I would pay $90 to eat there. The atmosphere, the variety and the service seems great. Most of the food looks delicious and the presentation is sensational
I have very fond memories of this hotel. Me and my wife (colleague back then) worked in this exact buffet restaurant for years, my wife was even one of the first batch of regular staff that the restaurant had - and let me tell you, being a regular staff is a huge deal in this in this hotel because of the amount of sheer number of competition that you have for the job. Sofitel Manila is very discinct in how it does it's service - it's all about 'cousu main' service or 'service with a heart'. In all our years of hospitality career, we've never worked with people as well-trained or passionate to this day. We've since moved on to managing a tavern in Western Australia but we still look back at Sofitel Manila and the Spiral Restaurant with nostalgia.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I can imagine it also is an important place as you met your wife there. I'm from New Zealand which is similar to Australia and not far away.😊
As a frequent customer of the Spiral, I've got suggestions for maximum flavor + bang for your buck strategy on The Spiral. 1. Go for the roast pork, beef, duck, and lamb. Ignore the chicken. 2. After that decadent start, go for the Miso soup. 3. Now go abuse that cheese room and ask for more prosciutto. 4. Then, navigate to the seafood section. The lobster is to die for and if you think you can handle it -the paella. 5. Cleanse the palette with Miso soup again. 6. It's an acquired taste (you can skip this part) but go with the foie gras. 7. Slow down with the Korean section. 8. If you can still handle it, take a deep dive on the Japanese section. 9. Dessert.
Kayanga hahahaha.. dapat talaga yung most expensive at di typical na nakakain sa labas ang inuuna. no rice and wag mag drink ng anything liquid ng sobrang dami para di agad mabusog@@paolowatchesyoutube1152
That kind of wide selection of international dishes, with lots of premium finds, the cozy ambience, the engagingly interactive staff, and the whole delightful gastronomic experience? PRICELESS! That's why even if it is indeed quite pricey, the whole experience is all worth it! And satisfied customers keep coming back!
@@UnfeelingGod I've been to many buffets. Local food still has their own section. For example, all premium buffets I went in Southeast Asia like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore & Indonesia have their local section. You can see it for yourself in this channel. Sonny himself has uploaded buffets in other countries.
You can never go wrong spending that much to experience binge eating in this buffet restaurant. The presentation and the taste of the food, together with the sublime ambience of the place will put you in awe, that a place like that really does exist. I have eaten there multiple times and I can't wait to go back again.
My friend is a chef here, and I think he is the one featured in 7:11. I can honestly say, out of all the buffets I have tried in the Philippines and Sydney, this is the best. The variety and quality of the food in Spiral are amazingly insane.
i think i definitely don't know what my friend look like. honesty is a given in communication but if you must highlight that you're being honest now, means you lie a lot in life? btw i think my friend is the one in the back cleaning. I can honestly say I'm lying.
For us filipinos it's expensive but you as foreigners it's already a steal deal compared to western buffets that costs the same price in sofitel but the food isn't as delicious. I'm glad you've covered this blog to unveil how sofitel's buffet is superb and delicious!
Little point: Gorgonzola is italian, not french. I care about it because is produced where i live: in North Italy, between Piemonte and Lombardia. Novara, my city is specifically known for rice, Gorgonzola and the Salam dela Duja (a salami matured and preserved in lard).
No one is up their own asses quite like europeans. But your laws and languages mean nothing outside your tiny states. Your food is the only thing people care about, you'd do well to embrace others taking interest instead of giving them yet another reason to despise you.
My wife and I just went last week for dinner. Definitely worth the price with the amount of service and choices you’re provided. One thing they don’t mention til you get there: unlimited foie gras
That is my dream RESTAURANT in my life. I will go with my wife and kids to eat there for our entire holiday in the Philippines. Excellent just Excellent and I have never heard of it before. I just got back from Bali and going back home to the Cook Islands to see my Mum. Next holiday is in the Philippines. From a Cook Islander
The buffet in Manila, Philippines, typically offers a diverse range of traditional and international dishes. Guests can enjoy fresh seafood, delicious Italian pasta, and Filipino specialties like adobo and lechon. The atmosphere is often cozy and comfortable, creating an ideal setting for a varied and exciting culinary experience.
16:22 you should try calamansi + fish sauce + minced red onions Or pinakurat (type of vinegar in Philippines) + minced garlic That's what my lola used to prepare dipping sauce for crabs & shrimps... And I think it's worth a try for lobsters too.
Hi, Sonny. I've been a fan for years already and i've noticed that everytime you go here in the philippines you always feauture our street foods and buffets. There are a lot of tribes here, i hope you can visit them to know more of their culture, and of course their food. Always love you videos, btw!!!
I came up with the name and did the original branding for Spiral - must be almost 20 years ago now. Amazing they’re still using the brand. Great to see the ideas lasted.
I have eaten there many times over the last 15 years and it is by far the best buffet I have ever attended. The quality of the food is excellent at every level. So many choices and all perfectly cooked - full of flavour!
@@nimatajik9605Nikko Saigon has much more seafood selections. But Spiral has much more variety, especially their wine. Also can’t beat Filipino service.
