All You Can 101

For this selfish urge to finally set foot in Robinson’s Magnolia, I wantonly booked a table at Buffet 101—not the other way around which is quite contrary to my hungry nature.

Since I was beginning to lag behind the social sphere of geographical knowledge, this necessitated a visit to that much talked about mall. It was time to finally get a view of the high ceiling, the al fresco lounge and the once retro Magnolia ice cream parlor. And of course, finally dine at Buffet 101.

They say Buffet 101 could be a doppelganger for Vikings, with its massive spread of internationally based cuisine. But let me quip that it fares more as a lesser sibling that focuses on select continents, with nothing exotic such as caviar, Indian or Mediterranean delights. Instead, Buffet 101’s prime selections hail from the Asian district, with Chinese cuisine topping the must-eat list while Japanese having the second most popular aisle.

[caption id="attachment_2468" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Balsamic-Olive Salad with Kani on the side[/caption]

The salad bar boasts of about 5 or 6 dressings (the common kind so I refuse to spend time here) that did not warrant a second take. A keen eye brought into sight a balsamic vinegar bottle at the side—and with its partner olive oil—finally a decent salad came into a reality. No cheese platters or parmesan to liven up my plate, so it was on to the sushi-sashimi boat.

[caption id="attachment_2477" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Nori all you can![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2470" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Itadakimasu![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2472" align="aligncenter" width="491"] East meets more East[/caption]

The sashimi was all right, the lemon a bit on the hard size. Excited with the soba noodles I packed my bowl with nori strips and soup, which sadly, was a tad too sweet for my diabetic sense of taste.

[caption id="attachment_2461" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Next destination: China![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2458" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Nihao mantao![/caption]

While Chinatown was supposed to be the hotspot for dimsum, fried rice, crabs and Hainanese chicken, I let the boys take over this town. The fried noodles looked awesome, but the taste inspired no awe. The usual vegetables were of the standard variety and the sweet and sour pork boasted of more fat than meat (unless that’s how it is for carnivores).

[caption id="attachment_2460" align="aligncenter" width="491"] In Crustaceans we Trust[/caption]

The crabs and butter-oat shrimps were a splendid tag team, I broke my rule of not eating with my fingers. Of course a cracker was available but still, getting down, orange and dirty was the only way to claw into those crabs. They have a bathroom and liquid soap, in case you’re wondering about hygiene and grease.

I barely visited the Japanese and Filipino cuisine, but I did see local favorites bangus and crispy pata. The tempura was okay but I enjoyed the chicken teppanyaki, which I scooped by accident. Soft and sweet, it fares much better than the usual Saisaki flavor.

[caption id="attachment_2457" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Got Steak? Yes they do.[/caption]

A platter of steak found itself on our table—the necessary sustenance for the carnivores. Without it we cannot go home!

[caption id="attachment_2459" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Eating the American Dream[/caption]

The American – Italian section was a junk food fest with fries, onion rings and other fried wonders. The American fish fillet was 10x saltier than its Thai counterpart—yes, I had to compare—and so the point goes to the Asian catch! Here, I found my serving of vegetables with the mozzarella topped broccoli and cauliflower—not the healthiest portion but all that yellow was just alluring.

[caption id="attachment_2464" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Don't mind if I pass up the Pasta[/caption]

The stuffed tomatoes were oddly addictive, while the herb cream pasta could be described as “not a penne more.”

[caption id="attachment_2474" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Make Pizza, not War[/caption]

The pizzas had their own corner—Italian (meat) and Thai Seafood. I must have gorged on 6 slices of that seafood pizza. Mediocre on a very thick crust (read: carbs) it wasn’t the flavor that got me hooked, logistically speaking, sitting beside the pizza made proximity the pretext for this sudden gluttony.

[caption id="attachment_2471" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Where Kids and ADD-ults Come to Play[/caption]

The dessert zone was rather diverse with a crepe station, ice cream corner, frozen yogurt, chiller for cakes, candies, fruits and more little pastries and cakes.

[caption id="attachment_2465" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Not all good things come in small packages[/caption]

Many may skip the cheesecakes, mini cakes, mousse and pastries sacredly kept in the chiller—detached from the public and require the waitress’ sanitation procedures before proper serving. By the supreme authority of the chiller lady, permission is required before proper serving.  These cakes must be made of gold; on the contrary, the cookies are exposed, so dig away.

Unfortunately the chocolate chip cookie I dug was a hunky chunk that was neither inspiring nor chewy so I don’t suppose anyone will be stealing from that cookie jar.

[caption id="attachment_2473" align="aligncenter" width="491"] I've told you time and agan, don't crepe me out![/caption]

The cheesecakes were fancy sounding but were more of cakes than an actual cheesecake, with sponge cake making up a faux graham crust.

[caption id="attachment_2475" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Beats the tooth fairy anytime[/caption]

The candy corner was a hub for children with ADHD and with impatient hands abound, picking on gummy candies and that gummy egg, we wonder when candy cholera will strike next.

[caption id="attachment_2462" align="aligncenter" width="461"] Raising the brown flag for the Anti-dentist Crusade[/caption]

The brownie was moist at the very least which made that chocolate lava cake pale in comparison in terms of sweet succulence. I spotted “revel bar” amongst the labels but just found what seemed to be a pale looking slice of cake—no oats, no revelry at all.

