The Best Buffets - Taste + Value For Money

[ATONG ANG]

Mandaraya talaga ang restaurant na yan.  Went there before at ang liliit ng alimango na binigay sa amin.  Before we ordered, I even asked the waiter kung anong size ng alimango meron sila, mga 500 gms daw ang usual weight.  When I ordered the crab basket, ang liliit ng binigay puro kaha lang walang laman.

Tapos masyado pang maanghang ang pagkaluto when I told them na ayaw namin ng maanghang masyado. 

Kanila rin yung Crustasia sa Rockwell.  Palpak din, laging wala ang mga alimango.  Napakamahal pa!

Kaya beware, kasi kanila rin yung The Red Crab, I'ved never been there pero pag ganun din ang quality ng food, huwag na lang.  Puro press release lang pala ang mga restaurant na yan.  Na-feature pa sa F ang Crustasia, pero hanggang tv lang pala. 

The owners should correct this, baka kaha na lang ng alimango ang matira sa kanila.

Regarding the buffet in Greenbelt 3, palpak talaga yan,  I've tried to avail of this pero laging wala na raw pagkain.  Ang lakilaki pa ng kanilang sign sa labas na may buffet daw sila...  Pero lagi namang "wala ng pagkain".  Katawatawa yan, they start at around 6pm and end at 8pm for the buffet.  Meron bang dinner buffet na ganun kaikli ang oras.  Ano yan? dinner break!  Huwag na lang silang magoffer ng buffet, ala-carte na lang all the way.  Imagine, if you enter at 7pm. tira na lang ang kakainin mo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

very surprising , as these places give the impression of fine dining places with crab/seafood as their specialty. i havent tried any of these places yet but normally, when a place suddenly offers smorgasbord on a regular basis, i naturally presume the place is not doing very well. another point, buffet costing is different from regular costing, taking into the consideration the maximum cost an individual can consume. Without hotel or casino operations to subsidize the food costs, it is but natural for the price to be higher or for the operator to scrimp on food allocation, specially on those more expensive dishes. how much would be the price for crab buffet? crab is normally 300-400 pesos per kilogram depending on availability and location. presuming an average person could normally finish off a minimum of 2 whole crabs with a total weight of 1 kilogram, one has to price the buffet for at least 1,000. go figure

[ATONG ANG]

Hi Atong

We have having a lunch there next Thursday and YES its owned by Gokongwei Clan.Enjoy     :evil:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

my brother just came from hongkong and tried the spice market at marco polo that you suggested to me. they had live stations similar to hyatt and circles but with better ingredients. cost was 150 HKD. salmon was creamy and smooth. there was also steamed mouse garoupa which was very fresh, something we will probably never ever see served in a buffet locally. tin hau used to have it a couple of years ago but stopped it when food budget was cut.

[enki]

We went to Seafood Club in Greenbelt 3 last night at around 8 o'clock for their Eat-All-You-Can Buffet.  They said we couldn't avail of the buffet as they were running low on food. Ala Carte na lang daw available.  What the heck are they advertising the Buffet for?  8 o'clock pa lang at ubos na ang pagkain at hindi na magdadagdag?

 

We left and went some place else.

 

Never going back to this place again.  Hope someone from Ayala gets to read this and reprimand this establishment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Goddam! I had the same experience when my wife and I went there on her birthday. Plus, the demeanor of the waiters is better suited to a cheap barbershop than a restaurant.

[floppydrive]

Goddam! I had the same experience when my wife and I went there on her birthday. Plus, the demeanor of the waiters is better suited to a cheap barbershop than a restaurant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow! If this was baseball, strike out na ang Seafood Club, Crustasia, at Red Crab! Three bad reviews!

 

Siguro kung ang gusto ay crabs - alimango, to be exact, dapat sa Dampa na lang pumunta. Mas sulit pa! Kalat na naman sila - from the originals in Paranaque and Baclaran (which is also Paranaque), mayroon na sa Market Market, Ortigas, and almost everywhere. Hindi lang nga buffet, pero sigurado hindi lugi.

