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Category: Food Reviews

Review of Royal View Seafood Restaurant (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

The last time we ate at Royal View Seafood Restaurant was on Valentine’s Day. I came straight from a date with Louie and spent dinner with my family. This time ’round, we had the opportunity to sample a featured set meal for four (bought by Mom from MetroDeal). We are well-acquainted with the food selection, so there was no great discovery. Still, this Chinese restaurant in SM Mall of Asia proved to excel in the authenticity of the delicacy; good tastes tingled in our tongues just the way we like it. 😉

Review of Royal View Seafood Restaurant (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

It’s hard to comprehend just how many people dine at Royal View Seafood Restaurant in MOA in any given day. The dining areas are massive, spread right across both “public” and “private” functional rooms. Chandeliers give a classy and grandiose touch to the overall modern, “imperial” vibe. Also providing a good visual impact is the wall opposite the entrance. If it were not for the poor air conditioning, this restaurant would be rated with complete five stars for ambiance.

Service: ★★★★★

The management must know that the restaurant would often be busy, hence the count of the staff dealing with guests here. At Royal View Seafood Restaurant, I have no complains about the efficient and quick delivery of service. Treatment was amiable and pleasant. Tea was served as I arrived as well with the menu when requested.

Food: ★★★★★

From the featured set meal, we got carbs, seafood and veggies in one go. As appetizer, the Combination of Soy Chicken and Tofu came out first. A maintstay of the Chinese table, these classic cold cuts remain to be a “good for the neighborhood” bite at best.

The Steamed Shrimps were cooked well. Seasoned nicely, the shrimps were plump, not rubbery and just remarkable. We added ginger sauce to enhance the taste further. The result? Pretty good for something so simple.

You can’t go wrong with the Vietnamese Spring Rolls either. These spring rolls had a hint of sweetness from the sweet-and-sour sauce. Each piece was fitted with savory textures from the tightly packed vermicelli inside and a crispy and slightly crunchy exterior.

The Steamed Fish with Garlic consisted of soft fish fillet that demonstrated how carefully building subtle flavors can amount to more than the sum of its parts. It’s complemented well with thinly sliced garlic chives, spring onions and cellophane noodles that absorbed much of the light soy sauce taste.

Royal View Seafood Restaurant’s Yang Chow Fried Rice can be noted as a treasure hunt in every spoonful. With small shrimps and veggies, this food would always be comforting, balanced, true to the ingredients and, perhaps perennially soul-satisfying. That’s why when you don’t know what to order based on the long menu, take Yang Chow Fried Rice. It’s the only one you need.

Finally, the Mixed Vegetables with Seafood gave us quite a respite from the different flavors of the previous dishes. The giant squids and greens absolutely did not miss that vibrant summer punch. Light and fresh, this can be a good start in your attempt to eat healthier this season. 😛

Price for Value: ★★★★★

Chinese restaurants in the Philippines can be a hit or a miss. After all, isn’t hunting down good ones part of a foodie’s adventure? Royal View Seafood Restaurant in MOA is definitely recommendable! It’s is a good introduction for the Chinese food novitiate—clean, bright, and reasonably accommodating.

For the most part though, eating here may not be for a casual affair because regular prices of food on the menu are expensive. It will take more planning than a typical lunch or dinner out. Preferably, since they have big servings, you should go and dine with a group of at least three to get the most variety of Chinese food.

Thanks to the MetroDeal voucher, we had 66% discount (PhP 499 instead of PhP 1488) on our meal. Based on that, I give price for value a perfect rating; else, it still deserves at least 4/5.

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May 17, 2014
Review of The Vegetarian Kitchen (Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City)

We have been to Quezon City area a number of times for years without paying much attention to Mother Ignacia Avenue. That said, I had little knowledge of what exists along that avenue—until Louie brought us into this “secret” establishment at dinnertime on our fifth-year anniversary as a couple. Where? At The Vegetarian Kitchen, a house-turned-restaurant located on Mother Ignacia Street, right across St. Mary’s Academy.

Being raised in a vegetarian family, I am always in the lookout for vegetarian restaurants offering completely zero meat, not even seafood and dishes containing dairy products. According to Kiko Soliongco, son of The Vegetarian Kitchen’s owner, their menu has items for both vegetarians and vegans, as a result of suggestions raised by customers. Those with “V” at the side are vegan food, while those without are good for vegetarians. Anyway, we’re okay to try anything as long as they’re delicious and satisfying!

Review of The Vegetarian Kitchen (Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City)

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

The vibe at The Vegetarian Kitchen was laid-back and a bit boring. Lighting was dim; no music was played in the background; and air conditioning was not sufficient. Simple yet clean and sturdy tables and seats occupied the dining area. The lack of tablecloths gave it a feel of a less than special place. Hence, I just kept reminding myself deep inside that we were here for the food, and you should be, too.

