Karlo Pacana
Buffet 101 Cebu Review
Want to try out more than 300 Asian and Western Dishes at the largest buffet restaurant in the Philippines? Looking for a value for money restaurant with a five-star hotel feel?
The King of Sinulog is off to Buffet 101 located at the second phase of City Times Square in Mandaue with 101 in the restaurant’s name to represent a typical dining setup with the 1’s as the utensils and the 0 as the plate.
Read on as I share to you my dining experience at this self-service luxury buffet.
Getting There
Assuming you’re already in Cebu City, you can tell the taxi driver to drop you off Buffet 101 adjacent to City Times Square, a strip mall in Mandaue right across Parkmall. There are also public utility jeepneys plying the route such as 01K from Colon and multicabs from Mactan.
Arrival
Reaching City Times Square, we were informed that there was an alternate lane directly heading to a vast parking area adjacent Buffet 101. Arriving at about 6 in the evening, we were asked of the number of people dining and then escorted to available tables inside.
Ambiance
At first glance, you’ll notice the intricate interiors, high ceilings populated with sparkling chandeliers and dining areas separated by artistic dividers, mirror walls and food aisles. Elegance best describes the overall vibe of the restaurant.
Facilities
The restaurant spans a total of 1,500 square meters, 145 of which belong to the food display. The main dining area could accommodate 580 people. They also have two function rooms for private events that could accommodate 24 and 70 people respectively.
Food and drinks
Buffet 101 offers the widest selection of Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Japanese and Western cuisine.
For grilled food lovers, they have a grilling station wherein you can choose what you want to be grilled. For roasted food fans, they have a carving station of roast beef and turkey. For Chinese and Japanese cuisine fans, they serve dimsum and varieties of sushi and many more. For those who miss Pinoy-style dishes, there’s chicken inasal, kare-kare and pork binagoongan to name a few. For those craving for the greens, they also have a lot of salad choices. For the sweet tooth, they have cakes, pastries, candies, ice cream and chocolate fountain and many more. Gulp everything down with free flowing drinks consisting of soda, tea, juice drinks, fruit shakes and coffee.
What I love about this restaurant is that the chefs follow a four-day menu cycle, which means they come up with new dishes every four days. Rest assured, every weekend is a different dining experience.
Price
From Monday to Friday, lunch is at PHP599 while dinner is at PHP799 per person. For holidays and weekends, it is at PHP799 per person. Senior citizens 70 years old and above get a 50% discount while kids below 3.5ft get to eat for free. Watch out for left overs or you’ll pay PHP999. They also have an additional service charge of 5% so tipping is unnecessary. Prices are subject to change.
Service
Since the buffet is self-service, the kitchen crews are usually the ones keeping up with refilling the dishes. Considering the total number of customers, the staffs are keeping up to meet the demand of every customer. Reception staff was also prompt and courteous.
Overall, if you’re looking for a premier and pioneering luxury buffet restaurant in the country serving a wide array of International cuisine then Buffet 101 is perfect for you. Later!
Contact Information
Buffet 101 Cebu is located at City Times Square, 168 Mantawi International Drive, Brgy. Tipolo, Mandaue City, 6014, Cebu, Philippines. Book a reservation through these numbers (+63-32) 517-9999 or 517-2222. You may also check their official Facebook page for promos and events.
