Buffet Deal at High Street Cafe Shangri-La Fort Bonifacio Global City

August 19, 2017

Buffet Deal at High Street Cafe Shangri-La Fort Bonifacio Global City

Buffet meals have become ingrained into Filipino dining culture. We like trying a wide variety of dishes in one meal and we like eating a lot with a group of friends or family. This is perhaps why buffet establishments like Vikings, Buffet 101, Yakimix and many more have found success on Philippine shores.

Once in a while, we take it up a notch and indulge in the more upscale and gourmet offerings from our favorite hotel restaurant buffet. Let me introduce you to High Street Cafe at Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City.

This buffet isn’t just great for your palate, it’s an assault on your senses! They don’t even ease you into it. As soon as you walk in, you are immediately greeted by a massive spread of fresh seafood.

Indulge in as many lobsters as your heart desires

Apart from lobsters, there’s also an abundance of large, juicy steamed crabs, shrimps, scallops, clams and other treasures of the sea.

I attacked the seafood station with epi pen ready on the table in case I suddenly felt my throat closing (I have a massive shellfish allergy). Luckily, the antihistamine I took before the meal was able to contain my reaction to just a few patches of itchy skin hehe (Don’t try this at home or elsewhere).

After the initial wave of seafood goodness just steps from the entrance, patrons will be given a short respite from the sinfully decadent food. Behold the salad bar! This station allows you to take in a few leafy greens, fruits and other healthy but tasty treats. Basically, it helps you feel better before you dive into the heart of the buffet.

Salad bar with a wide selection of greens and dressings

After you’ve washed off the guilt from over-indulging at the seafood spread, it’s time to start your meal. Yes. we’ve only just begun guys! Step a little bit further into the restaurant and you will find yourself confronted by an appetizer spread that any wine and cheese lover will drool over. There’s an entire station dedicated to cold cuts, cheese and bread!

At this point, I needed a cocktail. Its hard to grab some jamon and cheese without a drink in your hand. Luckily, bartender Marvelous (That’s really what’s on his name plate!) rolled in with his mobile bar!

Marvelous mixes my drink in his mobile bar.

I had a refreshing but potent white sangria.

Just across the cold cuts and cheese lies yet another favorite station. An international buffet just isn’t complete without a sushi bar. Slices of beautiful sashimi were on display alongside an assortment of maki rolls.

The piece de resistance from this station was the giant yellowfin tuna. You can literally pluck out your sashimi from inside the fish! What a treat!

Help ourselves to some tangy tuna ceviche

Bruschetta topped with cold cuts and a platter full of sashimi was the perfect appetizer spread

Further down, you will be greeted by a row of hanging roasted meats. These are part of the Asian Street Food station where you can find a variety of popular Asian snacks like skewered meats, savory pastries, spring rolls and other similar items:

Up until this point, I’ve managed to limit my carb intake to a few Japanese rolls and some crusty bread to go along with the cold cuts and cheese. Any chance of staying away from more carbs flew out the door when I hit the noodle station! Name it, and you can probably have it made here. There’s laksa, ramen stir-fried noodles and noodle soups with various customizeable options! This station is a buffet just in itself!

Various noodle toppings and soup bases are available

fried shallots, spring onions, garlic and many other spices and condiments for your noodles

A selection of noodle varieties alongside vegetables and other toppings.

The Curry Laksa that I tried was a home run!

As if Asian-style noodles were not enough, there is also a pasta bar! This is another must-have for a buffet. I know we’re always told to stay away from rice and pasta to make the most out of a buffet. But really, how can I resist?

The continental station offered a variety of savory pies, stews and grilled meats. Who says no to grilled pork belly and braised beef cheeks?…not me! The wagyu steak can’t be missed either!

Alongside the large slab of wagyu steak, there’s also a classic lechon. Yes guys, it’s pork vs. beef. I would have to call this a draw. However, the lechon’s skin could have been more crispy. I’m assuming this is just a timing issue so I hope it will be better when I return.

After indulging in seafood, steak and lechon, I felt like the poultry division was under reresented in my meal. Luckily, the grill station had some amazingly flavorful Nyonya (Malay style) chicken wings! I always have this at Singaporean hawker stands so it was a treat to find them here.

Did I tell you that I had some tempura too? How can I resist? My oh my.

I think it’s time to move on to dessert. Honestly though, I feel like I need to book another trip to be able to really enjoy this massive dessert spread! See for yourself:

My favorite was the molten lava cake:

If you aren’t convinced to eat here after browsing through all that, God save you! Now, let’s talk about the cost. Let me put things into perspective. When I say buffet deal, let’s not forget that this is the Shangri-la. That being said, let’s not expect this to go down into the price range of your neighborhood unli-rice restaurant.

It’s best to pit this against similar hotel buffet offerings that have gained a cult following among Filipino foodies. If you have a favorite, I’ll leave it up to you to compare prices. Here’s the information on High Street Cafe’s buffet prices:

See you here with my lobster friend when you decide to visit!

High Street Cafe is located at the second level of Shangri-la at the Fort, 5th st. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City (Metro Manila), Philippines