Service: ★★★★★

The menu is available for viewing on blackboard on the wall, so customers must either stand to read and choose which to order. I guess that staffs are asked for recommendations often, since the meatless (vegetarian) food at The Vegetarian Kitchen aren’t those that most of people in Metro Manila are familiar with.

Given that the vegetarian segment in the market remains to be small, staffs in this vegetarian restaurant must be more patient in explaining their food repeatedly or as required. On that note, I commend the friendly workers for being hospitable and helpful. Food came to our table relatively fast. Our glasses were also refilled with water whenever they were seen empty. Operations run smooth from 11AM to 3PM and from 5PM to 9PM on Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Food: ★★★★★

The Spinach and Cream Cheese Dumplings (PhP 160) is one of the most popular items on the menu, and it’s no surprise. Tasty spinach was layered inside an incredible crisp, fresh dumplings skin that’s baked in-house. We decided to try it with the white sauce provided on the platter and scattered in small blobs here and there. If Dad were here with us for dinner, I’m sure he would be unstoppable and he’d take them all. 🙂

Next was the Spanish Lengua (PhP 240) with cucumber salad and organic rice. The “lengua” was made from gluten, which arrived swimming in tomato and mushroom sauce sauce. Louie said it bears semblance to the non-vegetarian version. However, for how bright and colorful this dish was, I had initially dismissed it as dull but certainly not bland. (Sorry, I’ve just grown tired of eating this taste as cooked by my mom at home.) The Lengua was like classic Filipino recipe Beef Mechado—but one whose ingredients were mock meat.

Finally, we took a stab at the Rich Tomato and Malunggay Lasagna (PhP 270), which was a showstopper. Every bite of the square piece of vegetarian lasagna was heavenly. The globs of uncommonly delicious and sweet baked cheese on top was so good that you’d almost forget to notice how tender and perfect the pasta are. For the record, Louie said he would rather want to become vegetarian if food he’d be served every day are cooked like this.

Price for Value: ★★★★★

The ingredients used were of high quality, and the presentation of food looked really good. Generally, the dishes at The Vegetarian Kitchen surpass one’s typical preconceptions of vegetarian food. So stop thinking that vegetarian food equates to just salads and greens. 😛 With prices of food ranging from PhP 120 to PhP 250, you can definitely get yourself a decent vegetarian meal here.

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May 10, 2014
Review of Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)
Last Sunday, we leaned forward to a venture “beneath the skies” at Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation in Santa Cruz, Antipolo City, where we were welcomed with a romantic and exciting scene overlooking the countryside.

Le Mirand is a vantage point to enjoy a panoramic view of the dynamic and vibrant city down below in the midst of refreshing breeze. It has changed owners recently, so it’s also a good time to catch up on their food offerings and services.

Review of Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation (Santa Cruz, Antipolo City)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

The ambiance and the feel of the restaurant are two of the reasons why dining at Le Mirand Restaurant in Antipolo is such a positive experience. The entire restaurant looks like an old house as it’s designed with plenty of rooms on separate floors.

The lower ground floor is where billiard tables are located. As this is a recreation spot as much as it’s a restaurant, Le Mirand offers billiards as a recreational activity to guests at PHp 150 per hour. The ground floor is where the reception area is and where the stairs leading up to the dining areas at the upper floors is built.

Moving on with the tour, we went up to the second to fourth floors. Le Mirand has jamming concept rooms, conference room, and a lover’s deck which are all nicely decorated with simple and practical pieces.

Guests can have fun singing karaoke songs, watching short videos on TV, playing Xbox or PS4 for PHp 1500 per hour. This price is inclusive of freebies such as a bucket of beer that usually costs PHp 300 and pulutan.

If you’re not fond of doing any of the activities and your sole purpose is to eat, the wide dining areas are warm and inviting enough for your stay.

These spaces evoke inspiration that lend a casual air to gastronomic proceedings. Expect the mood to be just relaxed and the atmosphere, quiet.

Service: ★★★★☆

Service was nearly impeccable. We were treated like friends of a Filipino family. Le Mirand is house to hospitable staff who display neat and sincere smiles. Kids are offered cotton candies for free. Electric fans are turned on for extra air circulation. One thing I noticed is that orders are a bit slow to arrive. If you’re not in a hurry, then this is not a problem.

Food: ★★★★☆

The Stuffed Eggplant (PHp 200) had a combination of ground meat and eggplant, a variation I had never tried before. I was not able to distinctively taste the eggplant though but probably this is mostly because the ingredients came together as a coherent whole. I enjoyed the fluffy concoction, but adding a small portion of condiments on the side would have made this dish bursting more with flavor.

