst with chilled juices and neutralized food tastes with Twinings Tea. Finally, we tried to conserve space in our tummy to accommodate one tiny slice each of the beautifully plated cakes and other treats that drew wows. The avocado ice cream was well-received by many guests. It’s the perfect closure to our meal as well.

    Appetizers

    Chinese

    Japanese

    Grilled Meat and Seafood

    Meat and Poultry Carving

    Mediterranean

    Drinks

    Desserts

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    For the price conscious, eating in Vikings may not always sound like a good deal. However, considering the big sumptuous buffet spread consisting of food that’s cooked in high standards and presented in great quality, price for value is actually fair.

    At Vikings SM BF in Parañaque, it’s all about enjoying a simplified culinary tour across the globe. This is definitely a pleasant joint to celebrate a momentous occasion and spend quality time with families and friends. So despite the growing competition from numerous other buffet places in Metro Manila, Vikings Luxury Buffet still reigns as number one in my book.

    Prices, subject to 5% service charge, are as follows: Weekday lunch Weekday dinner/ weekend and holiday lunch and dinner
    Kids below 3 ft Free Free
    Kids between 3ft and 4ft PhP 188+ PhP 288+
    Kids between 4ft and 6ft PhP 388+ PhP 588+
    Adults PhP 688+ PhP 888+
    75 years old and above 50% special discount 50% special discount 
    Happy eating! :)

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/vikingssmbf” name=”Vikings SM BF” description=”Second Level, SM City BF Parañaque, Sucat, Parañaque City” rev_name=”For inquiries, call 811-3888, 811-4888″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2015-01-27″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating Hours:
    Lunch – 11am to 2:30pm
    Dinner – 5:30pm to 10pm

  • Review of Solaire Resort and Casino’s Food Court (Tambo, Paranaque City)

    Review of Solaire Resort and Casino’s Food Court (Tambo, Paranaque City)

    Hello 2014! I heard that this year is a good and lucky year for the Year of the Snake (me). 😀 Irrespective, I would still not place a bet and gamble away in style. What’s the point of going to Solaire Resort & Casino then, in the first weekend of the year? Well…there’s the food! :mrgreen:

    I have always been excited to go to Solaire Resort & Casino ever since it opened in March 2013, but because of series of planned events last year, I just did not have spare time. Thank God for those busy days. 😛 Now that my schedule is cleared up, I thought it’s the perfect window to go to the tallest hotel in Manila Bay area and first casino in Entertainment City for food and entertainment. By food, I meant “food court” and “entertainment” meant watching other people play games and hit it big at the roulette table.

    Upon arrival, we registered for membership and got a card. We walked around for a bit and took pictures of the lobby, the halls, chic boutiques and the restaurant facades (taking photos of the gaming area is prohibited). Before coming, I did my research on reviews of the restaurants (Fresh, Yakumi, Lucky Noodle, Red Lantern, Dragon Bar, Finestra, Eclipse, The Strip Steakhouse) and found many “horror stories” on unexpected and surprising food bills.

    If you’re on a conservative budget, the safest you can go to is the Solaire Food Court, where the “Best of Everything” lies. It has six stations: Sapporo, Pan Asian, Hong Kong, Chicken Licken, Americano and Patisserie.

    Solaire Resort and Casino’s website has not updated the menus of these stations to date and it only shows a brief description of the general. For sure, some people are like me who fancy reading into details. So I take the first step in sharing the food menus (see bottom of the post, except Patisserie — sorry for that) for everyone’s reference and convenience. You’re welcome! 😉

    Now let’s get it on for the review.

    Review of Solaire Resort and Casino’s Food Court (Tambo, Paranaque City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    After involuntarily inhaling a lot of cigarette fumes from the entire gaming area of the casino, I give a thumbs-up to Solaire Resort and Casino’s Food Court for its cleaner air and lower temperature that made us feel and breathe comfortably. An orange motif was used as inspiration for decors from the ceiling, walls and lights to even the chairs. Seating arragnement was like a spiral (not boxy), and the space was maximized without compromising the walkways.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Like typical fast food stalls, each one had about one to two servers. The servers were polite and quick. I could not expect more. When an order is placed, customers are given a restaurant pager that lights up and vibrates to signal picking up the food when ready. This device makes waiting guests free to roam around any area within the immediate vicinity of the food court inside Solaire.

    House water is available beside Sapporo and likewise is self-service. Maintenance guys clean up tables once they are freed.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    With so many options available, we took so much time in choosing what to order. I wanted to grab a bite of at least one dish per station, but our stomachs could not fill them all in. So using the elimination method, we resorted to getting food from Pan Asian, Sapporo and Patisserie.

    From Pan Asian, I had the Prawns in Coconut Gravy with Steamed Rice (PHp 240). The coconut gravy tasted a bit pungent and sour and the coconut milk’s flavor was consistent. I would prefer the gravy to be richer and thicker though. The texture of the prawns was quite gummy. The prawns were not traditionally breaded but naked and headless. The six pieces failed to absorb the flavor of the gravy. Sad.

    My sister had the Black Peppered Beef with Steamed Rice (PHp 240) also from Pan Asian, and she happily shared bits of the beef with us. It came with warming spices and aromatics, cooked down long enough for the braising liquid to evaporate. The tender beef chunks were well infused with black pepper. A letdown could be that the peppery taste was so overpowering that finishing the whole dish in one go was hard. I suggest adding lime on the side to contrast and brighten up your palate considerably.