@@imnotchikao6317 - I do like Seafood, but I seriously don't mind having a variety of foods that do NOT center around seafood. Baked Salmon is nice, or a tender White fish fillet, but I don't go to a buffet to eat 24 oysters, or 3 Lobsters or 4 King Crab Legs or BBQ squid, etc... I go to a buffet to enjoy a worldwide selection of authentic flavours Whilst Manila has many of the aforementioned delights, it's the extensive range of authentic flavours that does it for me.
Wow enjoy eating @ Sofitel buffet . As you can see filipinos are very accommodating, approachable, and hospitable. Hope you experienced these traits from the filipinos you’ve met .
Sonny, kudos to you man. I first visited the Philippines in 93 and have been a frequent business traveler there over the last decade. I had a Jollibee Champ With Cheese in 1993, but 1 thing I've never been able to do is take a balut. I've tried...numerous times. Can't do it. You are the man na
Balut is duck or chicken eggs with the chick inside it right? Lol. It’s actually not bad at all. But u gotta eat the very young eggs where the chicks don’t have any hair on em 🤣💯
In the Philippines lobster is a rare dish, but if you want a distinct Filipino dipping sauce for seafood, it has to be spicy vinegar mixed with garlic.
@@eduardochavacano cane vinegar is still used in this buffet too. Those used in the streets are spiced to the vendor's preferences and limited resources. Here, you can use the same base cane vinegar, and add to your liking (like say, add more garlic and onions while reducing to add sugar) or use a different kind of pepper or chilli instead.
OMG there is so much variety of foods there and the quality looks high class. For that price I would almost eat there every week lol. The Philipines is awesome I will definitely visit soon!
I was there 2011 and checked in Sofitel in that time the buffet is only cost $25 but now wow the price is incredible! Being honest the best buffet dinner I ever had, I always mentioned that to my friends and relatives! Now they even have “balot vendor” wow! Cannot wait to go back!
I've been here and it really is worth it for what you get. The highlights for me were the meats and the Indian food. I've never been to India but there are some authentic Indian restaurants in Manila owned by Indians that I've tried and it was pretty damn close and one of the best I've had in a buffet.
I can HARDLY wait to come to Manila this coming March 2024, I absolutely LOVE Philippines- the people, cuisine (especially Bulalo, Bagnet, Sisig, etc...) watching this show makes me feel so good!!! ANYONE reach out to me if you have any good recommendations in Quezon City area!!!!🥰
quezon city tons of great food in tomas morato and panay area. go to chef laudico Guevarras restaurant in the nearby city of Sanjuan, best filipino buffet in town
Tablo Kitchen is our go to in Quezon City... It's in Diliman area... Modern Filipino Comfort food is being served here... If you haven't tried Bacolod chicken inasal, one of their famous chain restaurants is in Quezon City, in Kalayaan Avenue area, named JT's Manukan Grille... Part owned by famous Ben&Ben siblings 😊
To put this buffet price in perspective for everyone. I lived in Baguio city for 2 years about 5 years ago. A good office job at the call center pays about 200$ a month salary.
I dine there in 2019. The place was great and I had no issues dropping that amount of Pesos there. The food was exquisite and of course service was top notch. Great video Sonny. Hope you and your crew have a great New Year!!!
@@karlwithak.I bet you just wish but certainly not. 🤣 I went there many years ago. Spiral Buffet is very exquisite compared to other buffets, even the one from Okada.
The Philippines is not on war, Philippine flag should be like this🇵🇭.. Not red on the top (thumbnail) thank you for coming back.. Enjoy your stay with your team👌👌😍
Really appreciate the buffet manager’s overview at the start. There are four different price points based on the day and offerings. For specialities like free flowing champagne and complete seafood feast on the weekend, of course the price will increase. The location, amenities, entertainment and security factor into the cost too. Ain’t no road stop hut that’s for sure.
Interesting fact. In the USA, white chocolate flipped back and forth on actually being chocolate because there was a time when the only thing that could be called chocolate had to have cocoa solids. Since white chocolate only has cocoa butter, it was no longer referred to as chocolate. Ruby chocolate is a relatively new fourth type of chocolate and I wish it became more popular.
I did contract work in Africa with a bunch of French dudes. The one night they pulled out a wheel of cheese, cut the top off, scraped the cheese loose on the inside and filled it with wine. So it turned into a cheese and wine soup in a cheese wheel. Then they dipped french bread in it and ate the contents like a edible fondue. No idea what it was called and didn't want to interrupt their dinner but couldn't stop staring either 😂
I remember old French people eating soup and when they were done, poured wine in the same plate right after. No cleaning. It was called chabrot or chavrot. French food customs can be weird at times, but often rather delicious.
This really makes me want to visit Manila again. I visited the Philippines more times than I can count back in my navy days (early 80s lol) . Back then my trips there were free of course.
I was kinda surprised you haven't covered this until now. I thought you had featured this before. But anyways, it really is worth the hype. It's expensive but the wide array of food choices is really worth it.
The spanner crab/ frog crab is known to be caught in my region of the Philippines and it is best paired with Alavar sauce. It is made with fats from the heads of small crabs cooked in coconut milk.
@@eduardochavacano ohh i love them, they have a body filled with meat. Everytime I can go home to the Philippines, eating this is always on the bucket list.
16:20 I think the sweet and sour vinegar sauce (the same one that you drink on plastic bottle on time here in PH). That sauce is not only suitable just for lumpia but also with seafood like shrimp and clams.