If you’re craving for wagyu in Antipolo, then this may be the right place to cut that crave. Le Mirand’s Wagyu Beef Porter House (approximately 440 grams) (PHp 1550) is cooked perfectly. With plenty of sweet interest, this wagyu beef had the standard beef flavor and an unbelievably tender texture. It’s accompanied with fries that weren’t soggy and oily at all. This entree is probably the one thing you must order when you’re planning to eat at Le Mirand.

Most pork parts find their way in the Pork Sisig (PHp 220), made with a traditional Filipino classic recipe. Served on a hot platter, the pork sisig was pretty multi-dimensional as it’s full of chopped pig parts coupled with onions and raw egg at the center. The sauce was creamy which I liked, but still I thought that it lacked murmurs of spice.

Another meaty specialty was the Baby Back Ribs with House Salad (PHp 790 for full slab and PHp 390 for half slab). Apparently, I felt that I already had ingested too much meat (three spoonfuls) so I didn’t want to grab even a small slice of the back ribs. 😛 I understand that this is also one of Le Mirand’s signature dishes.

The Bulalo Special (PHp 490) must be the perfect cold-weather soup. Nonetheless, it’s okay to be eaten in summer! It’s one of the Filipino soups that I find super rich in taste. Made from beef shanks and marrow bones, this light-colored soup is filled with fats melted into the broth. Le Mirand’s Bulalo Special has banana (saba), corn on the cob, and bokchoy.

The Tuna Pasta with Toasted Bread was a triumph as it was the only seafood dish presented. Silky strands of the pasta were uniformly exquisite. However, I found that the pasta sauce’s composition was short of creaminess, spice and taste of the tuna, as only a few tuna chunks littered the dish.

We could not eat all these tasty viands without rice. The Wagyu Fried Rice (PHp 220) came for rescue. An order could be a meal itself. The apportioned bits of wagyu beef are all that you could hope for. They’re the most compelling thing on the plate.

For dessert, we had Carmen’s Best Ice Cream Malted Milk (PHp 80 for two scoops). It wasn’t much of a looker but the taste proved otherwise. Carmen’s Best Ice Cream is recommended to be shared with friends, heal a broken heart or scarved up all by yourself (only if you can’t help it). Fair warning: take note of the calories! 😀

Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

Make no mistake about it. Driving hours to get to Antipolo can be worth it if you’re up for some sing-along while eating and having fun with friends. Your time at Le Mirand Restaurant and Recreation can also be best spent by enjoying sceneries and watching sunset and sunrise with your date.

As a foodie though, I’m more concentrated on food. Given the limited choices on the menu and the price range, I give three stars for price for value.

Le Mirand is open from 7AM to 12MN. Large groups with over 100 people can be accommodated.

Thanks, Aldous, for the invite!
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Bloggers with Le Mirand Operations Manager, Ruby
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April 28, 2014
Review of Tempura Japanese Grill (Robinsons Place, Manila)

It was Holy Week last week and He is risen. Given the plenty of vacation time in the long weekend, we did not pursue another outing (just got back from Caliraya Resort Club) but stayed at home instead. Malls were closed last Thursday to Friday, so we quickly decided to go to the nearby mall—Robinsons Place, Manila—on Black Saturday, to fend off the “going-out-of-the-house” craving. After hours of window-shopping, we took delight and had dinner at Tempura Japanese Grill.

Tempura Japanese Grill serves up traditional and exotic Japanese fare in substantial portions. It’s a casual dining restaurant that’s one of the best spots for food aficionados trying out Japanese dishes. Out of all the foodie places in the mall, I chose this as I’ve always wanted to try the ramen burger ever since the craze began last year. Also, I was missing the taste of my favorite bite-size yummies: sushi!

Review of Tempura Japanese Grill (Robinsons Place, Manila)

Ambiance: ★★★★☆

Mirrors on the wall permit diners to sample the sight of fellow diners’ faces. A plethora of Japanese hanging lanterns brought a certain feel that suggested some class and traditional elegance in this modern-themed restaurant. The area was quite cramped; the aisle was so narrow that no two average-sized people could pass through at the same time. So this place can get pretty noisy when it’s full of guests. A section at the back offers more privacy for conservative folks.

Service: ★★★★☆

You know how it goes—when you’re asked to be seated on the sofa chair or on the regular chair, I bet that most would choose the sofa type for comfort. As part of the majority, we occupied a dining booth with the sofa and the grill at the center of the table. Later, we smelled something strong and awful like poo. Apparently, we were near the toilet. I guess there was something wrong with the flush system. The staffs were kind to move us to a clean table near the entrance. They were fast in taking our orders, serving food and taking the bill.

Food: ★★★★☆

My dad had the Agedashi Tofu (PHp 105). I’ve tried this three times before and during all those times, I have always been satisfied with the lovely texture of the deep-fried Japanese bean curd. It melts in your mouth like milk chocolate would! The five agedashi tofu pieces were topped with special sauce and bonito flakes.