[ATONG ANG]

Wow!  If this was baseball, strike out na ang Seafood Club, Crustasia, at Red Crab!  Three bad reviews!

 

Siguro kung ang gusto ay crabs - alimango, to be exact, dapat sa Dampa na lang pumunta.  Mas sulit pa!  Kalat na naman sila - from the originals in Paranaque and Baclaran (which is also Paranaque), mayroon na sa Market Market, Ortigas, and almost everywhere.  Hindi lang nga buffet, pero sigurado hindi lugi.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

if crabs buffet are your stuff, try seafood nights (mostly fridays) at mla pen nielsens, mandarin paseo, shang or chinatown banawe. for regular crab orders, try fook yuen in banawe or emerald garden.

[denver_c]

if crabs buffet are your stuff,  try seafood nights (mostly fridays) at mla pen nielsens, mandarin paseo, shang or chinatown banawe.  for regular crab orders,  try fook yuen in banawe or emerald garden.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

How much damage here? Puro crabes lang ba here or are there other seafood offered? I've been looking for a place that serves seafood buffet but I really can't find any. Sabi nila meron daw sa may Fort, Market Market but dont know the name.

[ATONG ANG]

How much damage here? Puro crabes lang ba here or are there other seafood offered? I've been looking for a place that serves seafood buffet but I really can't find any. Sabi nila meron daw sa may Fort, Market Market but dont know the name.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

at the pen, poached crabs, rock lobsters, mussels and prawns are beside the salads. they also have fish fillet hot dishes. there's also sashimi. for mandarin, they have basically the same dishes but you get only less 10% with your privilege card on seafood nights

[tentacle]

Wow!  If this was baseball, strike out na ang Seafood Club, Crustasia, at Red Crab!  Three bad reviews!

 

Siguro kung ang gusto ay crabs - alimango, to be exact, dapat sa Dampa na lang pumunta.  Mas sulit pa!  Kalat na naman sila - from the originals in Paranaque and Baclaran (which is also Paranaque), mayroon na sa Market Market, Ortigas, and almost everywhere.  Hindi lang nga buffet, pero sigurado hindi lugi.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Uy. favorite ko rin ang alimango. And you're right, ok talaga kung sa Dampa (Paranaque) or Seaside (Pasig). Kasi, you get to buy live crabs and then have it cooked the way you want it. Sigurado ka nang fresh yung crab, di ka pa masyadong mapapamahal. Mura lang kasi ang cooking charge. Kung sa Dampa, sa Trinity kami or sa Aling Toyang (sarap ng crab in aligue sauce!) Kung sa Seaside naman, sa Sharmila kami. May Aling Toyang din doon pero di pa namin nasusubukan. Sa sobrang mura, para ka nang nag-eat all you can. Ang maganda pa dito, pwede i-take home yung di mo mauubos.

 

As for Red Crab, okay naman doon if you order a la carte. Yung buffet kasi nila, alimasag lang yung kasama. Pero if you order a la carte, merong alimango. Sobrang sarap ng Crab Marilyn (crab with olive oil, chili and garlic). Ok din yung Raymund's salt and pepper crab. I prefer eating at their branches in Shangri-la Plaza and Malate. Masyado kasing maraming tao sa Greenbelt (Seafood Club).

[floppydrive]

if crabs buffet are your stuff,  try seafood nights (mostly fridays) at mla pen nielsens, mandarin paseo, shang or chinatown banawe.  for regular crab orders,  try fook yuen in banawe or emerald garden.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the tip! What kind of crabs do they serve at Penninsula and Mandarin?

 

I still remember the Emerald Garden crabs! Sarap talaga! Is Fook Yuen as good or better?

[ATONG ANG]

Thanks for the tip!  What kind of crabs do they serve at Penninsula and Mandarin?

