REDISCOVERING DAD'S

Was recently invited to dine at Dad’s Megamall. I had second thoughts about going mainly because the hubby and I were on a diet. And there was also the mall traffic to consider. But the buffet beckoned and the belly could not resist, our diets be damned.

Buffets are a Filipino weakness. Give us an endless supply of a wide variety of food to be shared with family or friends and we will gladly partake.

Buffets originated as 16th century “smorgasboard,” a type of Scandinavian meal where multiple hot and cold dishes of various foods are served on a table which was, no surprise,  called a smörgåsbord.

Usually, the guests gathered before dinner for a pre-dinner drink, and the smorgasboard was a prelude to the formal dinner.  These side tables, called buffets by the French, eventually, at the dawn of modern day dining, became the center of meals where diners helped themselves and feasted on sandwiches, hot and cold entrées, beverages and desserts.

And that is what  I did at Dad’s.

When dining at buffets, you need a strategy so you don’t end up being full without tasting all the good stuff.

First, get your priorities straight. Find out the restaurant’s specialties. But since Dad's serves hundreds of dishes, this was quite difficult to do. I had to rely on what I remembered from my last Dad's experience and put the roast meat and  poultry with the Japanese dishes at the top of my list.

Kebabs

Cold Soba and Chawan Mushi

Then, map out and do a “recon” of the area.  Go around once before getting any food.  Dad’s has different sections for different global cuisines, a beverage bar and an extensive dessert area, so the walking can be considered as a warm-up for the gustatory marathon that's about to come.

Canapes and breads

Spanish Tapas

Japanese Sushi

US Roast Turkey

Baked Mussels

Greek Beef Souvlaki

And when you're ready, get that plate and take small portions of what you want to eat. Do not fill your plate to  a mountainous PG (Patay Gutom) or, even worse,  SPG (Super Patay Gutom) level.  First, because it's just not good table manners. Second, food is best enjoyed when it looks good. Third, Dad's, like most buffet restaurants, have a "no leftover policy." If you take too much without finishing it, you end up paying more. 

Don't be such a pig!

You can always go back again. And again. And again.

That's  the beauty of buffets. No one is judged for going back for seconds or thirds.

The staff behind the open-theater set-up were helpful in recommending what sauces and side dishes went well with the entrée’s I chose.

Open-theater- set up

Dad's World Buffet makes its own ham.

Special mention goes to the US Roast Beef. It was at Dad's when my own dad took me to my first buffet. This was the dish we both enjoyed the most. Biting through the tender, juicy meat smothered in Mushroom Gravy was a "Ratatouille moment."

For those with Balikbayan guests, the Pinoy selection includes classics like Lechon (and pritchon), Crispy Pata, Kare-Kare as well as regional favorites.

Crispy Pata and Kinilaw

And there are also quirky choices for the adventurous like the adobong balut.

The sign of a good buffet is the absence of lines. Not because people aren’t clogging up the cue to get food, it’s because they’ve already gotten what they want. No lines usually indicate that the dishes are replenished all the time. 

Great food shared amidst wonderful conversation...  was glad to discover, that after 38 years, it’s still the same at Dad’s.

Dad's World Buffet will be celebrating its 38th year with a one-day-only 50% discount on  August 26, 2015. For more details and reservations, pass by the nearest branch or check out their website .

SM Megamall

4^th Level Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong

Telephone: 633-1758, 636-3785 or 0917-8961757

EDSA

207 EDSA, Greenhills, Mandaluyong City

705-1807, 722-8125 or 0917-8988124

Glorietta

2nd Level, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Makati City

892-8897 to 98 or 0917-8978896

Manila

523 Merchant Bldg., Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila

528-1723 to 24 or 0917-8971722

West Avenue

15 West Avenue, Quezon City

372-8845, 374-3767 or 0917-8988844