Uggghhh blood loss sucks fuck. It’s worth it! I hope the Spawn is happy with my sacrifice!! Sometime soon I will collect vials of my blood and offer it to the Spawn. I’ll make an altar soon..
I've always wondered out of all the 20+ branches only the 7th branch was given much depth. ONE seem to not have bothered to give some back story to other divisions at ALL because it is undoubtedly, unnecessary and a big pain in the ass. Branch Representatives are the strongest in their respected branches, with cadres as their subordinates. Basis: • the 1st to 6th Branch Representatives lost to mercenaries, who are weaker than the Super 5. 7th Branch cadres however, managed to toughen out against Shimazaki, probably 2nd strongest out of the Super 5 for maybe almost an hour even though they lost in the end (still impressive). • Takeuchi, one of the strongest of the 7th Branch cadres, assisted Terada and Teru against the rest of the Branch Representatives (minus the 1st up to the 7th) and defeated all of them with ease. • Ishiguro, even though he lost to Shou, is still ridiculously powerful due to his gravity manipulation ability. This could possibly explain why the Boss sent Shou to inspect the 7th Branch: in order to add more power to HQ. Shou must've seen this as an opportunity to recruit powerful allies to go against his pops. Although the 7th Branch cadres are pretty powerful, they seem mediocre compared to Mob's power, thus Shou misjudging them (somewhat? I mean he did defeat Ishiguro after all) as weaklings. They sorta are. Maybe when the 7th Branch got disbanded, CLAW could've been weakened from losing one of its powerful branches. Even though there's the Super 5 and the Boss doesn't really care, it's still worth cringing to lose a factor that gives them an advantage.
It had been barely three weeks since I last visited Vikings at their newest branch at Jazz Mall Makati (Read about it here) when I received an invitation for the opening of another new outlet, this one located a bit further down south of Manila. Being such a loyal customer of Vikings Luxury Buffet and having dined at all of their branches nationwide, this was one invitation I was definitely looking forward to, especially since this would be the first time I will be gracing the actual opening of its branch.
Vikings SM BF is the 7th branch of the country's biggest luxury buffet restaurant. Located at the second floor of SM City BF along Dr. A. Santos Avenue (formerly Sucat Road) in Paranaque City, this outlet gives hungry diners living in Alabang and in the southern part of Manila reason to rejoice as Vikings' bountiful Feast From The Sea is now within their reach. The Hungry Kat was one of the first to witness this grand opening event so come with me and let me share with you how Vikings continues to captivate its dedicated audience.
It is no secret that I am one of the most loyal and faithful patrons of Vikings Luxury Buffet. There are probably only a few persons who have dined at every single one of Vikings' six other branches, including the one in SM Lanang Premiere in Davao City (Read about it here) where the first destination on my itinerary after I landed at Davao Airport was to catch the lunch service at Vikings Davao. That is how much of a fan I am. From my very first feast at Vikings SM Marikina 2 years ago, I have since enjoyed Vikings’ luxury buffet at SM North Edsa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, and at Jazz Mall which opened just last December.
Ms. Raquel Bartolome, Marketing Manager for PR and Advertising of the Vikings Group, welcomed me to their newest branch just before the restaurant formally opened its doors. It was so nice to finally meet Ms. Raquel after we were introduced by Richie a.k.a. The Pickiest Eater in the World. Thanks again, Richie!
As soon as I entered its doors, I was immediately greeted by this amazing wall of wines and spirits. A nice classy touch to start the Vikings experience.
The great thing about the newer Vikings' branches is that each one has a specific theme for its interiors. While Vikings Megamall has an Art Museum look and Vikings Jazz Mall has an Italian-Venetian feel, Vikings SM BF looks to Nature as its inspiration with plants, birds, and fish decorations and sculptures adorning its surroundings. There is a highlight of green and brown motifs all around the restaurant and you can feel a sense of tranquility and calm amidst the sea of humanity.
Aside from the central dining area, they also have this VIP dining room where I was seated together with other bloggers. Look at those cute fish on the walls! This area will be perfect for big groups with around 20 guests as it offers more privacy as gives you leeway to shout and laugh out loud with your friends.
For even bigger groups or for those corporate events, you can even reserve this other function area which can hold over 100 guests.
As the clock struck 5:30 pm, these four fully-costumed Vikings welcomed everyone waiting outside with their big chant and formally opened the doors to the public. Don't mind that Viking girl in the middle who is now ready and excited to Feast like a King!
Even if the interiors differ from one location to the other, the one thing that remains constant at Vikings Luxury Buffet has always been the food. I have been to all kinds of buffet restaurants all around the country but Vikings is still one of the best there is in terms of food quality, selection, preparation, and service. Honestly, it is even better than most of the hotel buffets in the city which even charge double the price. At only P688 for weekday lunch and P888 for dinners, weekends, and holidays (plus 5% service charge), Vikings SM BF offers a very affordable luxury buffet experience where you get a dining atmosphere similar to a five-star hotel restaurant but at a shopping mall price.
The man primarily responsible for Vikings' outstanding lineup of local and international dishes is Executive Chef Anton Abad, who I had just met three weeks ago during my visit to Vikings Jazz Mall. I was delighted to chat with him again and he continues to amaze me every time I dine at Vikings. He specifically recommended that I try the Black Palabok, another unique culinary creation from his kitchen, so I was excited to try that for myself.
