A dinner invitation from one of the top hotels in Iloilo City highlighted the past (blogging) week. Until now, my head is still spinning from the gastronomic delights encountered during the buffet courtesy of the owner and general manager of Days Hotel Iloilo. Meshi – A Japanese Buffet is the regular smorgasbord every Wednesday held at Days Hotel’s The Promenade. A restaurant with delectable offerings plus a good view of the hustle and bustle of Iloilo City, no matter what time of the day, is among the crowd drawers of Day’s Hotel.
As we were invited by the top honchos of the hotel, access was given to us even before it opened to the public and while preparations were still going on. The buffet consists of different stations (I counted six) with enough food items in each to be both visually and gastronomically satisfying.
The soup and bread station consists of a variety of baked goods and soup good enough to jumpstart ones appetite and get ready for more. It has loaf slices (regular and wheat), dinner rolls, stick breads with butter and jams of choice plus the soup of the day.
Then there’s the appetizer station with a number of entrees to choose from. Ready made salads like Jagaimo Sarada (potato salad with shredded crabstick ), Nasu no Mushimono (eggplants with sesame seed in savoury sauce) and California Sarada (a cucumber, lettuce and mango salad with tobiko caviar) and meat items like Gyoza (dumplings), Sakana Tsukone (chicken lollipops) and Tori Nanbanzuke (marinated chicken and vegetable).
There’s also a salad station where one can invent their own salad from almost a dozen items. Take your pick from cucumbers, ice berg lettuce, singkamas, pineapples, corn, carrots among others with a variety of dressings to choose from.
The barbecue station consists of ten displays of raw meat – pork, poultry, sea food, all ready to be placed on top of the grill and served with sauces of choice. Choose from salmon and tuna slices to chicken wings and thinly sliced pork and more.
Japanese specialties like sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki and tempura are scattered throughout the restaurant reminding guests they are having the specialties of the land of the Rising Sun.
The sushi section consists of several kinds from the usual maki sushi and California rolls to futomaki and nigiri sushis placed on a translucent glass display with different tiers. The sashimi had a table all its own. Raw slices of tuna complete with the condiments needed like wasabi and soy sauce. Tempura lovers should check its section first since there is always a long queue in getting these yummy battered and deep fried shrimps and vegetables.
If one’s isn’t filled up yet, there’s still the main buffet station consisting of more and several dishes to choose from. Take your pick from Yaki Ramen with Tonkatsu sauce (noodles), Iyasia Itame with Miso (Mixed vegetables in miso), Chahan (mixed fried rice), Sakana Nitsuke (fish stew) Tori Kara Agi (fried chicken) and Butaniku Shogayaki ( pork in ginger sauce).
And finally, desserts - but where to begin? From chocolate cakes and pudding to the very tempting three cheese cheesecake it surely is saving the bets for last. But wait there’s more – panna cotta, puddings, verrines, tiramisu, crème brulee and a whole lot more of these gastronomic works of art. There’s also a station to make you a crepe with filling of choice and a section with fresh fruits too.
A hot cup of tea ended the night of delectable foods, entertaining quality talks, a lot of photos and who’s who in Iloilo City’s political and business worlds. It is indeed true that eating can be "tiring" sometimes (came from another food tasting session just an hour ago-lol). But I'm not complaining .....
The soup and bread station consists of a variety of baked goods and soup good enough to jumpstart ones appetite and get ready for more. It has loaf slices (regular and wheat), dinner rolls, stick breads with butter and jams of choice plus the soup of the day.
Then there’s the appetizer station with a number of entrees to choose from. Ready made salads like Jagaimo Sarada (potato salad with shredded crabstick ), Nasu no Mushimono (eggplants with sesame seed in savoury sauce) and California Sarada (a cucumber, lettuce and mango salad with tobiko caviar) and meat items like Gyoza (dumplings), Sakana Tsukone (chicken lollipops) and Tori Nanbanzuke (marinated chicken and vegetable).
There’s also a salad station where one can invent their own salad from almost a dozen items. Take your pick from cucumbers, ice berg lettuce, singkamas, pineapples, corn, carrots among others with a variety of dressings to choose from.
The barbecue station consists of ten displays of raw meat – pork, poultry, sea food, all ready to be placed on top of the grill and served with sauces of choice. Choose from salmon and tuna slices to chicken wings and thinly sliced pork and more.Japanese specialties like sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki and tempura are scattered throughout the restaurant reminding guests they are having the specialties of the land of the Rising Sun.
The sushi section consists of several kinds from the usual maki sushi and California rolls to futomaki and nigiri sushis placed on a translucent glass display with different tiers. The sashimi had a table all its own. Raw slices of tuna complete with the condiments needed like wasabi and soy sauce. Tempura lovers should check its section first since there is always a long queue in getting these yummy battered and deep fried shrimps and vegetables.
If one’s isn’t filled up yet, there’s still the main buffet station consisting of more and several dishes to choose from. Take your pick from Yaki Ramen with Tonkatsu sauce (noodles), Iyasia Itame with Miso (Mixed vegetables in miso), Chahan (mixed fried rice), Sakana Nitsuke (fish stew) Tori Kara Agi (fried chicken) and Butaniku Shogayaki ( pork in ginger sauce).
And finally, desserts - but where to begin? From chocolate cakes and pudding to the very tempting three cheese cheesecake it surely is saving the bets for last. But wait there’s more – panna cotta, puddings, verrines, tiramisu, crème brulee and a whole lot more of these gastronomic works of art. There’s also a station to make you a crepe with filling of choice and a section with fresh fruits too.
A hot cup of tea ended the night of delectable foods, entertaining quality talks, a lot of photos and who’s who in Iloilo City’s political and business worlds. It is indeed true that eating can be "tiring" sometimes (came from another food tasting session just an hour ago-lol). But I'm not complaining .....
Meshi - A Japanese Buffet
The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo
Every Wednesday from 6PM-10PM
PhP420++
For inquiries and reservations call:
337-3297 or 336-8801 to 10 or 0917-7003297 or 0918-9333297
The Promenade at Days Hotel Iloilo
Every Wednesday from 6PM-10PM
PhP420++
For inquiries and reservations call:
337-3297 or 336-8801 to 10 or 0917-7003297 or 0918-9333297