Zensho eat all you can part two for two

About the food:

Previously, I went and blogged about Zensho (http://foodhealthreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/zensho-eat-all-you-can-goodness.html). However, I was not satisfied with the quality of pictured I had back then. So, I went back, this time with a companion to take better pictures and perhaps give justice to the good food that is there. Below are new photos of what we ate at Zensho.

assorted sashimi and sushi (it was ok)

shrimp tempura (quite thin than the usual, but you can order more anyway if you're not satisfied)

the beef in this photo was soft and came in as a large serving, this one was one of the first dishes that came and the last we were able to finish.

Some of these are not oysters but scallops and fish fillet (this is one of their specialties and a treat you normally would not find in a buffet)

yasai soup

this cuttlefish (giant squid) was soft and not too rubbery

this is my first time to order and try cold soba noodles, and it turns out to be really good!

Paella Buffet @ Alba's

About the food:

Spanish cuisine, the authentic one, can be quite expensive. But the Paella is really worth it especially if you love rice. At Alba's you can enjoy paella as much as you want, through their buffet option.

To start off, you will be served a bisque soup.
 

Part of their buffet includes clams stuffed with cheese..

...roasted chicken..

fried chicken..

 spanish cold cuts.. these are quite good.

their best selling paella.

small appetizers..

For dessert, they have tiramisu in their buffet,

as well as smooth and soft canonigo.



Where to buy and how much:

Alba's buffet costs PHP650, excluding beverages. Alba's is located along Tomas Morato St., corner of Scout Lozano. Click on this link to see the map http://www.alba.com.ph/location/interior_tomasmorato.htm

Rating: 8.5/10

As a note of caution, those who are allergic to seafood such as shrimp and mussels should not try the paella. Especially the seafood paella, even if its just the rice. To make the rice more flavorful, it has seafood broth aside from other broths like that from chicken.

Sweet and Delightful Pastries at Dezaato Pan

triple choco mousse (PHP100)

About the food:

A few weeks back, I have posted about bakeshops and pastries. Today I'll be posting another nice bakeshop, which is Dezaato Pan. They too have their own unique pastries and desserts worth trying.

If you feel like eating cake on the road but are afraid of spilling it all over the car, then you can try the above triple choco mousse cake on a cup. It's a beauty in design and taste.

For sweet pastries, they have:

purple yam bread with pudding in the middle (PHP43)

chicken and mushroom bread (PHP65)

polo choco bread (PHP48) and;

oreo bread with chocolate filling inside (PHP50)


Where to buy:


Dezaato Pan is located along Tomas Morato Street, on the opposite side of the road, facing Zensho Japanese Restaurant and McDonalds.

Rating: 8/10

Matsuri Japanese Eat All You Can Paradise

About the food:

Do you love Japanese food Eat-All-You-Cans with lots of sashimi? I certainly do. That's why I was very pleased with dining at Matsuri, not once but twice! You can order from their buffet list and they'll prepare it and serve it fresh just for you.

Above is a photo of one of my favorites, sweet soy tuna sashimi. It's fresh tuna sashimi marinated that tastes sweet instead of salty.

It even has crab eggs to give it more taste.

This is one of their grilled fish and is also good.

A japanese meal should start right with a good serving of miso soup. 

This may look like dessert but it's not. It's called chawan mushi. It takes some time to prepare but is worth trying. At the bottom of this custard like soup are seafood.

These are assorted mushrooms. 

The classic shrimp tempura

This one is also excellent, even if you normally do not like spicy dishes. This is a spicy tuna sashimi dish. It's spicy alright but not spicy enough to make you drink lots of water. 

If you're not fond of tuna, they also have sashimi, in plain and spicy variants. 

You can also treat yourself to california makis.

or this tempura maki. 

Tamago or egg sashimi are also available. 

as well as spicy sushi.

 Their salad is also a must try. It has a good dressing.

The gyoza I tried on my second visit was also fantastic.

The beef was also well done.

Finally, one of my unique finds, the Kamameshi Rice. It came in an old fashioned but beautiful container.

A word of advice though: One order of this is good enough for two. Also, the kamameshi rice is already heavy on the stomach. So if you really want to try every dish, you should skip on the rice. The Kamameshi rice has mushrooms, beef, chicken, vegetables, and even seafood. The rice is also sticky with some sweet sauce.


Where to buy and how much:

Matsuri is located at Tomas Morato, near Il Terrazzo and ABS-CBN. During weekends they open around 11AM and on weekdays they quickly become fully occupied. For Monday to Friday lunch, they charge PHP495. For weekday dinners as well as weekend lunch and dinner, they charge PHP595. Both prices exclude beverages and service charge.


Rating: 9/10

Zensho eat-all-you-can goodness

About the food:

When I arrived at this restaurant, it was just 11:30AM, but the place was already so full. If I weren't by myself on that day, I would not be able to eat by sitting near the sushi/sashimi workplace. I guess this goes to say how popular Zensho really is. Here, you tick down the orders you like first, then they'll prepare it and serve it to you. The serving size of the dish is adjusted depending on many you are in your table. 

Above is the serving of various sashimi.

They also have baked oysters, something you don't normally find in a japanese restaurant, more so in an affordable eat-all-you-can. They also have a dish that has several kinds of mushroom.

The traditional miso soup will always be here to stay.

Their assorted tempura is also good.

Further, they also serve udon noodles.

The fish in this dish is freshly cooked.

This is another version of the baked oysters.

Finally, they have various yakitori or barbeques that you can savor.


Where to buy and how much:

This is one of the most reasonably priced eat-all-you-can japanese restaurants I have tried so far. You can eat and drink all you want for lunch, from Mondays to Sundays (their price for lunch is consistent all through the week, unlike others), excluding special holidays. Their price is only PHP 485 + SC. They are located in Tomas Morato, in the building right beside McDonalds. They are also beside Lord Stow's Bakery.

Rating:

For great value and great dishes, I would give this store a 9/10 rating.