I didn’t know what bonito flakes are. Upon checking for the description now, my mind just exclaimed OMG. “Bonito flakes are a staple in Japanese Cuisine made from dried, fermented, shaved fish.” My dad is a vegetarian for 26 years now and cannot take any bit of non-vegetable food in. Otherwise, he’d feel ill. Maybe he ate just a few serving of these flakes, so nothing bad happened.

We experienced difficulty in choosing which sushi to order, torn between Uncle Sam’s Maki (PHp 210) and Hawaiian Maki (PHp 190). Finally, we went with the latter, following the restaurant’s best recommendation. Hawaiian Maki is made with pineapple chunks and spicy crunchy salmon bits. These inside-out cooked rice rolls were so delicious that we could not help but fetch a piece right after swallowing another.

Grease. Whether you love it, hate it, or feel only a mild ambivalence towards it, it’s a key feature on the katsu landscape. And whether it be tonkatsu, chicken katsu, fish katsu or vegetable katsu, with properly balanced and flavorful oil, it can be absolutely magnificent. This time, we had Tempura Japanese Grill’s newest item on the menu: Salmon Katsu (PHp 435). Thanks to its inherent flavor, the deep fried salmon katsu came out tender and tasty. I totally love salmon sashimi, but this cooked salmon is equally fine. Dip it into the special sauce and eat the lettuce on the side to experience a mouthful of harmony.

The salmon katsu arrived with a bowl of Japanese rice called gohan ideally good for one person. Since it was too filling, my mom, sister and I managed to share without short supply. The sesame seeds on top added a pleasing crunch and kept the rice’s usual bland taste at bay.

The Ramen Burger (PHp 245) turned out to be not twice as unique-tasting as the standard burger variety, but man, was it good. The beef patty was perfectly fried; you’re able to get a bit of crunchy coating and meat in every bite. In between, the honey-cured bacon stripped to thin slices was juicy and packed with flavor together with roasted onions with sesame seeds and garden fresh lettuce. The sweet-sour signature Japanese barbecue sauce did a good job in cutting through the rich fat, too.

The most awesome highlight in this burger must be the pan-fried ramen buns, which we originally thought to be hard but were actually soft with great texture. On the side, potato chips were provided as necessary accompaniment. If you haven’t tried the ramen burger yet, then the next time you see it on the menu, you would know that it basically translates to, “The rest of the menu means nothing; I must order that.” 😛 Trust that it would be great!

Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

By the time the meal ended, so had my sushi and ramen burger envy. These dishes we ordered at Tempura Japanese Grill were good enough as our attention was not diverted to other tables. Prices are expensive yet dining here in the midst of Holy Week is still cheaper than a vacation.

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April 22, 2014
Review of Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant (Santo Domingo, Quezon City)

Where to eat in Santo Domingo, Quezon City? There are a lot of restaurants in QC but not in this specific area. The only Chinese restaurant that’s big enough to cover your craving for noodles, dimsum and lauriat must be Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant, which looks like a great lunch and dinner spot, especially for foodies and Chinese food fans. My uncle took us here on a Sunday before visiting their new condo unit nearby.

Review of Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant (Santo Domingo, Quezon City)

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

The space Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant occupies is brightly lit, economically packed with group-sized tables and seats. The ambiance generally feels like a typical Chinese restaurant that is sparse in decor but relatively clean. In short, it’s not exactly the kind of place you want to linger around, even if they do offer a big screen LCD TV. Yet “legit” may be the best word to describe it, if you’re looking for a restaurant with the standard Chinese flair in QC.

Service: ★★★★☆

Staffs were fast and attentive, not overly friendly, but not necessarily rude. Expect to receive the no-smile, get-in/get-our service. Our orders came almost simultaneously and we were not left unnoticed. Certain requests needed to be flagged down but it was fine.

Food: ★★★★☆

We deserved something hot for starters: a medium-sized bowl of Nido with Quail Egg Soup (PHp 420) made the cut. Known to promote youthfulness and long life, this soup is typically eaten during Chinese New Year. With crab meat and corn, the bird’s nest soup was not at all disgusting. Judging by the price, I think it’s not the real bird’s nest that was used as ingredient here. Nonetheless, the slightly sweet taste and the gelatinous texture were okay.

I liked that the vegetables in Lohan Vegetables (PHp 198) were crisp and colorful. This is a great dish to order this Lenten season as well as when you feel the need to detox. 😛 Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant’s version is a showstopper, packed with earthy mushrooms, bamboo shoots and hearty peas and carrots. The layers of flavor are well-developed, starting from the sticky and yummy sauce that’s good to be paired with rice.