 

I still remember the Emerald Garden crabs!  Sarap talaga!  Is Fook Yuen as good or better?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

fook yuen has more crab varieties. for fried crabs or crabs in sesame oil, fo to emerald, otherwise, its fook yuen. it's across lightyear restaurant

[bigred]

Try nyo ang buffet sa bagong crown plaza sa ortigas ito ang pinaka best ngayon grabe sa dami ng choices

[ATONG ANG]

Try nyo ang buffet sa bagong crown plaza sa ortigas ito ang pinaka best ngayon grabe sa dami ng choices

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i dont think it has that many choices. yes, grilled prawns, beef, lamb, maya-maya fish. salmon sashimi is just fine though i noticed the sushi chef trying to limit the servings given to each. they only had a couple of flavors of ice cream and pastries are just varieties of cheescakes, mousse and meringue. their chocolate fountain is so sweet. nice crepes, though. cold crabs, prawns, oysters, mussels and rock lobsters galore; its just too bad their sauces still need refinement. for their promotional buy1 take 1 price of around 600 per person which ends this july, its just fine but i doubt if theirs regular price will be popular with diners unless they add something

[boibastos]

i dont think it has that many choices.  yes, grilled prawns, beef, lamb, maya-maya fish.  salmon sashimi is just fine though i noticed the sushi chef trying to limit the servings given to each.  they only had a couple of flavors of ice cream and pastries are just varieties of cheescakes, mousse and meringue.  their chocolate fountain is so sweet.  nice crepes, though.  cold crabs, prawns, oysters, mussels and rock lobsters galore; its just too bad their sauces still need refinement.  for their promotional buy1 take 1 price of around 600 per person which ends this july, its just fine but i doubt if theirs regular price will be popular with diners unless they add something

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've just come back from eating there and I agree that the choices are rather limited. The only really edible main dishes for me are the lamb and the grilled items. The grilled tenderloin was of good quality meat-wise although the accompanying sauce was pretty bland.

 

On the other hand, a lot of the other items were a pleasant surprise. The smoked salmon for me was the star of the show. It was a bit of a departure from the usual creamy and heavy taste I've grown accustomed to in other buffets, but I found it to be a real treat here. I enjoyed it so much, I even put some on my salad. The rock lobsters and prawns were quite fresh and the california maki was not the dead-tasting variety found in so many "japanese" eateries. The tanigue mousse was also quite good.

 

With regards their desserts, I found the crepe to be well....blah. I think it was quality of mango they used as it was not that sweet. Oh, and avoid the chocolate sauce condiment (not the fountain) with the crepe, that was bad. I enjoyed their 5 spice(s) ice cream, another different yet pleasant item. The chocolate fountain passes but I prefer Circle's version.

 

For 600 pax, it was worthwhile. However, anyone planning to go better make a reservation first as the lines are terrible. My party was subjected to an almost two-hour wait and we arrived at their opening time, 6 pm.

[zeromike22]

for 330 total bill, its cheap if the roast duck is of good quality.  an order of roast duck topping rice will cost you nearly 100.

 

peking duck is now hard to find with the outbreak of avian flu but local ducks used for roasting are still available.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ey just a question, how to you distinguish a peking duck from the local variety?? what if a restaurant advertised peking duck in it's menu but uses local duck instead... malalaman mo ba talaga o hindi???

 

Also what makes the soup "Buddha jump over the wall so expensive"???? .... restaurants offer it at the 3000 to 6000 price range ..

[ATONG ANG]

I've just come back from eating there and I agree that the choices are rather limited. The only really edible main dishes for me are the lamb and the grilled items. The grilled tenderloin was of good quality meat-wise although the accompanying sauce was pretty bland.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

they cut their beef cut into thin slices and grill them, making it susceptible to moisture loss. i prefer beef to to grilled whole then sliced.

[ATONG ANG]

ey just a question, how to you distinguish a peking duck from the local variety?? what if a restaurant advertised peking duck in it's menu but uses local duck instead... malalaman mo ba talaga o hindi???

