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.
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.
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.
 |
| 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.
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
4th 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