I second this.. soy sauce and vinegar (toyo and suka/pinakurat) with some chillis are the go to food dip of the Filipinos, esp. for grilled and fried foods. 😊
Typically for crabs, lobsters, shrimps we will dip them in cane vinegar, this is the local vinegar. And in the vinegar you will add chop garlic, red onions, shallots and you local hot pepper called siling labuyo salt and black pepper. This vinegar sauce are also used in different dishes. Filipinos love their vinegar dipping sauce. Other fried seafood like fish, we use fish sauce with calamansi (local lime).
That buffet is top-tier with all those cool food experiences. The spread of food you've shown looks lip-smacking good! I bet those bucks are well spent there.
I literally just finished eating here and it's good to see Sonny has just released a video on it too. So full, yet so good! Delicious and importantly, high quality food.
I work with people from the Philippines and all I can say is that they the nicest people in the world. Full of life regardless of how their county is. Go Manila :)
Went to sofitel for my birthday a couple years back and it's still one of my fondest memories...also painful. Cuz i ate so much I literally could not eat for the next 2 days. But the food quality was pretty solid and good to see quality is still pretty good.
The go-to dipping sauce for seafood and meat in the Philippines is toyo + mashed labuyo chilis + spritz of calamansi + chopped raw red onions. To taste: mix in vinegar and/or fish sauce.
We have a unique sauce for crabs and lobster. We call it ALAVAR SAUCE. Famouse seafood sauce originally came from Zamboanga, a province in Mindanao Island. You should try that.
I was just there three weeks ago. I enjoyed the buffet but had to book a reservation well in advance. The food was good. Every hotel I was around or stayed in had security. Manila is the most densely populated city in the world, so maybe it makes some sense.
Sorry sir but maybe you were brainwashed or just fed by wrong info.. Manila or Metro Manila is composed of 16 cities and is arguably not the most densely populated city/metro as compared to Bangladesh or some cities in South Asia or Africa..
Sorry sir but every hotel in the Philippines has security, mall, school, offices not bcoz over populated but it's bcoz for emergency purposes, for the security of the establishment and the security of the people especially the visitors, tourist, foreigners. I assure u Philippines is a peaceful and loving country. Top priority of Philippine government is the security of the Filipino people. ❤❤❤
@@glendaraguin9086 The problem with your statement is that if it is peaceful and safe, you don't need security. You only need security if it isn't safe. Now, security makes it safe and I had a great time. But with high population comes higher crime rates. With high relative poverty, you see higher crime rates. You can follow the statistics. BUT you are correct in that the Philippines is very good at looking out for the visitors.
@@100john4 we always have security even in safe place like malls here since forever. It's just the way it is. We even have securities in high end place even if it's safe. It could also be for shoplifters. Or checking your bag when you go inside. We even have security in convenience stores.
@@100john4 no that's idiotic, in the West stores are constantly being looted because you have the "illusion" of being safe by not seeing security people anywhere. Then you guys get mad at immigrants for ruining things and stores have to put their merchandise under lock and key, but for us we already know that bad elements can come from anywhere, so shopkeepers, malls and commercial establishments will invest in security and deterrents rather than let thieves or bandits threaten potential customers. You westerners just believe in the fantasy of safety until there's a concert being bombed in Manchester because you guys don't wanna see security guys everywhere. We haven't had any bombings in Metro Manila for at least 2 decades. Westerners get raped and harrassed by foreign migrants but that sh!t doesn't fly in the Philippines. Don't lecture us about safety when your own Western cities are full of mass shooters and looters.
its decent price for american but for the pay wage of a normal citizen that buffet can be 1 week for some people and months of pay for very poor people
I don't understand why people think Americans are so Rich? This is not true! I would never spend $90 on dinner in my life! Crazy people just talking to hear them-selves talk! Dah!
I was smiling the whole time while watching this, you are hilarious. I can't wait to be back again next month, I love Spiral buffet. OMG that balut though, your sauce for the lobster I would use light soy with chili. Aloha from Hawaii
You Shouldv'e requested to cook that seafoods in butter or coconut cream! Also create your own pizza by grabbing cold cuts and cheeses on the cheese room! I you had me with you I might be a great guide! hehe
Here in Canada.. if my husband and I dine at THE KEG... we always spend more than 200.. like a pitcher of beer, steak for hubby, a chicken dish for me.. a starter like spring rolls an extra like buttered mushroom...That's it! and we pay including tip around CND$260 plus... Ang humburger combo nila is around 50 bucks... With all that kinds of dishes.. NOT bad... once in a while.. if you can afford.
I love seafood especially shellfish like crab, lobster, shrimp and mussels. Korean foods like Kimbap, JapChai and sweet potato dessert. On Filipino side lechon, crispy pata and Kare-Kare with bagoong. Balut not the baby chicks. Lots of variety foods here at Sofitel Hotel. $90.00 is not that bad for this buffet. You can everything you like here. Wow, next time I go to Philippines I’ll visit this hotel.👍👏😋😋😋
I really love your presentation! You got a little bit of sense of humor but your keenness to the content and understanding of what your talking about make your video worth watching. Thanks for the video, now I feeling homesick. And by the way, I like my crab and lobster with vinegar as dipping sauce with a little bit of spice.
SO SO SO true - do not eat bread. Restaurants use it to fill us up. Ok buffets - but not sure order restaurants - but they do! Do not drink or eat bread when dining out. Drink after.