 

Also what makes the soup "Buddha jump over the wall so expensive"???? .... restaurants offer it at the 3000 to 6000 price range ..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

unlike regular ducks, peking ducks go through a different breeding process just like foie gras ducks where they are force fed and kept in tight cages to fatten them and make their meats tender. before cooking they are aerated between the skin and meat through an air pump which makes the skin crispy.

 

buddha jump soup normally includes abalone, mushroom, sea cucumber, sharskfin, scallops, duck, meat, chicken and other expensive ingredients and is double boiled and simmered over low fire overnight for a couple of days. though sometimes restaurants do the shortcut and just simmer it overnight, the price alone of the ingredients are well enough to put a top price tag on it.

[bakedzitiguy]

there used to be a place in mega mall - 8 treasures. chinese resto that offers peking duck in it's buffet. I ate there arond 8 times just because of their peking duck. its the only item i ate sa buffet table nila. however, management noticed this and excluded it from the buffet menu or charged a higher fee if you wanted to eat duck. unfortunately for them, people ate there less often as a result. it didnt help that dad's improved their buffet items (by including saisaki and triple V) now it's closed. i miss their peking duck

[rbtmnl]

a friend took me to a seafood restaurant in greenbelt that had a small buffet offering. the selection itself was quite meager pero ang sarap ng crab nila. nag-all-you-can-eat ako ng crab! i think the name was seafood station, seafood house, or seafood club. sana it's still there when i go in january.

[ATONG ANG]

there used to be a place in mega mall - 8 treasures. chinese resto that offers peking duck in it's buffet.  I ate there arond 8 times just because of their peking duck. its the only item i ate sa buffet table nila. however, management noticed this and excluded it from the buffet menu or charged a higher fee if you wanted to eat duck. unfortunately for them, people ate there less often as a result. it didnt help that dad's improved their buffet items (by including saisaki and triple V) now it's closed. i miss their peking duck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i presume its not only you the management noticed. many people went there just for the peking duck. vv reportedly went all out to furnish this place and suffered a big setback. the chairs used there reportedly were sold for less than 500 pesos each. lesson for this: do not tread on unfamiliar waters. chinese food has never been a specialty of the triple v group.

[mitchkim]

fook yuen has more crab varieties.  for fried crabs or crabs in sesame oil, fo to emerald, otherwise, its fook yuen. it's across lightyear restaurant

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

how much would i expect to pay per person?

[ATONG ANG]

how much would i expect to pay per person?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

crab there is by weight. 500 pesos for a crab is good for 3 people.

[xircom]

I used to frequent Edsa Shang's Garden Cafe's dinner buffets. But now that their under renovation and got transferred to the lobby area, it seems (to me) that the selection is rather limited. Last time I was there was 3 weeks ago and I can't find the sushi bar.

[Guest airmax]

may naka try na ba doon sa eat all you can buffet sa libis

[tancarlotaco]

Masarap sa Edsa Shang's Paparazzi Italian Resto, may lunch buffet dito monday

to sunday. Limited yung selection when you compare it to the buffet at the coffee shop

pero quality naman ang selection. They have lamb chops, beef tenderloin and sea bass as part

of their daily lunch buffet. Laging meron itong tatlo, iba-iba lang ang luto. Merong din

oysters, prawns at salads. May kasama ding pasta na ala-carte ang pagserve pero kasama sa

buffet price. Masasarap din ang mga italian pastries and once in a while, they have this big wheel

of parmesan cheese in the middle of the buffet. Merong din prosciutto minsan.

It's worth the P900.00 tag. Kung member ka pa ng Club Edsa, you can bring one person with you

during weekdays, ang it comes out like P450.00 per. Sana lang nga, they also offer a dinner

buffet while they're renovating the coffee shop.

[ATONG ANG]

Masarap sa Edsa Shang's Paparazzi Italian Resto,  may lunch buffet dito monday

to sunday...  Sana lang nga, they also offer a dinner

buffet while they're renovating the coffee shop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

not many would welcome the idea of a dinner buffet with italian theme as they are perceived to be high in carbo. but with sea bass and lamb chops, it is a good price at 450 or even 900.