Tong Yang Grill & Shabu Shabu Reopens Newly Renovated Branch in SM Megamall
Tong Yang Grill & Shabu Shabu has been a part of many family gatherings and celebrations for the past decades. The well-loved buffet restaurant pioneered the Cook and Eat All You Can setup even before all these new hotpot and samgyupsal restaurants popped up in the city. That’s why I was happy to find out that their newly-renovated branch in SM Megamall just reopened, still serving the classic Tong Yang favorites that we have been enjoying all these years.
Tong Yang can be found at the Level 4 Mega Atrium in SM Megamall. If you are wondering what the difference is between Tong Yang and Tong Yang Plus, the newer Tong Yang Plus outlets have a different set of owners and partners which includes the Vikings Group. This is why these usually resemble a Vikings Luxury Buffet restaurant. The Megamall branch, however, is one of the few remaining original Tong Yang branches left in the city which is why it brings back more memories of happy shabu shabu and grilling experiences with the family.
Tong Yang took advantage of the quarantine downtime to fully renovate its SM Megamall branch which now looks brighter and more cheerful. All the walls are now Instagrammable so diners have more reasons to show off their cooking skills and delicious bowls.
The restaurant strictly follows IATF health guidelines including maximum dining capacities. We dined here when indoor capacity was at 50%. Facemasks and faceshields are to be worn when walking around the main buffet areas, but you can remove them when you are seated at your tables.
It’s been raining nonstop these past few weeks, so I was really excited to be back at Tong Yang Megamall which just reopened last June. This was one of our favorite Eat-All-You-Can places and it continues to be popular even with the new generation.
You can still find all the ready-to-cook hotpot items in the center of the restaurant. Tong Yang probably carries the most extensive selection of dishes from seafood, meats, balls, vegetables, mushrooms, shrimp, hotdogs, and everything else you want to put inside your hotpot bowl.
You can also get the more premium pork and beef items at the slicing counter just nearby. Best of all, you can get as much as you want, just make sure you can finish everything and you don’t leave leftovers. That has never been a problem with us, haha.
After getting all your shabu shabu items, make sure to customize your own sauce here at the condiments station. You can choose to make your sauce a bit sweet, or maybe make it a lot spicier.
For those who just can’t wait for their hotpot items to cook, Tong Yang also has a station featuring a few cooked dishes including tempura, fried chicken, kimchi, rice, and more.
Now it’s time to enjoy my unlimited hotpot and grill! I always make sure to get a lot of shrimps for the grill because these are my favorite items. But I also got a plate of crunchy tempura since I was already pretty hungry.
The best thing about Tong Yang Grill & Shabu Shabu is that you can enjoy the best of both worlds. There are times I crave for meaty samgyupsal and other barbecue items, while there are days like these when a hearty bowl of hotpot soup is the best companion. Tong Yang lets us enjoy both of these at the same table, so you don’t have to choose.
My big shabu shabu bowl came with two kinds of soup bases, the Mala Soup and the Satay Soup. We dipped all the seafood, balls, and vegetables inside and just waited for them to cook. This is the best comfort food you can find in this gloomy weather.
For our beef slices, we tried using both the hotpot and the grill to turn it into a samgyupsal feast as well. It’s a different dining experience when you use the hotpot or the grill. Imagine all those viands and ingredients on the buffet stand and you have two ways of enjoying them. That’s the magic that only Tong Yang Grill & Shabu Shabu offers.
Beverages are also included in the buffet price. You can get some sodas from the vending machine or try some of the juices on display. They have beers as well!
We capped off our delightful afternoon with a few scoops of ice cream. Other desserts you can find include mini cakes and halo halo. Another great thing about Tong Yang is that you don’t have to worry about being late for lunch or dinner because they are open all throughout the day. Each guest can enjoy the buffet for a maximum of three hours whether you come in at 11am or 3pm, so there’s no need to rush.
Aside from their birthday promo where the celebrant dines for free on his or her exact birthday with one full paying guest, Tong Yang also gives fully vaccinated guests a FREE buffet until August 31, 2021 when they dine with three full paying companions. Just show your vaccination card together with a valid ID to claim the promo. So head over to Tong Yang SM Megamall and let’s all warm our hearts and bellies.
Tong Yang Grill and Shabu Shabu
Level 4 Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
