Sunday Lunch buffet at Esca's Garden Restaurant

“From the ambient setting to the galore of good food,
it would certainly be not my last enjoying all the goodness of a buffet
at Esca’s Garden Restaurant”

I ended my blog post about Esca’s Friday dinner buffet with those words and two days after, I was back for their Sunday Lunch buffet. As Chef Miguel Cordova was overseeing the preparations, I ventured out and enjoy the gardens Esca’s is noted for as venue for wedding and baptismal receptions plus parties of any kind. In fact they, they host a party for almost everyday of the week – indoors or outdoors.

Chef Miguel informed that Esca’s will be having a big permanent party tent in the gardens to accommodate more guests who prefer an alfresco dining ambiance. Esca’s as of now has three “ambiance” so to speak, the aircon room/s for those who prefer a “cool” setting, an indoor “al fresco” dining area for those who prefer the “ambient” temperature and the garden al fresco under the tents or shade.

But was just a quick tour because the sky started to cry, and it was also the signal for me to start my inside job – visually appreciating the buffet spread with the Filipino Fiesta theme as Esca’s gets “closer to home” during it’s Sunday buffet.

Off to the appetizer station with Ilonggo and Filipino specialties, one can really get a full stomach just having a “binge” on this spread. There’s my favorite Crispy Kangkong; still crunchy even after some time and I can’t help but feasted on it for it goes well with the mayo dip.

A mango-garnished Kinilaw na Isda caught my eye with its display of mouth watering colours. It’s an example of a dish that even though you have no idea what it’s made of or even don’t like it all, you’ll surely be enticed. But it wasn’t a problem for me since I’ve liked Esca’s kinilaw eversince.

Another come-on for "seafood" lovers was the gulaman salad. An appetizing blend of this seaweed, onions and tomatoes with vinegar to complement at the same time contrast the burst of flavours you are about to have.

But the ultimate stomach cruncher was the Pork Sisig. It was more like of the “ulam sisig” rather than the pulutan (those crunchy, sizzling types) but it had the flavour I like. Especially after squeezing in some calamansi, it was an appetizer turned into an “ulam” then.

An appetizingly hot Ensaladang Langka also looked good and indeed also tasted good as well. A Chicken Macaroni salad (in an abstract glass bowl) and the salad station completed the selection that surely whet up my appetite.

Graduating to the main buffet table, there were lots of meats to choose from. There was the vividly colored Sweet and Sour Fish – perfectly fried and crunchy at first then almost melts in your mouth.

The sinfully flavorsome Pork Binago-ongan - just by looking at it, you’ll surely know it packs in the taste and aroma of “guinamos” blended with chillis.

Something unexpected came next and if not for the label at the bottom, I had no idea what it could have been. It was Adobong Pusit but the garnish of fried pork strips confused me at first.

Contrasting in hue was the Ginata-ang Sitaw at Kalabasa, a blend of squash and string beans all in a savoury coconut sauce and an Ilonggo favorite.

Beside it was, the nationally recognized Chicken Pork Adobo. It was last year when it was included in the Sooo Pinoy Inspiring Filipino Food list of Top 10 Best Adobo in the country. Slowly cooked in a blend of spices, each spoonful was a gastronomic bliss!

Then there’s Kare-kare, neatly arranged with sitaw, talong and pechay on top of the rich sauce embracing the meat (turned out to be a mix of ox tail, “tuwalya”, pata and skin - I am not sure though). And it was very delicious!

The sauce was good and I even had hints of peanuts plus the guinamos was tasty – richly blended too. I enjoyed the “skin part” most for it’s usually the one I prefer (even with the pata dish, etc). Finally I was able to have tasted the kare kare, Chef Miner del Mundo was raving about weeks ago and I agree – Chef Miguel’s kare kare rocks!

Completing the main buffet line up were Sotanghon Guisado, Kalo-kalo (local term for fried rice) and Java Rice. The Mongolian Stir Fry station was also present and added a different dimension to this already sumptuous buffet line up.

Now off to the dessert station with my favorite Brazo Squares. I had a casual talk with Chef Miguel’s mother as I chanced upon her on the table of sweets. She mentioned that serving Brazos this way was more convenient than the usual rolls and their recipe has less starchy flavour. Indeed, eating Brazos using bare hands never been possible! And more than that, what I loved about it is the creamy blend of the filling where you can actually taste the real ingredients without the starchy aftertaste.

A Filipino favorite, Turon disappeared so quickly that I had to wait for it to be refilled to get my own share. And no wonder, it had the crunch and the tasty filling and dip that made it a best seller. Beside it was a bowl of mixed fruits – lychees, peaches, pears and cherries among others.

Then there was Canonigo, it’s almost the same as the white part of the Brazos drizzled with caramel. It’s surprising to know how can something this delicate actually take shape and maintain it all the way. You can have a slice as thick or as thin as you want and still get the same shape. Of course I had a thick slice and will be certainly looking out for this the next time I’ll be invading Esca’s.

Indeed, as early as now, I am on the look out for my next visit to Esca’s, constantly updating myself with what’s one their menu via their Facebook account. And if there’s really interesting that I can’t hold my cravings for it – maybe a new dish, a specialty of Chef Miguel’s or an item I really, really loved, then expect me to be there and share another awesome gastronomic experience, as always, at Esca’s Garden Restaurant.

Esca’s Garden Restaurant is located inside Aurora Subdivision near University of San Agustin accessible from Jalandoni or Gen. Luna Streets. For inquiries and reservations, please call (033) 338-3477.

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