For reference, minimum wage in manila is around 750 pesos. And 90 dollars is around 5000 pesos. So this restaurant will cost a minimum wage earner around 6days worth of pay.
Hello sir Sonny! Thank you for featuring Philippine Foods. Very truly proud for what we have food ! Culture motivates us to continue cooking delicious foods for our country. I wish you come to Lipa city for our authentic goto and sinaing na tulingan if you want to taste. Very good taste and originate here. Thank you and hoping to be one of your next visit.
I would pay $90 to eat there. The atmosphere, the variety and the service seems great. Most of the food looks delicious and the presentation is sensational
Yes it is..worth every penny that you'll spend to that place..the ambiance of the place is really huge and nice..i miss to eat and stay there
there are more cheaper but almost same atmosphere and variety of foods. Most hotels has buffet in manila
I miss eating at this place 😢 I miss Philippines food
i would also spend my hypothetical 90$ there
@@yassbritzvillacruzNot really, some hotel buffets do not have the same vast options as Spiral.
I have very fond memories of this hotel. Me and my wife (colleague back then) worked in this exact buffet restaurant for years, my wife was even one of the first batch of regular staff that the restaurant had - and let me tell you, being a regular staff is a huge deal in this in this hotel because of the amount of sheer number of competition that you have for the job.
Sofitel Manila is very discinct in how it does it's service - it's all about 'cousu main' service or 'service with a heart'. In all our years of hospitality career, we've never worked with people as well-trained or passionate to this day.
We've since moved on to managing a tavern in Western Australia but we still look back at Sofitel Manila and the Spiral Restaurant with nostalgia.
Hospitality in the Philippines is way better compare to other countries.
That's a cool story, thanks for sharing! Hope your tavern is doing well 👍
Where is this part of manila . Am interested to get there and dine
Thanks for sharing your experience. I can imagine it also is an important place as you met your wife there. I'm from New Zealand which is similar to Australia and not far away.😊
Asked for a vegan pizza last time I was there.. Wasn't expecting the French chef made me a whole vegan pizza.. I was impressed.
Did u try the fog rauh
You were the cheapest date in the room
How do you justify spending that much on a non-vegan (by default) buffet? You must be rich and bored 😆🙃
@@diggin4deals if you just know how much vegan ingredients cost in Philippines. I was gonna make a vegan dessert but the prices stopped lol
@@maritesmacasadia118 just wondering is there any vegan ingredient that's more pricey than truffles and catterpillar fungus?
As a frequent customer of the Spiral, I've got suggestions for maximum flavor + bang for your buck strategy on The Spiral.
1. Go for the roast pork, beef, duck, and lamb. Ignore the chicken.
2. After that decadent start, go for the Miso soup.
3. Now go abuse that cheese room and ask for more prosciutto.
4. Then, navigate to the seafood section. The lobster is to die for and if you think you can handle it -the paella.
5. Cleanse the palette with Miso soup again.
6. It's an acquired taste (you can skip this part) but go with the foie gras.
7. Slow down with the Korean section.
8. If you can still handle it, take a deep dive on the Japanese section.
9. Dessert.
To be fair, Ive yet to see a buffet with epic roast chicken
Ito na! Ito ang advice para sa mga totoong Pinoy na sinusulit dapat ang buffet! Salamat pre!
Kayanga hahahaha.. dapat talaga yung most expensive at di typical na nakakain sa labas ang inuuna. no rice and wag mag drink ng anything liquid ng sobrang dami para di agad mabusog@@paolowatchesyoutube1152
Why did that guy say it's dangerous there? Why did he have to go through the metal detector.. I'd still go there, I'm just curious 😊
And don't forget - buy a new belt for your pants or add "suspenders".
That kind of wide selection of international dishes, with lots of premium finds, the cozy ambience, the engagingly interactive staff, and the whole delightful gastronomic experience? PRICELESS! That's why even if it is indeed quite pricey, the whole experience is all worth it! And satisfied customers keep coming back!
Ironically no Filipino food in the buffet line
@@danialroslan1531 Well.. yeah. Because they're in the Philippines lol. It would be kind of redundant.
@@UnfeelingGod I've been to many buffets. Local food still has their own section. For example, all premium buffets I went in Southeast Asia like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore & Indonesia have their local section. You can see it for yourself in this channel. Sonny himself has uploaded buffets in other countries.
You can never go wrong spending that much to experience binge eating in this buffet restaurant. The presentation and the taste of the food, together with the sublime ambience of the place will put you in awe, that a place like that really does exist. I have eaten there multiple times and I can't wait to go back again.
My friend is a chef here, and I think he is the one featured in 7:11. I can honestly say, out of all the buffets I have tried in the Philippines and Sydney, this is the best. The variety and quality of the food in Spiral are amazingly insane.
i think i definitely don't know what my friend look like. honesty is a given in communication but if you must highlight that you're being honest now, means you lie a lot in life? btw i think my friend is the one in the back cleaning. I can honestly say I'm lying.
@@purplecitygrow2233 you are weird and insecure...
I have to agree, the food and variety was very good.
🤓🤓🤓🤓🤓@@purplecitygrow2233
@karlwithak. Yeah but then you'd have to travel which beats the idea of going to a buffet -- one stop eating
For us filipinos it's expensive but you as foreigners it's already a steal deal compared to western buffets that costs the same price in sofitel but the food isn't as delicious. I'm glad you've covered this blog to unveil how sofitel's buffet is superb and delicious!
