Homey and Tame. That was the impression I had when I entered the Midas Cafe.
I had never been here, I only had the pleasure of visiting Midas Hotel once a few weeks back to visit and get acquainted with the family of my significant other when they were here for a visit.
Located on the 2nd floor of Midas Hotel, Pasay, this restaurant serves a simple yet delicious buffet spread. Since I was invited to check out this buffet along with friends and other members of the press, it wouldn't hurt to note that they are launching a new theme. SABROSO which means TASTY or MASARAP in Tagalog! It is their take on serving regional delicacies and home made food that we all grew up and got accustomed to.
Before the presentation started, I worked around and saw some interesting things on the line.
Awesome Dishes that one would definitely must not miss is their PRIME RIB.
I got a slice of this baby and it wasn't dry and overcooked. The inside was pretty pink! If it was too undercooked for you, you could ask them to have it done to your preference.
They also served their take on CEBU LECHON. Although, they sourced this from an outside vendor, you could see and hear the crackling sound of the skin. Even if it was coined as such, I have to say that it fell short on being one. Usually, Cebu lechons are salty and aren't the type that would need any sauce. One thing that I liked about it is that the meat was tender and pretty much moist.
I was also happy to be reunited with PUSO or hanging rice. Usually, these are seen in the Visayas Region and are quite convenient for anyone wanting to have rice on the go. Cut it in the middle and open it up. According to some of my friends, these originates when farmers or fisherman would go out and was needing an easy way to bring their rice with them.
A lovely scene was the BAGNET or Pork deep fried with crunchy skin on top. Paired with some veggies, you would love how soft the meat is while the skin is pretty much heavenly!
They had a bunch of raw dishes where you could pick them up and have them cooked like Cebu's longanisa and some raw seafood like crabs, seashells, shrimps and fish. Among them that standout was the Chicken Innards. Yes, you rarely see this on a buffet spread. I was quite happy that they had it.
A little conundrum was seeing that they served sashimi and sushi and makis for that matter in this buffet. I was under the impression that it was a Filipino themed one, but none the less, it was a welcome addition as most of us are Japanese Food Lovers (YEP! I AM!). The Sushi were fresh and definitely awfully good. I must have went back and forth just to get these babies on my plate.
And you thought that was all? Not counting the different salads, breads, cheese, desserts , pastries they had a lot more in stored for us.
So that we may all have a taste of most of the dishes, the good people over at the cafe, sought to it that we had plated dishes.
We had a flurry of appetizers. Combination of Tuna and Pork Sinugba, Ukoy, dinakdadakan, Lato and Guso salad, Mesclun Green in sukang Iloko Vinaigrette.
Quite a mouthful if you ask me, The Lato and Guso salad was exceptional. The small green balls would burst in my mouth with each bite. The Sinugba was definitely welcomed with it being vinegar based.
Next up was the LAW-UY or Visayang Vegetable Soup. According to Chef Arnold Guevarra executive head chef, this soup would be definitely for the diet conscious.
The flavor was welcomed but I placed the veggies on the side. Too much for me!Eeek
For a palate cleanser, we were served CALAMANSI SORBET.
This was exceptionally good. The sting that you get from it, erases the flavor of the previous dishes. It helps your mouth recuperate from all the flavors.
To have a taste of some of their main courses, we got the LOKON in CRAB ROE SAUCE, PORK HUMBA, SINUGBANG MANOK with Soy Vinegar Dip, VEGETABEL in Fish Paste (Pinakbet)
The Lokon was okay, while the Pork was a bit too salty for me. What stand out here would be the Sinugbang Manok. The flavor was awesome.
For dessert, we had a loooot! CROQUANTINE COCONUT YEMA, NILUPAK and HALAYA CAKE, BRAZO de DURIAN, MARANG og BALIMBING ICE CREAM.
This was a sweet note to end the meal. The Croquantine coconut yema was a genius stroke! Although too sweet for me, I loved the flavor and the presentation. The Durian is really evident in the Brazo. I enjoyed the taste minus the smell. Love it.
Albeit not a lot compared to other restaurants and hotels, you could see
their effort in maintaining and having the quality of their offerings.
Putting their best foot forward, you could see that they would refill
the dishes instantaneously and on a regular basis. The service was awesome as our every request was received with smiles. The cost of the buffet is at Php 1,842 nett for both lunch and dinner buffet.
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MIDAS CAFE
2nd Floor MIDAS HOTEL
2702 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Philippines, 1300
(632) 9020100
http://www.midashotelandcasino.com/
Disclaimer: was invited to this event. Thank you to Midas Hotel and to Kathi for giving me an invite.
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