Spiral Restaurant Dinner Buffet

This restaurant offers what is claimed to be the best and most comprehensive buffet in Metro Manila, if not the entire Philippines. Hotel Sofitel (formerly Westin Philippine Plaza) is a premiere location that exudes style and quality. The hotel can't be beat -- at its back is Manila Bay with its famed sunset.

The servers are attentive, the venue expansive. There's indeed a considerable range of choices. I wasn't able to photograph everything. I skipped the barbecues and some more Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Korean and Filipino offerings.











My past buffet experiences have taught me that the temptation to grab and gorge on everything is strong, but needs to be resisted. I just focused on what I really wanted to taste and enjoy, plus items I don't normally encounter in other restaurants or in stores. I didn't eat much, in fact, considering the extensive menu.

The sashimi was top-grade fresh and tender. The lapu-lapu (grouper) had a bit more bite, but it held its own against the more usual tuna and salmon. The European cold cuts were subtly seasoned and each strip showcased the meat's own texture and flavor. Not advisable to mix in a plate, though, I found out. The soy sauce for the fish intruded with the cold cuts' sauces and the meat's own flavors.

I skipped most of the dimsum for my Chinese plate. The tofu was spicy. The duck was not preprared to perfection. The skin wasn't crispy at all, and the meat was under-roasted and tough.

We ordered wine sampler sets of 3 glasses. The brands were just the ones you see at ordinary wine stores -- Kendall Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon, for instance. There are far more interesting brands. The vino went well with the European meats, cheeses and pates. The Serrano ham was good, mixing smoothness and chewiness quite well. It was just cut too thick. This premium meat should be sliced prosciutto-thin. This cheese-meat-and-wine thing I think is anathema to the very concept of a buffet. These treats should be savored slowly and in a totally relaxed manner. Quite contrary to the grab-everything and eat-quickly pressure of a smorgasbord.

I'm a chocolate lover, and dessert reflected that passion.

I skipped all the soups, breads and rice offerings. They make me full easily.

As is usual, I took pictures guerilla-style. Just point quickly and click. Toward the end of my rounds at dessert time, I was politely accosted by a roaming staff member just as I was aiming at the dessert station. He reminded me not to take pictures. It was about setups or something. He acted too late as I had taken most of my shots way before he noticed.

One last thing -- the utensils looked nifty but weren't ergonomic to use. The knives need to be changed to less cooler-looking but more functional items.

Spiral offers the best buffet around, if price is no object (another visit can be found here).