Hainrihi's Discoveries

Food Discovery | Delicious Food and Good Times at #7Flavors Buffet & A La Carte Restaurant

12:42 AM

Two of the most prominent traits of Filipinos is their love for food and love for social gatherings. We all enjoy spending time with family and friends while eating great food. This is why many restaurants are going to the path of buffet---because Filipinos love to celebrate in big groups while eating big lunches or dinners. The more food there are, the merrier the celebration. It will always be part of the Filipino culture.

7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte always had these two Filipinos traits in mind when they started on May 2015. It is partly owned by one of the most popular chefs in the Philippine Showbiz: Kusina Master himself, Chef Boy Logro. The restaurant boasts of serving international cuisine on both their buffet and a la carte services. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as drinks and coffee.

I am honored to have the opportunity to visit 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte and taste the food concoctions of Chef Logro. Since my boyfriend, Marc is the foodie in our relationship, I brought him along to try the menu. So, this review is a combination of both our thoughts and views.

THE RESTAURANT

The first thing that attracted me to the restaurant is its beautiful façade. For those who don’t know, green is my favorite color, so I easily fall in love with anything greenery. The look of nature outside made the place look so elegant and modern.

You also see the standee and different faces of Chef Logro in the lobby.

I also like that the place has ample parking space, which is something very rare in the area. Almost all of the nearby restaurants have little to no parking at all. So having this wide parking space is a big advantage for the restaurant.

THE VENUE

For those who are not fond of eating a lot, you can go for a la carte food, which is served in the first floor. Here, you will be welcomed with colorful cushioned and steel chairs, as well as wooden tables that add simplicity and color to the place. You also have the option to eat outside. They offer various meals, sandwiches, desserts, shakes and juices that are listed in their big blackboard.

However, if you’re a big group that wants to enjoy being together while eating unlimited food, their world fusion buffet is for you. The buffet is located at the second floor and houses small private function rooms for families and friends.

Apart from serving buffet and a la carte, 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte accepts group bookings for the first and second floor, as well as for the whole place. It can be a venue for your weddings, debuts, corporate events, Christmas parties, birthdays, family reunions, social gatherings, and many more.

The great thing about this is you don’t have to pay extra fee for the venue, though there will be fees like corkage, sound system, and LCD projectors. Otherwise, all you have to pay is the usual fee per head. The first floor can hold a maximum of 80 people, the second floor is good for 150 people (minimum of 120 to get the floor exclusively), and the whole restaurant is good for 300 guests.

THE FOOD

Now that we’re done with the venue, it’s time to post the main event: THE FOOD! As I mentioned above, 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte serves international cuisine---so you will find different food options that will satisfy your cravings. Even if the interiors and exteriors of the restaurant look luxurious, they offer affordable food that is perfect for everyone.

In order for their customers to not grow tired of their food, the restaurant changes the menu every two weeks. So you always taste something different on your next visit. When we were there, they had a number of mouth-watering appetizers, such as corn soup, bread, tacos, fruits, and salads.

Speaking of appetizers, 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte is proud of their tacos, which is one of their main bestsellers. According to its Chief Operating Office, Albert Borja II, everything about the tacos is homemade and are done using fresh ingredients, from the meat to the shells. The have received a lot of positive feedback, with customers saying it’s tasty and appetizing. Well, they’re not wrong because when I tasted it, I definitely loved it. Even Marc agrees---he got another serving! XD

What I love about their tacos is you don’t have to worry about the shell breaking because it’s very thick. The beef is also delicious and tender. Combine it with the cheese, vegetables, and shell, and you get delectable and flavorful tacos that will leave you wanting for more.

Compared to other major buffet restaurants, 7 Flavors has limited food options to choose from. However, they make up for it by serving quality, delicious, and tasty dishes that you will surely love. The menu has a mix of meat, rice, fish, bread, desserts, pastas, vegetables, and fruits, so there will be something that suits your tastes.

Marc and I made sure to try everything because, well, this is food! XD However, since I have a small stomach, I took bits and pieces of everything. Marc, on the other hand, went back more often because there are dishes that were worth repeating for him.

Apart from the tacos, some of my favorites are the pasta and the sushi. These are actually my all-time favorite food, so finding out that the both were very delicious is enough for me to come back here again.

Our other favorites include:

Sauteed Vegetables

Roast Beef

Bulgogi

Brownies

Hainrihi Tip: When you’re in 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte, try asking their secret menu. When we were there, Salmon Sashimi was on that menu! I am not a fan of salmon, but when I tasted it, wow, it was sooooo delicious. Thanks to Marc for “forcing” me to taste it hahaha XD Anyway, when you’re in the Action Area where you see some of the dishes being made, just order the secret menu and the staff will serve it to you.