$90 is expensive for us to but when one is on vacation then you gotta splurge a bit. If not, then why go on a holiday right?
Little point: Gorgonzola is italian, not french.
I care about it because is produced where i live: in North Italy, between Piemonte and Lombardia.
Novara, my city is specifically known for rice, Gorgonzola and the Salam dela Duja (a salami matured and preserved in lard).
No one is up their own asses quite like europeans. But your laws and languages mean nothing outside your tiny states. Your food is the only thing people care about, you'd do well to embrace others taking interest instead of giving them yet another reason to despise you.
My wife and I just went last week for dinner. Definitely worth the price with the amount of service and choices you’re provided. One thing they don’t mention til you get there: unlimited foie gras
That is my dream RESTAURANT in my life. I will go with my wife and kids to eat there for our entire holiday in the Philippines. Excellent just Excellent and I have never heard of it before. I just got back from Bali and going back home to the Cook Islands to see my Mum. Next holiday is in the Philippines. From a Cook Islander
hope you have a great time!
I would love to visit the Cook Islands 🇨🇰 one day!
@@xandradice I’m from Aitutaki Cook Islands
The buffet in Manila, Philippines, typically offers a diverse range of traditional and international dishes. Guests can enjoy fresh seafood, delicious Italian pasta, and Filipino specialties like adobo and lechon. The atmosphere is often cozy and comfortable, creating an ideal setting for a varied and exciting culinary experience.
be specific
@@badfoody most buffets in manila really.
chatgpt aaa comment
Sounds like chat gpt
16:22 you should try calamansi + fish sauce + minced red onions
Or pinakurat (type of vinegar in Philippines) + minced garlic
That's what my lola used to prepare dipping sauce for crabs & shrimps... And I think it's worth a try for lobsters too.
Great recovery on the value my man
Sonny, don't deny it....the Philippines is your favorite place in Asia..welcome back again and again and again
sonny loved asia not only philippines because hes married to an asian woman wc he brings along on hes travel vlog
Hi, Sonny. I've been a fan for years already and i've noticed that everytime you go here in the philippines you always feauture our street foods and buffets. There are a lot of tribes here, i hope you can visit them to know more of their culture, and of course their food. Always love you videos, btw!!!
I came up with the name and did the original branding for Spiral - must be almost 20 years ago now. Amazing they’re still using the brand. Great to see the ideas lasted.
Thats absolutely epic
Not true because I was part of the team that created the concept.
@@Cuongalpha ill believe the original commenter, not some reply guy lol
youre the nike check logo of sofitel?
I believe none of you and you all have no proof of your lies
I have eaten there many times over the last 15 years and it is by far the best buffet I have ever attended. The quality of the food is excellent at every level. So many choices and all perfectly cooked - full of flavour!
You should try nikko saigon buffet then... think it beats this one
@@nimatajik9605Nikko Saigon has much more seafood selections. But Spiral has much more variety, especially their wine. Also can’t beat Filipino service.
@@imnotchikao6317 - I do like Seafood, but I seriously don't mind having a variety of foods that do NOT center around seafood. Baked Salmon is nice, or a tender White fish fillet, but I don't go to a buffet to eat 24 oysters, or 3 Lobsters or 4 King Crab Legs or BBQ squid, etc... I go to a buffet to enjoy a worldwide selection of authentic flavours
Whilst Manila has many of the aforementioned delights, it's the extensive range of authentic flavours that does it for me.
I swear Sonny was genetically engineered to just be so enjoyable to watch. There is no way he is a real person!! Just the chillest dude ever
Wow enjoy eating @ Sofitel buffet . As you can see filipinos are very accommodating, approachable, and hospitable. Hope you experienced these traits from the filipinos you’ve met .
You earned a sub here.. continue being genuine, I can see you truly enjoyed the experience.
Sonny, kudos to you man. I first visited the Philippines in 93 and have been a frequent business traveler there over the last decade. I had a Jollibee Champ With Cheese in 1993, but 1 thing I've never been able to do is take a balut. I've tried...numerous times. Can't do it. You are the man na
Balut is duck or chicken eggs with the chick inside it right? Lol. It’s actually not bad at all. But u gotta eat the very young eggs where the chicks don’t have any hair on em 🤣💯
Next time put vinegar and salt is more tastier
In the Philippines lobster is a rare dish, but if you want a distinct Filipino dipping sauce for seafood, it has to be spicy vinegar mixed with garlic.
this is a classy buffet, no need to recommend vinegar used on Cheap Fish balls from the slums of Manila. No need to hype a vinegar.
@@eduardochavacano cane vinegar is still used in this buffet too. Those used in the streets are spiced to the vendor's preferences and limited resources. Here, you can use the same base cane vinegar, and add to your liking (like say, add more garlic and onions while reducing to add sugar) or use a different kind of pepper or chilli instead.
@@eduardochavacanobrain dead take
Its not rare its just expensive in the city .but in the provinces its not expensive
@@eduardochavacano nah ur foolin around dude take ur opinion with u coz spicy vinegar with garlic compliments well with those seafoods
I feel like I would be incredibly overwhelmed with the variety here and wouldn't know where to begin. So many delicious looking choices.
I like this food!