    Food selections for vegetarians at this joint are kept to minimum. Either you go to Americano and order the Four Cheese Pizza (PHp 130/slice) or take Jap Chae (PHp 220) from Sapporo. We figured to give the latter a go. Their Jap Chae was sweet and savory but nothing special. It’s the classic Korean noodle dish cooked with stir-fried vegetables, toasted sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar.

    Meanwhile, my mom contented herself with the lavish Tow Cheong Meehoon (PHp 190)—fried vermicelli with fish tofu and fermented bean paste. The noodles had a springy, chewy texture. It’s one of the staples of Malaysian cuisine. With the seafood ingredients shining through, this dish was the best among everything we had for dinner that night.

    For desserts, the Carrot Zucchini Muffin (PHp 70) and Blueberry Muffin (PHp 70) from Patisserie were neither too sweet nor absolutely divine but satisfactorily enough to give our taste buds a pleasant departure from the spicy, strong and bold Asian dishes. The pastries had just the right amount of moist inside, yet I’d rather want them to be melt-in-your-mouth softer.

    Menu of Americano:

    • Reuben Sandwich (PHp 230) peppered beef with sauerkraut
    • Spaghetti with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce and Parmesan Cheese (PHp 220)
    • Hand-chopped Beef Burger (PHp 240) with lettuce, tomatoes, onion rings, bacon and French fries
    • Pizza slice (PHp 130) Pepperoni, Hawaiian, Four Cheese
    • Quesadilla (PHp 200) with Salsa Mexicana
    • Chili Dog (PHp 240) with French fries
    • Cheese Fries (PHp 150)
    • Chili Nachos (PHp 150) with Monterrey Jack Cheese and Salsa Mexicana

    Menu of Hong Kong / Filipino:

    • Pork Adobo (PHp 240) – stewed pork belly with steamed rice
    • Asado Rice Bowl (PHp 240) – marinated barbecue pork with steamed rice
    • Ampalaya sa Hipon (PHp 240) – bittergourd prawns with jasmine rice and cucumber relish
    • Beef Caldereta (PHp 240) – stewed beef in tomato sauce with steamed rice
    • Soy Ginger Fish (PHp 240) with steamed rice
    • Pritong Bangus (PHp 240) – fried milkfish with spicy vinegar
    • Sinangag (PHp 200) – with fried garlic rice, egg and salted fish
    • Lumpiang Prito (PHp 190) – with sweet chili sauce

    Menu of Pan Asian:

    • Beef Rendang (PHp 250) – with mango chutney and basmati rice
    • Kerala Chicken Curry (PHp 240) – with mango chutney and basmati rice
    • Fish Curry Tomatoes (PHp 230) – with fragrant rice
    • Prawns in Coconut Gravy (PHp 240) – with steamed rice
    • Nasi Goreng (PHp 210) – spicy fried rice with shrimps and eggs
    • Black Peppered Beef (PHp 240) – with steamed rice
    • Fish Ball Noodle Soup (PHp 200)
    • Sweet and Sour Pork (PHp 210) with Davao pineapple chunks and steamed jasmine rice
    • Prawn and Egg Rice Bowl (PHp 240)
    • Kung Pao Chicken (PHp 220) with steamed rice
    • Towcheong Meehoon (PHp 190)

    Menu of Sapporo:

    • Salmon Teriyaki Bowl with Rice and Pickled Ginger (PHp 240)
    • Yakibuta Ramen (PHp 240) – braised pork belly ramen soup with mushrooms in Shoyu broth
    • Yaki Udon (PHp 220) – stir-fried Udon noodles with seafood and vegetables
    • Gyoza (PHp 175) – pan-fried pork dumpling with soy ginger
    • Mochi (PHp 60)
    • Sul Rung-tang (PHp 250) – brisket and beef broth with sweet potato noodles
    • Bibimbap (PHp 240) – rice with sauteed vegetables, beef and egg
    • Bulgogi (PHp 240) – grilled marinated beef slice and steamed rice
    • Jap Chae (PHp 220) – wok-fried potato noodles with vegetables
    • Kimchee Fried Rice (PHp 200) – with chopped beef, eggs and scallions

    Menu of Chicken Licken:

    • Chicken Caesar Salad (PHp 180) – Romaine lettuce, garlic toast, shaved Parmesan and bacon bits
    • Southern Fried Chicken (PHp 230) – with Cajun fries and homemade roll
    • Rotisserie Chicken (PHp 250) – with bacon mashed potatoes, homemade roll and garlic gravy
    • Grilled Chicken Pasta (PHp 230) – penne pasta in herb tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese
    • Chicken Wings (PHp 230) – with honey barbecue sauce and French fries

    A Glimpse of Everything:

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Solaire’s food court definitely has pricier food than most of the food courts we have been accustomed to (think SM malls, Ayala malls, Robinsons malls, etc.). For the most part, food here are just made with simple ingredients and presented in a nondescript manner however with lovelier ambiance. Prices range from PHp 180 to PHp 250 per serving, For a mere food court, they are not really justified. I’m less likely to swing by unless they improve the quality and taste of food.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/SolaireResort” name=”Solaire Resort and Casino’s Food Court” description=”1 Solaire Boulevard / Asean Avenue, Entertainment City, Tambo, Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines” rev_name=”For inquiries, contact +632 888-8888″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-01-06″ user_review=”16″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]