The first table that will greet you is the Appetizers Section with its array of breads, pastries, hams, cheese, and salads. The green and brown nature-inspired decors on the table actually blend so well with the dishes that you don't know where the decors end and where the food begins. Make sure not to eat those wooden carvings!
I usually skip appetizers altogether and head straight for my favorites. The Chinese Station was my target for my endless servings of Hakao and other dimsum items. I believe Vikings serves one of the best Hakao in the city, even better than some of the authentic Chinese restaurants.
They have a Make Your Own Shabu Shabu section where you can mix up your bowl of shabu shabu and have it delivered and cooked at your own table.
My other favorites in this area include the Steamed Suahe, Salt and Pepper Crabs, Pata Tim, and the delicious Roast Duck. You can already get your money's worth just with these items alone.
If you want the heavyweights then head over to the Carving Station for some grilled meaty delights. You can have your fill of US Beef Entrecote and Spit-Herb Leg of Lamb and have them grilled well-done if you prefer.
If that's not enough, then how about getting a few racks of the 24-Hour Slow Roast US Beef Ribs with its sweet hickory barbeque sauce. The Carving section also has Roast chicken, Baked Cajun Turkey and crispy Belly-chon. What else can you ask for?
Other grilled items like barbeque and yakitori are also available cooked on the spot. You can also choose from a variety of seafood items including fish, tuna, salmon head, and squid and the server will gladly have them cooked and delivered right to your table.
I always look for the Baked Oysters and I was glad to find it here. I just have to control myself from eating too many of this.
The Italian Station features several pizzas and a Create Your Own Pasta section where you specify the type of pasta dish you like and the chefs will gladly prepare it for you.
There are many other prepared dishes all over the buffet stations that you can choose from. The highly-recommended Black Palabok (upper left photo) was indeed a revelation with its squid ink-filled noodles and its generous toppings. The squid ink adds more flavor to the traditional palabok as it puts a unique level of saltiness to the dish. This was one of my favorite dishes for the night although I was hesitant to eat too much out of fear of flashing a black toothy smile, haha.
The Japanese Station is always one of the more popular sections at Vikings and I always love having their fresh and sweet salmon sashimi. You can also find their signature sushi boat here with all your favorite sushis and rolls.
Of course I never forget to get my endless refills of their yummy Tempura! This is actually the first item that I put on my plate when the buffet opened and Vikings never disappoints me.
They also have a Teppanyaki Station with hot, juicy, freshly-cooked pork, chicken, and beef teppanyaki.
All beverages and drinks are also included with the buffet so you can Eat and Drink like a Viking! Sodas, juices, iced teas, frozen Milo shake, sago't gulaman, coffee, and Twinings tea are all available, including fresh fruit shakes like Mango shake and Watermelon shake. You can also get a bottle of wine for an additional fee.
After all that eating and drinking, it's now time for desserts! The Dessert Station at Vikings never fails to impress me with all the candies, sweets, gummy worms, marshmallows, and the giant chocolate fountains.
Aside from those, they also have a wide selection of fruits, cakes, kakanins, crepes, and eight different flavors of ice cream all for your sweet tooth. Everyone will surely find joy and happiness in this area.
Vikings SM BF had a very creative opening discount on their first four days where guests who dressed up like a Viking would get 50% off their buffet price. It was so fun seeing all the kids and adults dressed up in their Vikings outfits with their custom-made helmets, swords, and shields. Vikings also chose a diner or a group with the best costumes for the day and the these three lucky friends (lower photo) got to go home with a special prize.
As a treat to its opening guests, Vikings SM BF also has other special promotions during its first two weeks of operations. Simply LIKE their Facebook page to get 30% or be a resident, employee, or student of Paranaque to get 20% off your buffet price.
If your birthday is coming up, Viking SM BF also has a Birthday Promo where you can get your luxury buffet for free on your actual birthday as long as you dine with another guest paying the full rate. You can also get a free buffet everyday during your entire birth month if you come with 4 other guests. This promo is available on all of their branches.
You even get a very lively song and dance performance from the staff which has been a signature birthday bonus from Vikings. It was surprising to see that there were birthday celebrants even right on the opening day of Vikings SM BF.
I have actualy been taking advantage of this birthday promo for the last two years and I have always had a very cheerful birthday celebration at Vikings, no matter which branch I go to. Just last month, I had a big celebration at Vikings SM Megamall for my 24th birthday and it was such a delight to spend this special day with my family. It seems that Vikings will always be a part of my birthdays even in the following years to come.
But the most astonishing event I ever saw at Vikings was this surprise wedding proposal just beside my table at SM North Edsa last year. It was the first time I have ever seen a real live proposal and it seemed such a joyous occasion for all the family and friends there. Vikings Luxury Buffet is truly becoming part of the lives of every Filipino family.
I would like to thank Mr. Charles Stewart Lee, Marketing Director of Vikings Luxury Buffet for being such a welcoming host. I first met Charles at the Blogapalooza event last October where Niu by Vikings had a booth. With two more Vikings outlets set to open within the year at Cebu and Bacolod, I will be hard-pressed to maintain my complete Vikings collection. Nevertheless, the legend of Vikings Luxury Buffet lives on as it continues to be a part of the Filipino’s lives whether it be a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding proposal, or just a simple family get together at a luxurious and elegant place with a fantastic but affordable buffet price.
VIKINGS SM BF
2/F SM BF, Dr. A. Santos Avenue (formerly Sucat Road), Paranaque City