Go for the most expensive food first like crab legs and lobster!
OMG there is so much variety of foods there and the quality looks high class. For that price I would almost eat there every week lol. The Philipines is awesome I will definitely visit soon!
I was there 2011 and checked in Sofitel in that time the buffet is only cost $25 but now wow the price is incredible! Being honest the best buffet dinner I ever had, I always mentioned that to my friends and relatives! Now they even have “balot vendor” wow! Cannot wait to go back!
I love this show so much. Every time I watch this show it's make me so happy. Thank Sonny and his team for making this show so enjoyable.
YES!! I so agree 🥰
Kings 2:24
@RepentandbelieveinJesusChrist_
I've been here and it really is worth it for what you get.
The highlights for me were the meats and the Indian food. I've never been to India but there are some authentic Indian restaurants in Manila owned by Indians that I've tried and it was pretty damn close and one of the best I've had in a buffet.
Once you should visit you won't regret it. I would love to visit Cebu, Manila.
I can HARDLY wait to come to Manila this coming March 2024, I absolutely LOVE Philippines- the people, cuisine (especially Bulalo, Bagnet, Sisig, etc...) watching this show makes me feel so good!!! ANYONE reach out to me if you have any good recommendations in Quezon City area!!!!🥰
quezon city tons of great food in tomas morato and panay area. go to chef laudico Guevarras restaurant in the nearby city of Sanjuan, best filipino buffet in town
Visit the parks, islands, old churches theres the mount banahaw too.
@@pandacchristianv.2560 Thank you!👍
Tablo Kitchen is our go to in Quezon City... It's in Diliman area... Modern Filipino Comfort food is being served here...
If you haven't tried Bacolod chicken inasal, one of their famous chain restaurants is in Quezon City, in Kalayaan Avenue area, named JT's Manukan Grille... Part owned by famous Ben&Ben siblings 😊
Keep safe and enjoy ❤
To put this buffet price in perspective for everyone. I lived in Baguio city for 2 years about 5 years ago. A good office job at the call center pays about 200$ a month salary.
Definitely going to this Sofitel Buffet when I go back Philippines for my vacation. I think its worth the money. Thanks for this video. ❤❤❤
I dine there in 2019. The place was great and I had no issues dropping that amount of Pesos there. The food was exquisite and of course service was top notch. Great video Sonny. Hope you and your crew have a great New Year!!!
@@karlwithak.Certainly not 😂
@@karlwithak.I bet you just wish but certainly not. 🤣 I went there many years ago. Spiral Buffet is very exquisite compared to other buffets, even the one from Okada.
The Philippines is not on war, Philippine flag should be like this🇵🇭.. Not red on the top (thumbnail) thank you for coming back.. Enjoy your stay with your team👌👌😍
Was it red on top before? I see now it's blue on top. Nice catching that.
@@MsKRRey yes it was..
I don't know, China sure is trying hard.
Really appreciate the buffet manager’s overview at the start. There are four different price points based on the day and offerings. For specialities like free flowing champagne and complete seafood feast on the weekend, of course the price will increase. The location, amenities, entertainment and security factor into the cost too. Ain’t no road stop hut that’s for sure.
It was tasty
Spiral has the widest selection of food I have seen in all the buffets I tried in the Philippines. The cheese room is awesome.
Your channel is my favorite food vlog. Very entertaining and put together. Seems like you work with professionals.
Sonny is so hilarious because the second half of his sentences are never what we expect: "It smells like....rich people" 🤣
WTF, there's even a random dude passing by yelling "BALUTTTT" in a $100 buffet? LMAO!!! Those things are like a quarter an egg lol
Of course it smell like rich people even the middle class couldn't afford an almost 100$ buffet.
It's the English. The man uses proper English
Well my English is very poor so whatever’s he says is ok to me, no expecting he to say anything else that I my self though 😅lol.
@@ninzki143I think that's an employee?
Interesting fact. In the USA, white chocolate flipped back and forth on actually being chocolate because there was a time when the only thing that could be called chocolate had to have cocoa solids. Since white chocolate only has cocoa butter, it was no longer referred to as chocolate. Ruby chocolate is a relatively new fourth type of chocolate and I wish it became more popular.
Oh my gosh, it's a dream to go back to the Philippines after my wedding and eat at the Spiral Buffet.
Finally! You get there. That's best buffet place in Manila. Love the atmosphere in SOFITEL.
It was an amazing experience! Definitely would recommend!
I did contract work in Africa with a bunch of French dudes. The one night they pulled out a wheel of cheese, cut the top off, scraped the cheese loose on the inside and filled it with wine. So it turned into a cheese and wine soup in a cheese wheel. Then they dipped french bread in it and ate the contents like a edible fondue. No idea what it was called and didn't want to interrupt their dinner but couldn't stop staring either 😂
I remember old French people eating soup and when they were done, poured wine in the same plate right after.
No cleaning.
It was called chabrot or chavrot.
French food customs can be weird at times, but often rather delicious.
This really makes me want to visit Manila again. I visited the Philippines more times than I can count back in my navy days (early 80s lol) . Back then my trips there were free of course.
I was kinda surprised you haven't covered this until now. I thought you had featured this before. But anyways, it really is worth the hype. It's expensive but the wide array of food choices is really worth it.