The Sweet and Sour Pork (PHp 210) is a simple dish with a lot of tangy flavor thanks to the pineapples and caramelized onions. Entrees with this kind of zesty sauce are good to be eaten as leftover the next day when the fish has sopped the juices more intensively; that is, if you have any.

The Beef Tenderloin Chinese Style (PHp 250) was lean and supple. It’s not too chewy, so it’s not hard to swallow but a mouthful to get through. The moisture and juiciness of the meat as well as the well-spiced sauce definitely played the wow factor. This beef dish bucks the crowd-pleasing trend of sweet and sticky in favor of distinct and creative flavors.

Next, we had the Seafood Misua (PHp 208) composed of finely textured salted Chinese noodles made of wheat flour stirred with an ample portion of mixed seafood. Some people say that you can tell a lot about the quality of food a Chinese restaurant serves just by judging their fried rice and noodles as these two are most basic. If I were to judge Luck Garden based on this, then I give them a thumbs up.

The Fish Fillet with Beancurd Hotpot (PHp 260) was simple enough but the quality of both the fish fillet and beancurd was top-notch. With all other dishes served at the same time, we took our time and let the fish fillet slowly soak more in the broth. The fish became more tender and luscious while the beancurd joining the party only made the entire dish more acceptable to my palate. (Beancurd is one of my favorite food!) 🙂

The skin and batter of the Buttered Chicken (PHp 210) was crunchy with a light exterior. The crust did not overwhelm everything else. The white meat was tender and had the discernible chicken flavor despite that the chicken pieces were overdressed in butter which dominated its delicacy. Ah, sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

We’ve eaten our fair share and thought that Luck Garden Seafood Restaurant is a Chinese eater’s paradise, with a good array of affordable dishes to choose from. If you know which food to order, it’s possible to taste your way across most of Chinese cuisine.

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April 15, 2014
Review of Vikings Luxury Buffet Restaurant (SM Megamall, Mandaluyong)
Last week, I received a breathless message from The Pickiest Eater in the World, as knowledgeable a food enthusiast as there is here in the metro, and what he said left me in deep excitement: Vikings SM Megamall has opened! I was invited to “conquer” the place and share my experience.

Well, good God Almighty, I didn’t anymore hesitate and said yes right away. I took a one-day vacation leave from work to have dinner at Vikings SM Megmall last Wednesday. 🙂
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With Marketing Manager, Raquel Bartolome
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In the Philippines, Vikings is one of the most prestigious luxury buffet restaurants, which features over 200 varieties of food abound. While many people already know that, what most might not have observed is that each branch of Vikings has a unique theme that differentiates it to the others. For instance, more than anything, Vikings SM Megamall has an approachable feel, a sense that you aren’t so much in a restaurant as you are in a modern art museum.

The idea implied is that every dish created by the chefs is a work of art or a masterpiece and that guests can freely “paint their palate” with different “colors” of cuisine on the buffet table. Hmmm…interesting! Now let’s go down to business.

Review of Vikings Luxury Buffet Restaurant (SM Megamall, Mandaluyong)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

Vikings SM Megamall has this unpretentious, unassuming atmosphere filled with artworks everywhere (on the ceiling, wall dividers and fixtures). Colors are vibrant, very kid-friendly and adult-friendly.

As one who can’t really seem to appreciate art enough, I was stuck at exploring nothing else but food. Anyway, going back to the topic… Like the other Vikings branches in SM North EDSA, SM City Marikina, SM Lanang Premier and SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, this place is very spacious and is able to fit 500+ guests. Seating is plentiful and everything is arranged with care.

Service: ★★★★★

Thirty minutes before Vikings SM Megamall allows guests to enter the restaurant for dinner, I stood across the entrance and noticed that there was already a long queue of people waiting to be seated despite that it was a weekday and time was still early for the usual peak of dinner hours. The good thing is that reservations are accepted and walk-in customers can get a number and then wait for it to be displayed on the LED counter while sitting on the couch.

Customer service in Vikings goes as far as entertaining the guests thoroughly by singing, dancing and throwing out comedic punch lines that are sure to capture the hidden sense of humor in everyone. There are enough walking staffs who are attentive in getting used plates from the tables and following requests of active customers. Attitude-wise, they’re friendly, accommodating and approachable. Filipino hospitality at its best!

Food: ★★★★★

As a light eater, it’s impossible for me to taste and eat all the dishes as much as I wanted to. So to maximize my grand dining experience in Vikings, I just took those I haven’t tried yet during my first Vikings encounter (in MOA) and those I really love. Here are my top favorites:

Japanese sushi, crabs (for the grill) and ebi tempura for me are the perennial must-eats. Everything on the sushi platter looked artful as showpiece and creditable. The tempura was good—moist, crisp, and not greasy. Its batter was pretty thick, not crackly-thin. The crab meat was tender yet the skin retained a nice crunch. Salads which I got from another counter were also properly executed. The magic happened when I dipped the leaves into a brown sauce.

