If there's one buffet place my family and I consider as our go-to eat-all-you-can restaurant, it undoubtedly, most certainly goes by the name of
Vikings Luxury Buffet. For years now, we've been celebrating birthdays and ordinary pig-out days at this joint which started the luxury buffet concept outside of a hotel. Heck, even one of the first ever posts on this blog, way back in 2011, was about
Vikings Luxury Buffet!
It has almost been three years now, and
Vikings Luxury Buffet has proven to be a great success with the addition of its SM North EDSA, SM Marikina and SM Lanang Premier (Davao) branches. However, three
Vikings restaurants within Metro Manila still seemed insufficient. And so, catering to more foodies and buffet enthusiasts is the new
Vikings Luxury Buffet in Mega Fashion Hall, the equally new wing at SM Megamall.
| By the windows... The best seat in my opinion! |
Being a regular at the SM Mall of Asia and SM North EDSA branches, I can definitely say, and with conviction, that
Vikings in SM Megamall has been my favorite so far. Among the three Metro Manila branches I've been to, it's the only one that exudes both luxury and modernity. The interior feels young with counter table seating, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, and even paintings hung on the ceiling. The place just screams fresh and artsy, quite a leap from the mature and sophisticated look its siblings sport.
The Buffet Spread
Even after eating at
Vikings for the
nth time, I still get lost in the sea of smorgasbord this buffet joint offers. They have sections for appetizers, salads, cheeses and breads...
A section dedicated for ready-to-eat and design-your-own pizzas and pastas...
| Carbonara Pizza and Tutta Carne Pizza |
| A variety of toppings for your very own customized pizza |
| Moussaka -- a Mediterranean baked eggplant dish layered with ground beef sauce and bechamel |
| Vasilico -- penne with Greek sausage, sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes in pesto cream sauce |
| Freshly-made pastas... They even have ones made from pumpkin and squid ink! |
Then, there's the Japanese section with my comfort food, sashimi and sushi! Although I didn't get to take decent photos since this area was too crowded with many of my fellow Japanese food lovers... You can also get your sukiyaki or ramen fix here.
Beside the Japanese food area is a section dedicated to meats and seafood for grilling.
The hot foods section, if I'm not mistaken, combines Filipino, Spanish and a little of American cuisine.
| A selection of Spanish tapas |
| Caribbean Pork Ribs in Brown Sugar Guacamole and Fried Plantain |
| Beef Steak in Madagascar Sauce |
| Sweet and savory Pork Asado(?) |
| Clams, Mussels, Oysters and Crabs in Louisiana Gumbo |
| Seared St. Peter's Fish in Lemon, Capers and Peppercorn Sauce |
The Chinese section on the other hand, offers a selection of hot dishes and dimsum, both of which are very popular with guests as this area tends to easily run out of food.
There are also some Korean dishes in the area.
Of course, the carving station which is probably star of the buffet, is busy as always.
| Anchovy and Rosemary Baked Leg of Lamb |
Before I go to the desserts, let me just write ahead how happy I was to see
Vikings' new beverage selection. Aside from the staples -- iced tea, softdrinks, draft beer, fruit juices, hot tea, coffee and fruit shakes, they now offer a wider tea selection -- both hot and cold. Oh, and they have cold milo for the kiddos and kids-at-heart too!
| Love the Twinings Apple-Cinnamon Tea, and the Mint and Lemongrass-Infused Tea! |
For desserts, there are cakes, more cream and egg-based treats, chocolate fondue, fruits, frozen yogurt, ice cream, a crepe station, local taho, and our local
kakanin.
Dishes I Got
I normally have a strategy whenever I eat at buffets. However, since I was excited seeing new offerings at
Vikings, my plans ultimately got thrown out of the window.
| Shabu-Shabu or Hot Pot now available at Vikings! |
This eat-all-you-can restaurant may have been offering sukiyaki for a while now. However, I still prefer my hot pot, so it was a pleasant surprise to find out they now offer shabu-shabu. You can choose your soup base and toppings at the Chinese station.
Salmon sashimi, assorted sushi and California temaki
My buffet dining won't be complete without these! |
| Chawanmushi...Another one of my Japanese comfort food. |
Siomai, hakaw, chicken feet, jelly fish, and spareribs
Just a few of my go-to items from the Chinese section. |
| Squid Ink Pasta Puttanesca |
| Baked Oysters with Cheese |
| Grilled fish, squid and mussels |
| Strawberry crepe with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce |
| Mango crepe with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce |
I may have missed trying out the
design-your-own pizza, the hot dishes and the meaty treats at the carving station... But I have to say, my lunch buffet dining experience already left me more than satisfied!
Oh, I just ate with my family at the SM North EDSA branch two weekends ago, and it was nice to find out that they also offer the same new items there. All the while, I thought that the fresh pastas, customized pizzas and shabu-shabu are only available at SM Megamall. Thank goodness it's not exclusive!
*whew*
THE VERDICT
Even though I've already shied away from feasting in buffets, eating at Vikings still gets me all giddy. Just when I thought I've already tried every single item from their spread, they now come out with new offerings that perfectly align with my tastes. Freshly-made pastas, customized pizzas, and shabu-shabu... Actually, even their old spread is now gone and replaced by an improved one; some with same dishes but better flavor. And with a modern yet sophisticated interior, courteous and thoughtful service, and a lower weekend rate (P888 from the old P1,088), I can say Vikings Luxury Buffet will still remain as our family go-to eat-all-you-can destination.
Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4.5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5
Buffet Rates:
Weekday Lunch
Kids below 3ft - Free
Kids between 3ft to 4ft - 188+
Kids between 4ft to 4ft6in - 388+
Adults - 688+
75 y/o & above - 50% Special Discount
Weekday Dinner, Weekend & Holiday Lunch & Dinner
Kids below 3ft - Free
Kids between 3ft to 4ft - 288+
Kids between 4ft to 4ft6in - 588+
Adults - 888+
75 y/o & above - 50% Special Discount
Prices are subject to 5% service charge.
Vikings Luxury Buffet, SM Megamall
4/F Mega Fashion Hall, Bldg. D, SM Megamall,
Julio Vargas cor. EDSA, Mandaluyong,
Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 656-3888; 656-4888; 656-5888
Official Website | Facebook Page
Twitter | Instagram
Thank God, they have now a price reduction from 1088 now its 888php! I haven't been to their megamall branch and its true from the pics I can honestly say that it is one of the best interiors! Thanks for the review Sumi!
ReplyDeleteSo nice that they reduced the weekend rate, no? :) I think the SM MOA branch still follows the old pricing though.
DeleteWow vikings has really upgraded since my first visit when it opened its pioneer branch 3 yrs ago http://www.crumpylicious.com/2011/05/vikings-luxury-buffet-at-san-miguel-by.html I'll try to visit it again after crossing out other non-hotel buffets I haven't tried like sambo kojin and la fiesta (so far yung nalang ata hehe)
ReplyDeletewhat i love the most Viking restaurant for eat-all-you-can buffet is that the good ambiance, nice place and the food itself. all in one package service.. Nice and Great
ReplyDeletesoon, Vikings will open here at SM Jazz.. at last, it's near to our place.. i'm really looking forward to eat at vikings.
ReplyDelete- Mariellen Cruz -