Golden Prince relaunches dinner buffet

CEBU, Philippines - Golden Prince Hotel and Suites kicks off the Christmas season with the relaunch of its dinner buffet, this time dubbed as "A Taste of Heaven."

In a dinner date with clients last December 6, Golden Prince unveils additional stations offering Chinese and Japanese well-loved food items like sushi and dimsum. There is also a sampler of street food prepared in a classy manner like the steamed chicken feet with black beans.

Of course, Golden Prince's signature dish - the Beef Salpicao - lingers along with its other bestsellers like the Lechon de Carajay, Braised Fish Fillet with Tofu, and its proudly authentic beef shank soup or the Pochero sa Cebu concocted by sous chef Arnel Quilestino and his crew of wok masters.

Says Golden Prince sales specialist Aaron J. Que, the relaunch carries with it a promise of an improved version of Prince's Feast, the old brand of the buffet fare.

As I'm keen on discovering the "heavenly taste" of appetizers and pasta, I had my fill of the spanakopita first. It is spinach crème stuffed with feta cheese (yum!) made more delectable by a ribbon of grape sauce over it which allows an interaction of sweet and sour flavors. The baked oysters are, I think, the most irresistible stuff with its rich aroma of minced garlic baked to a golden brown, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and Swiss gruyere.

As for pasta of the house, there's Aglio Olio (garlic and oil). I gave my serving a dash of chopped basil leaves for health benefits.

For dessert, there's mango tapioca, mini cakes and fresh fruits to cap every good meal. And one should not miss out on Golden Prince's Halo-Halo (shredded young coconut meat, ube jam, banana, mango and jackfruit with cornflakes, leche flan and wafer stick as toppings and a scoop of ice cream made creamier by a combination of soya milk and condensed milk).

"The ice we use is homemade to ensure safety. We also make sure that the grains are finely crushed, offering soft and smooth texture," says sales manager Sheila C. Pongan.

"The buffet is priced reasonably at P385/pax (nett) so families can enjoy every dine-out meal. It's also our way of opening our doors to families from calamity-struck areas who seek quality time with loved ones this Christmas over sumptuous meals. This is still an eat-all-you-can concept, so the menu excludes drinks," Pongan points out.

The December 6 affair also presented onstage the members of "Golden Voice," the hotel's in-house choir. It is one of very few hotels in Cebu that taps talented personnel to provide entertainment. Last Christmas, it showcased the terpsichorean prowess of its housekeepers, cooks and office frontliners. So one gets to see what the crew embraces passionately, aside from the hospitality industry.

Further, a symbolic lighting of the hotel's six-foot Christmas tree took place to start officially its countdown to the 25th. An angelic rendition of the hotel's new jingle also became part of the choir's repertoire that night. (FREEMAN)