Next, I had food that were more adventurous than comforting. The freshness of the salmon sashimi cannot be overemphasized; it was not some cheap junk frozen and re-thawed leftover but was the real deal! The baked oysters, which can’t be eaten on a hungry stomach, were a little more down-to-earth and ordinary. The melted cheese on top made the oysters both appetizing and delectable.

I also motioned to the meat section (steak counter) where Vikings chefs are on standby to cut, grill and cook meat. I had a thin slice of well-done angus beef. It’s a winning choice and pretty filling.

Moving on to carbs, I requested for black pasta in pesto sauce with pineapples and hotdogs. What’s unique in this branch of Vikings is that they offer homemade pasta on a pasta machine, and customers can choose the ingredients. How cool is that? So not only Vikings has customized Chinese shabu-shabu, Mongolian rice bowl, Japanese ramen, it also has a section for make-your-own pasta and pizza! 😛

The chocolate fountain and the Filipino native delicacies such as the maja blanca are two desserts I didn’t dare miss. They are pretty conventional but these treats are legitimate; flavors stay bright. The tiny chocolate circles with a cherry on top (pardon me, I didn’t get the name) had a clean, slightly bittersweet chocolate flavor that I’m sure would appeal to all of us who like our chocolate on the 60% cacao and over side. It tasted like high-quality crinkles but softer and tad gooey.

Ice cream must be the perfect simple desserts anyone could have. Avocado, green tea, coffee, rocky road, mango, bubblegum, sugar-free chocolate cashew and strawberry fields flavors—I had a half scoop of each—because when you commit to ice cream, you might as well go all the way! 🙂

Actual Food / Plates I Finished 😛

For the benefit of readers, I’ve created a photo album on Facebook with a “Public” privacy setting so everyone can see the rest of the food pictures in this link.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

Across all branches, Vikings is always specific and careful when it comes to its product offerings: fresh quality ingredients, wide choices of international cuisine, high standard of service, food safety and store cleanliness, luxurious ambiance, and security of guests. Places like this remind us that no matter what the concept, it’s the dishes that come out of the kitchen that count. And what comes out of the kitchen at Vikings Luxury Buffet Restaurant is very good indeed. For that, even if the price places a quite dent in the wallet, I consider Vikings as a great value-for-money eat-all-you-can restaurant.

Weekday Lunch: Kids whose height is below 3 feet may eat for free. Those whose height range from 3-4 feet are charged with PHp 188, while those who stand 4-6 feet are charged with PHp 388. Rate for adults is at PHp 688. Senior citizens (75 years old and above) have 50% discount.

Weekday Dinner: Kids whose height is below 3 feet may eat for free. Those whose height range from 3-4 feet are charged with PHp 288, while those who stand 4-6 feet are charged with PHp 588. Rate for adults is at PHp 888. Senior citizens (75 years old and above) have 50% discount.

Weekend and Holiday Lunch and Dinner: Kids whose height is below 3 feet may eat for free. Those whose height range from 3-4 feet are charged with PHp 388, while those who stand 4-6 feet are charged with PHp 688. Rate for adults is at PHp 1088. Senior citizens (75 years old and above) have 50% discount.

Vikings reserve a special treat for people celebrating their birthday. Celebrants may eat for free at Vikings on their actual day of birthday. The catch is that they must be accompanied by one full paying adult and that they must bring with them an original and valid government issued picture ID with birthdate imprinted on it. Also, this promo can’t be used in conjunction with any other in-house discounts or promos.

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April 6, 2014
Review of Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)
Banzai prides itself as the “biggest teppanyaki buffet restaurant in the world.” Hearing a bold claim like this makes me both skeptical and excited. I knew I gotta check it out! Just in time, together with blogger friends, we had lunch here yesterday.

Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater in Seaside Boulevard has a colossal area of 1200 square meters and a maximum seating capacity of 300 people. True enough, this place in the vicinity of SM Mall of Asia just beside Buffet 101 is huge! Bringing Little Tokyo in the heart of Metro Manila, Banzai started its course of business last February 2014 and opened two worlds in one go: freshly cooked a la carte and signature Japanese cooking on one hand and unlimited eating on the other. Let’s see how their food has fared on my taste test.

Review of Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

Ambiance: ★★★★★

Banzai’s interior design is another one that reminded my sister and me of restaurants we used to design in Restaurant City (Facebook app). If you’re also familiar with the game, you may recall that there are plenty of Japanese-inspired items such as lanterns hanging down from the ceiling, the Japanese room dividers and zen-like plants and indoor decors. Those have great similarity with the items displayed and put together in Banzai Japanese Restaurant.

