Sunday Buffet Lunch at Spiral, Hotel Sofitel Manila

I’m not fond of buffets. Why? Two words – FOOD COMA. There’s too much food which confuses me to no end. I always promise myself not to overeat but even just a little taste of SOME food leaves me with a belly about to explode. My lunch at Spiral yesterday was the perfect case.

I’ve only eaten at Sprial once several years ago before the pre-flood renovation. I was curious what what $11,000,000 spent on renovations looked like.

There was a jazz trio which provided live music during Sunday lunch. I only heard it whenever I passed near the grand staircase. Maybe it’s because I was too busy stuffing my face.

BREAD
My favorite was the crispy sesame and cheese topped lavash.

THE CHEESE ROOM

So many cheese and cured meats to choose from.

I loved the Ferrari red meat slicer.

There was a huge of wheel Comté Marcel Petite by the exit of the cheese room. Spiral, please give me a call when you cut up this baby.

JAPANESE  – TEPPANYAKI 

There were several Japanese hot dishes including fried rice.

sukiyaki

I only tried the soft shell crab tempura topped with ponzu sauce. Yum!!!

tempura

FRENCH

pasta made to order

There was unlimited foie gras served with stewed pineapple and balsamic cream. Just tell the chef how many pieces you want and he will cook it for you. I asked for three pieces. Some asked for 6 and more.

seared foie gras

My favorite was the French stove section.

There was a French chef there.

The chef told me that the braised short ribs was cooked for 3 days.

braised short ribs

The baked fish was fantastic. It was cooked perfectly and the flavors were so aromatic.

baked fish

I got half a pork sausage and it was horrible. It tasted like rotten meat and the smelled like putrid and decaying meat. I told the girl behind the counter and I guess she was expecting it. She said it was made with intestines. I don’t think intestines smell that bad.

pork sausage

My dad loved the French food too specially the fish, frog’s legs and prawns.

rack of lamb, frog’s legs, sautéed prawns

Our table had 3 kids and the pizza (located near the French section) was the most popular food. I thought eating pizza at at an expensive buffet was silly but it turned out to be my favorite too specially the one pictured on top. It had finely chopped bacon and onions.

pizza

SUSHI & SASHIMI

nigiri-zushi and spicy tuna sushi

SALAD BAR

FRESH SEAFOOD

oysters

shellfish

ROAST MEAT

NORTH INDIAN

CHINESE
My friend’s young son declared in a loud voice, “the roast pork is inedible.”

made to order noodle soup station

hot dishes and dim sum

fried shrimp, crab

FILIPINO

THAI

KOREAN

private room

Spiral 2 Go goodies

Sunday buffet costs more because of the free flowing champagne and wine which we didn’t avail of.

premium champagne and wine

DESSERT
One of the most popular items from Spirals are their mini chocolate chip cookies. They’re still good but I liked the version before. They used to bake it in front of you. Demand was high and the cookies come out a little under baked and warm. It was so chewy and melted in your mouth before. Now the cookies are aplenty and crunchy.

cookies and 3 flavors of chocolate fountain

The French pastries were in this pull out drawer. Nice!

truffles and chocolates

There were enough varieties of candies that would make kids of all ages go gaga.

Filipino desserts were well represented with sapin sapin, puto bumbong, halo-halo and bibingka. The bibingka was excellent.

Filipino desserts 

fresh fruits

These are what I ate. Eating buffet is not worth it for me since I don’t eat steak and I get full really fast. I made an effort to try more food.

Plate 1 – cheese, liver terrine, fig paste, jamon, lavash.

Plate 2 – French station: lamb chop, pizza square, braised beef, baked fish and super stinky yucky sausage. The lamb was tender, loved the super melt-in-your mouth braised beef, fantastic fish and pizza. SKIP THE SAUSAGE.

Plate 3 – seared foie gras, soft shell crab & miso cream tempura. The tempura was good and well fried and not oily. The foie gras wasn’t good as others I’ve eaten. Not bad but not swoon worthy. If it were good I wouldn’t have stopped at 3 pieces.

Plate 4 – spicy tuna sushi, bean curd roll dim sum, Korean ribs and lobster. Everything on this small plate was wonderful. The lobster was succulent and perfectly steamed.

Plate 5 – gorgonzola pizza and more spicy tuna sushi. I loved the first slice of pizza I ate a second one. No tomato sauce just thick white cheese topped with gorgonzola cheese and herb. Crust was thin and crisp. Love, love, love their pizza.

Dessert plate 1 – Apple tart was good but apples were too sour so I didn’t finish it. The bibingka was sticky yet light. Really a must eat!!

Dessert plate 2 – Very good chewy macaron with a jelly like filling, superb cheesecake. Chocolate chip cookies crisp and not bad. I liked their chewy cookies before better.

Dessert plate 3 – OMG the best chocolate truffles ever!! Tasted like 70% dark chocolate and the quality of Belgian chocolate used was so good that it tasted like quite exotic. The chocolate macaron was yummy and not too sweet.

The service was good except our coffee took more than 30 minutes to arrive and we had to ask for it more than 3 times. The coffee was strong but not aromatic.

I was so full from lunch that I didn’t have dinner anymore. From what little variety I was able to try I must admit the food was very good. The dessert was even better. Do go try it yourself.

SPIRAL
Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard Pasay City 1300 Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: 832-6988 or 551-555 Loc. 6988
website
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Price of Spiral’s Buffet (As of November 2012): 
Breakfast:
Monday to Friday: P1,719.55 (Adult), P982.60 (Kids 5-12 yrs.)
Saturday & Sunday: P1,965.20 (Adult), P1,105.43 (Kids 5-12 yrs)

Lunch: 
Monday to Saturday: P2,431.94 (Adult), P1,351.08 (Kids 5-12 yrs)
Sunday: P3,046.06 (Adult), P1,596.73 (Kids 5-12 yrs)

Dinner: 
Sunday to Thursday: P2,800.41 (Adult), P1,596.73 (Kids 5-12 yrs)
Friday & Saturday: P3,046.06 (Adult), P1,596.73 (Kids 5-12 yrs)