Here are the other dishes that they served when we visited:

After eating almost all of the food selections, Marc and I were full. Eating here is definitely worth the money because you can taste anything that your heart (or stomach) desires. It’s good to know that everything served in the restaurant is part of the success of Chef Logro’s career. His love for the culinary arts shows in the mouth-watering and tasteful dishes that 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte serve to their customers.

RESTAURANT FOR EVERYONE

7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte is a great place for couples, families, and group of friends who want to celebrate special occasions and happy gatherings with great food. If you want to taste different dishes without spending a lot, this restaurant is perfect for you. For sure, we’ll come back here to taste other dishes made by Kusina Master himself.

With Peng Desuyo of http://airinaapril.blogspot.com/

The a la carte is open every day from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. On the other hand, buffet is from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for dinner. The price for the buffet is as follows:

Monday to Thursday:

Lunch: P399.99

Dinner: P499.99

Friday – Sunday and Holidays:

Lunch/Dinner: P599.99

*Inclusive of VAT and No Service Charge

They also have a birthday promo: Bring five paying attendees and the birthday celebrant is free of charge.

7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte by Gastronauts, Inc.

196 A. Mabini Street,

Brgy. Addition Hills, San Juan, Metro Manila

503-6750 / 543-0325 / 721-0653

0917-6700291 / 0933-4177387

Email | Facebook | Instagram

Disclaimer: The food was complimentary but all the views and opinions are our own.

#7Flavors #foodreview #fooddiscoveries #food #buffetrestaurant #alacarte #ChefBoyLogro #internationalcuisine #7FlavorsBuffetandALaCarte

~Hainrihi

Did you try 7 Flavors Buffet & A La Carte by Chef Boy Logro already? If so, what do you think of the restaurant? Let me know by in the comments below or by messaging me via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

#BlogEx

Blog Convention | My Top Highlights of BlogEx Manila 2016

12:36 AM

Last September 24, Saturday, I attended the first BlogEx Manila 2016, which was held in SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, Taguig City.

It is a joint project between Tag Media Public Relations and Brand Philosophy Inc. This event is the first-ever recognition, conference, and expo where influencers/bloggers and business owners/brands can interact and meet. In addition, attendees learn from the experts, with different speakers talking about the importance of blogging, social media, and marketing.

I had a great time attending the event with my blogger friends, Janis Narvas of Untouristing and Peng Desuyo of Read My Lips.

This is my third time to attend a blog convention, but I still learned many things that I can use in making my blog grow. Below are my top highlights of #BlogEx 2016.

Talks

Of all the blog conventions that I attended, this is the only one where I listened to most of the talks. We finished looking at the exhibitors and brands in less than an hour, so Janis, Peng, and I spent most of the event listening to the talks.

What attracted me to do this is that the conference floor was comfortable. I think the organizers really thought about the convenience of the attendees because they placed tables and chairs, so it was easy for us to take notes. Other blog conventions only had chairs. In my opinion, that’s a big plus.

Chef Dino Guingona of Larawanbychefd

The short yet meaningful talk of Chef Dino Guingona is one of my favorites. His blog, Larawanbychefd, posts photos because Chef Dino believes that images tell more stories.

One takeaway that I got from him is we bloggers should “try to keep our blog positive”. As much as possible, your audience should keep reading and the best way to do that is to post positive topics. I agree with this and I try to make my blog as positive as I can.

My last takeaway from this talk is that we should blog with absolute passion. This actually stuck to me because, while I love my blog, I know I still lack the passion for it. After this talk, I promised myself to make improve and grow my blog more.

Cyberbullying Forum/Panel Discussion

The cyberbullying panel discussion included Chef Dino, Eva Rachion from Zoomanity group, and Professor Xiao Chua as the speakers, while Dr. Marc Celis was the moderator. Below are my takeaways on this discussion that are really applicable for bloggers and online influencers:

1. “Once you post online, it is there forever.”

2. “Think before you click.”

3. You must not escalate an issue, as well as think first if what you say will give a big effect on a person.

4. You must command responsibility. Online influencers should also teach the young people what to do and to respect everyone on the internet.

5. Whatever you share online is a reflection of your personality.

6. You must keep everything simple, focused, and positive. There should be no negative vibes online. Do no rant and do not show your dark side.

7. Stay focused on your audience.

Importance of Social Media Talk

This is one of the most informative talks in the event because they told us how important social media is for everyone. Social media today is a reflection of what the world is out there. Online influencers should utilize it in blogging and marketing, so they can keep people more informed.

Going Around and Checking the Brands

Hahaha silly me, I didn’t take pictures of the brands because we were busy going around. We played games, got to know the brands, and interacted with them. After going around, there were brands that stuck to me and, hopefully, I can try them soon. Some of those that were present in the event include:

The Mind Museum

Pay Maya

FWD Insurance / Orange World

Tree Top Adventure

Zoomanity Group

i-Aicon

Creativisions Photo Services

TAG Media and Public Relations

The Manor Hotel

Biyahe Ko Travel and Beyond

Pangalan.com

Galleon.ph

Harana.ph

Brand Philosophy

And here are my hauls from the event:

BlogEx Manila Awards also held raffles for the attendees and I won concert tickets, woohoo! :D

Meeting Fellow Bloggers

One of the things that I look forward in blog conventions is meeting fellow bloggers. I was already with Janis when we arrived and then I introduced her to Peng. Since then, we looked at brands, listened to the talks, and watched the awards together. J

I also finally saw Kuya Jon of Jon to the World after so many years.