Banzai features a modern setup with the following food stations: Teppanyaki, Sushi, Sashimi and Rolls, Pizza, Takoyaki and Kaniyaki, Gohan, Noodles and Ramen, Yakitori and Grill, Tempura and Tonkatsu, Salad, Desserts and Beverages. I liked how organized each is arranged. Each station exuded a unique appeal that separates from the rest. There are some spaces that are intended to be really blank to showcase minimalism.

There are also functional areas such as the castle, sumo arena, restrooms, cashier, reception, Dotonbori, Nautilus and the trick art gallery where guests can borrow Japanese costumes and pose as a sumo wrestler and/or geisha against the fanciful and playful backdrops.

Customers may choose where to be seated from the different kinds of seating available across the entire dining room. We preferred seats at the side of energetic walls (lights are turned on at night which give a livelier ambiance).

Service: ★★★★★

Banzai prepares food the Japanese way: food are cooked upon request and there’s no warming of dishes. This is not the typical buffet restaurant where food entrees are ready to be taken by the diner from the heated trays. Rather, customers are to select and order food from the selected stations. They may either watch how it’s cooked while engaging with the cooks as they prepare or wait at their table until food is ready to be served.

If there are way too many people in queue though, I suggest going for the second option. In that case, a number card will be given to the customer, and the staff will deliver the plated food to the table. Cooking time is relatively quick, so there’s no need to worry about long waits.

I commend the staffs in the stations for being very friendly and accommodating. I’m not speaking for myself alone; as I stood there in the middle of the buffet stations, I also observed how they treated other dining customers. Yup, they’re consistent in giving warm service all throughout.

What’s even better is that there’s no additional service charge in Banzai. Thumbs up!
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Management Team
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Food: ★★★★★

Banzai features quite a lot of Japanese food choices. Since I was not able to munch on everything given the time (I had to go back to work immediately for a scheduled meeting) and limited capacity of my digestive system :lol:, I’d just be sharing here a rundown of my favorites.

First off the bat was the Spicy Tuna Salad. Admittedly, I’m not a salad freak but the combination of salad and tuna plus the mayonnaise in this starter dish tasted like heaven. It can be best compared with the version of Omakase. I declare that this is the Spicy Tuna Salad of my dreams, and maybe of yours as well when you get to try it.

Next up: okonomiyaki, kaniyaki and takoyaki, which to me pretty much had the same taste, topped with a riot of condiments. Okonomiyaki is like “Japanese pizza,” a thick pancake filled with bits of seafood and vegetables. On the other hand, takoyaki and kaniyaki are made in the form of balls. Still hot from the pan, these balls had me reveling in the fried, battered goodness as they deflated into soft innards, with crabmeat and octopus at the core. The inside remained mostly gooey, while the outside had a little crisp.

A Japanese restaurant will not be complete without the sushi platter. The sashimi-topped round of rice (tuna and salmon) is quite possibly my single favorite food item in the world, when it comes to Japanese cuisine. And oh yes, I like the tamago sushi as well. The varieties of Banzai’s sushis are nothing special but are also nothing short of savory.

For teppanyaki, I had ebi, squid and salmon. The freshness and harmony of flavors left me deeply sated. I appreciated the food more as I became witness to the process of preparation. The seafoods’ tastes were amplified with the inclusion of the vinegary, pungent and citrus-flavored ponzu sauce and the chili sauce with sesame edamame. Super yummy!

Soft drinks, iced tea, juices and iced Milo are available at the Beverages station. Since I dislike soda and synthetic fruit juices, I walked to the coffee machine located at the Desserts section instead and pressed Caramel Macchiato (hot) for a warm coffee boost and a layered taste of deliciousness. The drink was infused with cream, rich caramel and low sugar. I’d like to take this machine home any day.

Ah, desserts! Everything was a picture-perfect sight. ♥ The green tea flavor in the Mini Matcha Cake was not too deep or potent. With right amount of bitterness, it played off with the bitter and fruity flavor of the Chocolate Tart which felt light—a reason to follow it up with another… Much like the green tea cake, the Red Velvet Cake was made with layers divided with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Fluffy and intensely intricate.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

You might not want this for lunch or dinner every day, but as a reasonably priced meal with lots of variety, Banzai: The Great Teppanyaki Theater is one of the best-valued options you can have.

Lunch rate on a weekday is at PHp 699; dinner rate on a weekday is at PHp 899; and lunch/dinner rate on weekends and public holidays is at PHp 1088. Banzai charges for leftover food though (PHp 1288), so be sure to finish everything you take. Children whose height is below 4.5 feet are charged with PHp 499 each, while those whose height fall below 3.5 feet can enter and eat for free. Birthday celebrants can eat for FREE during their birthday week (3 days before, day of birthday and 3 days after) as long as they’re accompanied by 3 full-paying adults.

