A staple of the metro’s dining scene, Vikings Luxury Buffet has experienced a renaissance. Formal without being too stuffy and elegant without being aloof, NIU in SM Aura Premier, BGC is the upscale restaurant by Vikings that brings people together over a good meal.
Niu means “nine” in the Viking language. To explain why this establishment is called such, it’s the ninth restaurant in the Vikings group and it has nine food stations with a large array of dishes. Flavors are diverse and enticing as ever!
We had dinner here, using the Vikings Loyalty Card, for the first time. What is it and how does it work? I’ll walk you through the details of the card’s uses and perks at the end of the post. First, let’s talk about NIU. 🙂
At NIU by Vikings in SM Aura Premier, there’s no pretensions, no pomposity but just nicely spaced tables, discreet lighting, fine service, and excellent food. This is a stellar buffet restaurant that never disappoints, whether the occasion is an important business lunch or a romantic tasting experience.
Review of NIU by Vikings (SM Aura Premier, Bonifacio Global City)
Ambiance: ★★★★★
The fancy chandeliers, decorative wall designs, polished floor tiles, and relaxing soft piano music playing on the background (live during dinnertime) mostly make the posh ambiance at NIU resound with high points. Add to these are arched windows that look beautiful and distinctive as an eye-catching focal point and ceiling panels that temper a warm and more welcoming appearance with interesting wavy “fabric-like” beams.
Everything contributes to achieve a great degree of interior cohesiveness, including the color theme composed of browns and muted tones. Equally charming are the purple, brown, and white seating made of plush material, giving a contemporary look but a traditional comfy feel.
At one glance, it’s easy to get lost for a moment in this palace-worthy buffet restaurant “fit for royalty.” But walk around once more and you’ll realize that each area is properly organized and placed. What seemed like an endless parade of all-you-can-eat exemplary cuisines are presented only at one side of the dining area. Function rooms are positioned near the entrance, while the rest of the dining are at the center taking up the rest of the space.
Service: ★★★★★
We felt pampered once we stepped into the restaurant. Vikings staff as always are ready to provide friendly service from the beginning and it’s clear that they want customers to have a satisfying meal. They’re attentive and never miss a beat, leaving patrons feel at home. Hospitable and unobtrusive service was expected and we were not at all disappointed. 🙂
Food: ★★★★★
NIU by Vikings is a masterclass in interesting flavors, and guests are free to practice the art of taking their time to experience them. Yes, please do. 🙂 Once you take a stroll along the buffet counters, don’t feel compelled to get everything on your plate all at once. There’s nothing wrong with starting slow on appetizers (or going straight to the mains or desserts) and just working your way through all the selections.
With nothing but the freshest and the most premium ingredients, every dish is prepared for a luxurious feast. We found unusual, unexpected treasures whipped up in bite-size portions in the Appetizer section. The variety of bread, cheese, cold meat, and canapés would be great enough for you to think about them for months proceeding.
The mains sum up to a culinary nirvana. Filling Chinese dim sum and glorious Japanese maki and sashimi were among my favorites. Excellent cuts of meat such as Salmon Coulibiac, Roasted Turkey, Rib Eye and Rack of Lamb from the Carving station also proved to be house specialties. I still dream about how Italian, French, Spanish and other European dishes from the Western table were tastefully put together. Vikings’ “customize your own pizza and pasta” is a classic fine choice, an oldie but a goodie.
Choices for desserts are big and fabulous, ranging from cakes, chocolate fondue, fruits, and Filipino rice cakes to gelato. We tried every single flavor of gelato in small, premium scoops, and each one left a smile on our faces. It’s creamier, smoother, silkier, and denser than its American ice cream counterpart, plus the flavors naturally tasting heavenly. Yum! 🙂
As a finishing touch on this gastronomic gem, different juices, tea, coffee, beers, and wine are all available. That’s good to know since we always enjoy sampling more than one!
Appetizers
Western
Japanese
Mediterranean
Chinese
Carving
Desserts
Beverages
Price for Value: ★★★★☆
Vikings is known for its scrumptious buffet items and for good reason—it has truly redefined the all-you-can-eat dining experience over the years. Now with NIU, that experience is made even better.
Prices of NIU are higher than those of the regular Vikings Luxury Buffet, but it will be worth it, I promise. Book your reservation and come check it out to know why. 🙂 (Note: Make sure to reserve the function rooms early for special occasions or exclusive gatherings.)
| Prices | Weekday lunch | Weekday dinner/ weekend and holiday lunch and dinner |
| Kids below 3 ft or 3 years old | Free | Free |
| Kids (3ft. to 4ft. or 3 years to 7 years old) | PhP 288 | PhP 388 |
| Kids (4ft. to 4 ft 6” or 8 to 10 years old) | PhP 588 | PhP 688 |
| Adults | PhP 888+5% SC | PhP 1388+ |
| 75 years old and above | 50% special discount | 50% special discount |
[schema type=”review” url=”http://niu.ph” name=”NIU by Vikings” description=”6th floor, SM Aura Premier, 26th Street Corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig” rev_name=”For inquiries and reservations, call +632 478-3888, 847-3888, +63 917 586-6888, & +63 919 999-6888 or send an e-mail to niubyvikings@gmail.com ” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2015-08-07″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]
Everything You Need to Know About Vikings’ Loyalty Program
Registration is easy. 🙂
| VIKINGS LOYALTY CARD PERKS AND PRIVILEGES | MEMBERSHIP LEVEL | ||
| Basic (0 – 999 points) |
Silver (1000 – 1500 points) |
Gold (1501 points and above) |
|
| Receive exclusive discounts with partners and affiliates | X | X | |
| Access to exclusive Vikings discount | X | X | |
| (5% cash, 3% card) | (10% cash, 8% card) | ||
| Invitation to Special Events | X | X | |
| Priority Entrance during opening hours | X | X | |
| One full paying adult requirement for 1 week* | X | X | |
| One full paying adult requirement for 2 weeks** | X | ||
| *1 week birthday promo flexibility: 3 days before and 3 days after actual day of birthday. ** 2 weeks birthday promo flexibility: 7 days before and 7 days after actual day of birthday. |
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For FAQs, please refer to this page. Enjoy!
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