This is incomparable with the $90 buffets in Vegas. There is SO much more variety in the Philippines. We love our buffets 😭
I think this is the best Sofitel buffet coverage on RUclips at the moment.
The spanner crab/ frog crab is known to be caught in my region of the Philippines and it is best paired with Alavar sauce. It is made with fats from the heads of small crabs cooked in coconut milk.
love the sauce, but the crab looks scary.
@@eduardochavacano ohh i love them, they have a body filled with meat. Everytime I can go home to the Philippines, eating this is always on the bucket list.
Sonny you should do livestreams of some of these shows, especially visiting other countries with your guest hosts. Just an idea for 2024.
16:20 I think the sweet and sour vinegar sauce (the same one that you drink on plastic bottle on time here in PH). That sauce is not only suitable just for lumpia but also with seafood like shrimp and clams.
I second this.. soy sauce and vinegar (toyo and suka/pinakurat) with some chillis are the go to food dip of the Filipinos, esp. for grilled and fried foods. 😊
Keep in mind this is $90. no tax no tip. you can save like 20% for the tip and extra 8.75% for the tax.
Typically for crabs, lobsters, shrimps we will dip them in cane vinegar, this is the local vinegar. And in the vinegar you will add chop garlic, red onions, shallots and you local hot pepper called siling labuyo salt and black pepper. This vinegar sauce are also used in different dishes. Filipinos love their vinegar dipping sauce. Other fried seafood like fish, we use fish sauce with calamansi (local lime).
I want to visit Philippines 🇵🇭 ❤️🇫🇷🇺🇸
Welcome to my beautiful country
go to airport with ticket
this would be the best ever food travel show I have ever seen the amount of work in the background what we don't see would be insane
This video was so fun, I absolutely love your expensive buffet videos
13:05 TOOK ME RIGHT OUT!!!!!!!
The balut guy roaming around 👌🏼top notch filipino experience for people who are afraid to try these outdoor :)
Welcome Back to the Philippines Sonny... Happy New Year to you and all the viewers.. Enjoy.
That buffet is top-tier with all those cool food experiences. The spread of food you've shown looks lip-smacking good! I bet those bucks are well spent there.
I literally just finished eating here and it's good to see Sonny has just released a video on it too. So full, yet so good! Delicious and importantly, high quality food.
So how does it work
Is the price include any dish or do u have to pay per dish and limited to were u can eat ?? And what u can eat ??
@@michaelcurtis3830you can eat everything at the buffet
@@michaelcurtis3830 The price includes all dishes and tea as well. Everything you see in this video is covered in the price.
@karlwithak. you can't lol
@karlwithak. You can't LOL.
Nice tip. I know of the hotel but had no idea they had this amazing selection. Does the India section make Dosa?
I work with people from the Philippines and all I can say is that they the nicest people in the world. Full of life regardless of how their county is. Go Manila :)
Went to sofitel for my birthday a couple years back and it's still one of my fondest memories...also painful. Cuz i ate so much I literally could not eat for the next 2 days. But the food quality was pretty solid and good to see quality is still pretty good.
I love this show, its very entertaining and taught me a lot about other countries.
Its nice
It's impressive how much Sonny can eat.
Sonny: It smells like rich people.
I just die. hahaha
Lol I died while reading this😂
That balut vendor roaming while shouting for attention. A real classic pinoy and traditional balut selling. 👏
That place has changed so much since I went back in 2008! Looks so good.
i don't like white chocolate by itself but with nuts puffed rice and a bit of aged alcohol like rum or something sounds magical
Fish sauce with calamansi, is what you’d dip that lobster into for Filipinos 😊
The go-to dipping sauce for seafood and meat in the Philippines is toyo + mashed labuyo chilis + spritz of calamansi + chopped raw red onions. To taste: mix in vinegar and/or fish sauce.
This is the best coverage of the Spiral I’ve ever seen! Thanks my man!
Soy Sauce, Calamansi, And Siling Labuyo is the best dipping sauce. You should also try vinegar with freshly crushed garlic
We have a unique sauce for crabs and lobster. We call it ALAVAR SAUCE. Famouse seafood sauce originally came from Zamboanga, a province in Mindanao Island. You should try that.
nothing beats the Alavar sauce.
I was just there three weeks ago. I enjoyed the buffet but had to book a reservation well in advance. The food was good. Every hotel I was around or stayed in had security. Manila is the most densely populated city in the world, so maybe it makes some sense.
Sorry sir but maybe you were brainwashed or just fed by wrong info.. Manila or Metro Manila is composed of 16 cities and is arguably not the most densely populated city/metro as compared to Bangladesh or some cities in South Asia or Africa..
Sorry sir but every hotel in the Philippines has security, mall, school, offices not bcoz over populated but it's bcoz for emergency purposes, for the security of the establishment and the security of the people especially the visitors, tourist, foreigners. I assure u Philippines is a peaceful and loving country. Top priority of Philippine government is the security of the Filipino people. ❤❤❤
@@glendaraguin9086 The problem with your statement is that if it is peaceful and safe, you don't need security. You only need security if it isn't safe. Now, security makes it safe and I had a great time. But with high population comes higher crime rates. With high relative poverty, you see higher crime rates. You can follow the statistics. BUT you are correct in that the Philippines is very good at looking out for the visitors.