Now, I’m still excited and skeptical—but not anymore on how and why Banzai claims itself as the biggest teppanyaki buffet restaurant in the world, but on how all the food I’ve yet to try (like the various flavors of Japanese ramen and some more teppanyaki) could fit into my stomach in my next visit!

With hefty, super-filling portion of quality and authentic Japanese food, I can just close my eyes, take a bite and suddenly imagine I’ve made it in Japan. 🙂

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April 1, 2014
Review of Wham! Burgers (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

As burger patties slowly crept into the planetary consciousness, everyone wondered whether the meaty slabs of mystical wonderment could sustain a business for long. Plenty of restaurants in Metro Manila answered that question with a resounding, and fatty, yes. Yet those specializing solely on burgers are a counted few. One of them must be Wham! Burgers.

To give a short background, Wham! Burgers is a gourmet burger restaurant boasting that their burgers are made with only the freshest 1/3 pound PURE BEEF patties. Recently, Wham! Burgers has updated its menu with an explosion of three new burger varieties called the Slider Trio (Cheese Burger, Wham Burger and Bacon Burger) now available in all its branches. We took a taste test last Saturday and saluted the burger-based eatery for the great reinvention.

Review of Wham! Burgers (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

Should you find yourself entrenched in SM Mall of Asia feeling hungry at any time, take comfort in knowing that a good burger joint is steps away. Wham! Burgers has a casual and laid-back fastfood ambiance that is ideal for hanging out with friends and just enjoying your own company while passing time.

The interior design is not overwhelming but rather very neat and simple. Illuminated by lights on the ceiling, this place keeps a bright vibe. The white walls bring some tranquility in contrast to the large WHAM! backdrop. A staircase leads up to the second floor where a small dining area like a loft can also be occupied by customers.

Service: ★★★★★

Like any typical fastfood restaurant, customers order and pay at the counter. Orders are delivered on the table with efficient and quick service considering their ground beef cylinders are never frozen and the burger patties are only cooked (with no MSG and complicated ingredients) upon customer order.

Food: ★★★★☆

The Slider Trio (Cheese Burger, Wham Burger and Bacon Burger) (PHp 250 for all three) consisted of the same wheel of pure beef patty and burger bun but with different key ingredient such as the bacon and cheese that are fused together in individual burgers. Each of the trio had a beefy, gooey core, hugged by the buns that sop up all the juices. I could not decide which was the best, but I can assure you that the experience of eating any of them would bring a hapless, meaty joy! 🙂 It hits home how good beef does not need condiments. You read it right – catsup, mustard and mayo would feel out of place on this pile.

Next served was the Whammer (PHp 195), which could just be Wham! Burgers’ trademark burger. It’s a top-rated burger as all the components were perfectly executed, and the burger came out cooked as ordered the first time it came to the table. It was made with 1/3-lb pure beef, charcoal-grilled patty topped with deep fried onion strings, cheese and BLT. The Whammer is one of the tastiest and most creative burgers I’ve encountered. I mean, with this large heap of generous elements in one bite, there’s none that I could ask for.

If you plan on venturing beyond the patties, Wham! Burgers has a decent selection of sidings. We had the Pepper Poppers (PHp 82), Potato Wedges (PHp 66), French Fries (PHp 73), and Spaghetti Fries (a secret recipe that’s not on the menu but you can order from the counter). The Spaghetti Fries has this sweet Filipino-style spaghetti sauce and also chopped red juicy hotdogs that you’d normally find in spaghetti. The notable difference is that instead of pasta, on top of the sauce, cheese and hotdogs are fries.

Overall, these four items did not have special taste or texture, but the importance of having good sidings to pair with your burger entree should not be underestimated. Kudos to the golden-brown color, crisp exterior and balanced seasoning.

Price for Value: ★★★★☆

Aside from the food listed above, we’ve also tried the Brekkie (PHp 200), Kapow (PHp 200) and Bronco (PHp 200) among Wham! Burgers’ featured burger variants. If asked which burger would be worth your hard-earned money, your valuable time, and your true burger devotion, I’d say that whichever you pick lands as perfect answer.

These burgers have a good price for value since one can fill you up quickly and satisfyingly. If you have a rather small stomach like me, I recommend bringing a friend or someone to share a burger with. The burger size is pretty big and you may not finish it wholly alone. 🙂

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Other branches:
#201 Katipunan Ave. Ext. Brgy. Milagrosa, Quezon City | 912-94-26
SM City North Edsa The Block Level 4 | 422-00-79
Level-3, Midtown Mall, Robinsons Place Manila | 567-24-23
Cluster 2, Molito Alabang, Madrigal Ave. cor. Alabang-Zapote Road | 869-89-09

March 26, 2014