Strategically placed above sea level, the yogurt machine was like divine intervention to ward off those crazy hyper children. They already have the candies and chocolate fountain as their ADD playground, so they ought to leave the frozen yogurt to the ADD-ults. The frozen yogurt was fine—on the light side—which made me rejoice for foregoing the crepe and ice cream.

[caption id="attachment_2476" align="aligncenter" width="491"] Fruits for the Gods[/caption]

Fruits are not really worth reviewing but credits to Buffet 101 for serving grapes. My dad must have gotten giddy after enjoying loads of this fruit, he thought he was Zeus in his past life. Unfortunately, the cheese went AWOL. Now where did I leave my lightning bolt?

[caption id="attachment_2478" align="aligncenter" width="491"] More fruits for the gods[/caption]

Drinks are unlimited as well, and since I’m more of a water girl there isn’t much to say. Juice. Soda. Iced tea. Beer. Shakes. I tried the espresso machine since being the daughter of Zeus, this mechanism does not exist in our household. I expected bitter, but this was bland. Still, cool. I mean, hot!

Buffet 101 is perhaps a jack-of-all trades in the world of buffet and you can probably see where I’m going—the master of none. Save for the espresso machine—which wasn’t even a dish—there was nothing too memorable or much of a sterling catch that would make me dream about it in the days to come. It’s just okay, all right, the average joe.

However I give it points for trying to outdo Vikings. In this attempt, it surely beat Sambokojin and Dad’s. So you’re almost there, just bring out the curry and cheese!

 

[caption id="attachment_2466" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Grazie Mille. Arigatou. Burp.[/caption]

 

Mi Piace Trattoria Gourmet

The word Trattoria can be one tricky fellow for those whose Italian vocabulary is limited to panini and gelato. The hypotheses of the weary and trying hard can range from “traitor” to an anagram of “Tori Amos”.  Either answer is obviously more misleading than the previous, which leads to consulting the handy master, Google.

Turns out, Trattoria is simply translated as “little Italian restaurant”. No need for Boggle skills, which I fail miserably at in the first place.

In Manila, there’s this Trattoria Gourmet in Shangri-La Mall, which reflects the proper translation. Only difference is that it engages more in commerce and less in village-people-get-together tavern behavior where take home is common. Sure, in the Philippines take home is just as acceptable when visiting villages, but in Trattoria Gourmet—respectable restaurant and retail business that would like to make a proper living—no take home, containers or spilling alfredo inside well hidden lunch boxes. Let us do our part in preserving cleanliness of our surroundings and not screwing with its real income return.

Trattoria Gourmet serves eat-all-you-can dishes on a daily basis, and that eat-all-you-can salad and soup combo makes a pretty good target for vegetarians, South Beachers and prim old ladies. I would have to fall under the first category.

The Sunday buffet includes that lush salad bar with 6 types of dressings (I remember herb vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, garlic something, low cal italian dressing and 2 more) with quite a spread of of toppings, one visit is never enough.

The ubiquitous Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot strips, mushrooms, cheese, egg, olives form the spread but there are also the strange visitors (strange since I do not make the habit of placing them on my plate): raisins, corn, green gulaman, turnips, and pineapples (which I had for dessert instead).

 

Ready-to-eat Potato and macaroni salad are also served for the lazy, and there is also that Penne Pesto salad which deserved a scoop every time I visited the salad bar. It was that magnificent that foregoing the actual pasta selection was of no regret to me.

 

 

The soup section offers 2 variants in steaming vessels, even soup haters would have to try at least a teaspoon of their luscious concoctions. The Creamy Asparagus seemed all right, so I moved on to the more enticing catch: Mushroom Soup!

The mushroom soup was clear-brown with grand bits of oyster mushrooms swimming at the bottom. Scoop them out and find yourself in shroom heaven. I had two bowls, enough said.

The soup actually goes well with the house appetizer, which was lovingly prepared and presented, we jsut had to finish the entire display, as courtesy to the host.

Pasta dishes available were the usual favorites for the local folks: Alfredo and Bolognese.

Having passed up the pasta and pizza buffet, it seemed that the Bolognese was the better choice. Meaty and al dente, numerous diners did return for seconds (or thirds), while the alfredo seemed to be its buttery and bland companion.

 

The pizza served included Margherita and Pepperoni. Rather minimalist in toppings and size, the flavor made up for this seeming deficiency. Especially when freshly baked, the pizza still brings in much love from the Italian oven compared to other local counterparts.

[caption id="attachment_2247" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Note: Pizza embellished with pasta bar toppings[/caption]

The Trattoria Gourmet Sunday Buffet was a grand trip to Italian gourmet excellence. There was no need for 10 more dishes or a smorgasbord of items we could not pronounce or better yet, not have the chance to eat.

Minimalism was the key in getting us to enjoy the feast, and not really waste our time wandering and walking into areas of less interest. If all buffet set-ups were this friendly and well stocked up, then everyone would be happy and sipping wine on the side. No tempura banters or fighting over fried rice.

Just wondering how they got to make their pesto that bene.

Other than that slight hitch, Non mi posso lamentare. ("I can't complain.")