@@100john4 we always have security even in safe place like malls here since forever. It's just the way it is. We even have securities in high end place even if it's safe. It could also be for shoplifters. Or checking your bag when you go inside. We even have security in convenience stores.
@@100john4 no that's idiotic, in the West stores are constantly being looted because you have the "illusion" of being safe by not seeing security people anywhere. Then you guys get mad at immigrants for ruining things and stores have to put their merchandise under lock and key, but for us we already know that bad elements can come from anywhere, so shopkeepers, malls and commercial establishments will invest in security and deterrents rather than let thieves or bandits threaten potential customers. You westerners just believe in the fantasy of safety until there's a concert being bombed in Manchester because you guys don't wanna see security guys everywhere. We haven't had any bombings in Metro Manila for at least 2 decades. Westerners get raped and harrassed by foreign migrants but that sh!t doesn't fly in the Philippines. Don't lecture us about safety when your own Western cities are full of mass shooters and looters.
This is the most mouth watering vlog I've ever seen😊❤👍👍!!!
its decent price for american but for the pay wage of a normal citizen that buffet can be 1 week for some people and months of pay for very poor people
I don't understand why people think Americans are so Rich? This is not true! I would never spend $90 on dinner in my life! Crazy people just talking to hear them-selves talk! Dah!
Welcome back to the Philippines Sonny. Happy New Year!!!
I was smiling the whole time while watching this, you are hilarious. I can't wait to be back again next month, I love Spiral buffet. OMG that balut though, your sauce for the lobster I would use light soy with chili. Aloha from Hawaii
Soy with chili is so Filipono. Probably add some vinegar as well🔥
I really love this place. Every time we visit the Philippines, we go at least once every two weeks. I enjoy watching your videos, thank you.
We love your content. We can watch you eat anything, wild game or restaurant food and make it look delicious.
It’s totally worth the money. I’d pay to eat for two straight days. I’ll be stuck at the seafood session though. Thanks Sonny. I’m now very hungry
O..m...g...have to put this on my bucket list! Everything looks so delicious! 😋😋😋
You Shouldv'e requested to cook that seafoods in butter or coconut cream! Also create your own pizza by grabbing cold cuts and cheeses on the cheese room! I you had me with you I might be a great guide! hehe
Here in Canada.. if my husband and I dine at THE KEG... we always spend more than 200.. like a pitcher of beer, steak for hubby, a chicken dish for me.. a starter like spring rolls an extra like buttered mushroom...That's it! and we pay including tip around CND$260 plus... Ang humburger combo nila is around 50 bucks... With all that kinds of dishes.. NOT bad... once in a while.. if you can afford.
The pastries and cakes section is my fav. Seafood and Japanese I recommend ❤
I wish i Was a big enough youtuber to go to other countrys and eat and reveiw food😊 i Love your content
That buffet is top-tier with all those cool food experiences.
I have never seen Pad Thai served with lemon but I guess it's better than not getting any citrus at all.
I love seafood especially shellfish like crab, lobster, shrimp and mussels. Korean foods like Kimbap, JapChai and sweet potato dessert. On Filipino side lechon, crispy pata and Kare-Kare with bagoong. Balut not the baby chicks. Lots of variety foods here at Sofitel Hotel. $90.00 is not that bad for this buffet. You can everything you like here. Wow, next time I go to Philippines I’ll visit this hotel.👍👏😋😋😋
I really love your presentation! You got a little bit of sense of humor but your keenness to the content and understanding of what your talking about make your video worth watching. Thanks for the video, now I feeling homesick. And by the way, I like my crab and lobster with vinegar as dipping sauce with a little bit of spice.
LOL - thanks Sonny loved the before and after of the Turkey on the buffet line.!
Ini tempat dan makanan klas atas yang belum pernah ku sentuh😂 keren Tuan ....makasih sudah berbagi ....senang menontonnya❤🎉
Unlimited foie gras!!!! Sign me up!
But that cheese room was beyond any Vegas buffet.
@starks1974
Me too 🥰🤤😋!
SO SO SO true - do not eat bread. Restaurants use it to fill us up. Ok buffets - but not sure order restaurants - but they do! Do not drink or eat bread when dining out. Drink after.
For reference, minimum wage in manila is around 750 pesos. And 90 dollars is around 5000 pesos.
So this restaurant will cost a minimum wage earner around 6days worth of pay.
This is the best buffet so far!❤
Thank you Sonny for visiting PHILIPPINES! ❤️✈️🌎🇵🇭
This buffet is such a win 😍it has everything value for money indeed ❤️✨
Hello sir Sonny! Thank you for featuring Philippine Foods. Very truly proud for what we have food ! Culture motivates us to continue cooking delicious foods for our country. I wish you come to Lipa city for our authentic goto and sinaing na tulingan if you want to taste. Very good taste and originate here. Thank you and hoping to be one of your next visit.
16:22 In philippines when we eat that lobster or shrimp our sauce for that is vinegar with bunch of garlic and red chili
You can dip any kind of seafood to soy sauce that has kalamansi - this is the to-go Filipino sauce that can go with any Filipino viand
Yes, definitely this too! If there’s no kalamansi. We just use soy sauce and vinegar.. or if there’s no soy sauce, some salt & vinegar. 🤤🤤🤤
@@vehny5160Calamansi is more common in Vietnam and Cambodia. Calamansi is too expensive for most Philippinos.
@@eduardochavacanoStop spitting bs lmao