Kuya Jon was my colleague in GMA Network, Inc. When he and I resigned, we didn’t communicate much even if we remained Facebook friends. However, when I found out he started blogging about travel, I PM’d him and we started communicating about blogging. It was great to know that we’re finally doing what we want, which we couldn’t do when we were in GMA.

It was great to catch up with Kuya Jon to talk about our days in GMA and about our present lives. We weren’t able to talk long, but I do hope we can in the next blog events.

Oh, and by the way, I nominated Jon to the World and it was a finalist in the travel category of the BlogEx Manila Awards.

BlogEx Manila Awards

After the talks and some performances, the main event finally came. The BlogEx Manila Awards is actually one of the great things in the event because the organizers recognized bloggers and online influencers for their innovative opinions and content. Apart from the judges, the winners were also picked via online voting.

I liked this part because, finally, bloggers and online influencers are being seen for what they do. I do hope this serves as a way for others to see how very important online people are and how they can help in keeping people informed.

Below are photos of the BlogEx Manila Awards:

Final Say

Overall, I can say that BlogEx Manila 2016 is one of the best blogger events that I have attended recently. Not only were we able to get many takeaways from the talks, but great online influencers were also recognized. BlogEx 2016 had a small participant turnout, but I think that was a great idea because the whole event was more focused .

Indeed, the organizers really gave online influencers, bloggers, and brands the opportunity to get exposed and to interact with each other. I look forward to the next BlogEx Manila.

~ Hainrhi

Were you in the BlogEx Manila 2016 last September 24? If so, how did you like it? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. You can also talk to me via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

birthday

Personal | Late Birthday Post, New Domain

12:36 AM

Personal | Late Birthday Post, New Domain

When the “ber” months entered the year, I had mixed feelings. It’s the time when Christmas is in the air and everyone will be in a holiday mood. For me, the coming of September indicated that I turned a year older. It was good that my birthday was on a weekend because I spent it well with my boyfriend, Marc.

Dinner

Last September 17, Saturday, I started my birthday celebration by trying out a new restaurant called Finio Cafe & Restaurant for dinner. It is located in Tomas Morato and offers buffet services for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at affordable prices. Marc already tried this and said that it was worth trying---and I agree. I’ll be doing a separate post on Finio, but I can tell you it’s a great restaurant that you should really try.

Movie

After dinner, we went to Trinoma to finally watch “Train to Busan”. Just like in every movie that we watch, especially the blockbusters, we lowered our expectations here.

And it’s a good thing we did because “Train to Busan” was such a great movie! It was full of action, drama, and even a bit of comedy. I am glad that we watched it in the cinema because the feel of the movie was better. All in all, the hype was true and the movie exceeded my expectations.

For those who haven’t watched it yet, you can wait for it to come out online or in Blu-ray. I don’t think it’s still showing in cinemas anymore.

Dessert

The next day, September 18, Sunday, was my birthday. I spent most of the day at home, but Marc and I went out for dessert. Since we wanted to try something different, we went to Bonifacio Global City and ate at Cupcakes by Sonja. I have been craving for cupcakes for a long time and Sonja is the perfect place to satisfy it.

Here are what we ordered:

(Top plate to clockwise)

Elvis – 125.00

Oreo® cookie crust filled with rich peanut butter cream and Reese's® chocolate bits, slathered with chocolate and caramel, topped with caramelized banana slices and whipped cream.

Death by Chocolate Cake/Mah-Mah-My Valrhona – P150.00 per slice

Dark, decadent, Valrhona chocolate cake, overloaded with shavings of pure Belgian milk chocolate.

Peppermint Patty – P85.00

Valrhona® dark chocolate cupcake topped with our peppermint frosting and sprinkles.

Most of the desserts that we ordered were too sweet to me, especially the Death by Chocolate Cake/Mah-Mah-My Valrhona. But, overall, it was wonderful to taste these sweets on my special day, with the love of my life. My cravings for cupcakes were satisfied, so everything was worth it.

Gift to Myself

Of course, my birthday weekend will not be complete without gifts for myself.

Since we were already in BGC, Marc and I passed by Fully Booked. After spending an hour looking for a book, I finally bought “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan.

However, the main gift that I gave to myself is something that I have wanted ever since I started this blog. Everyone, I present to you, MY OWN DOMAIN!

YES! I finally have my own domain! I am so happy! :D

I bought the domain last August, but I intended to make it active on my birthday as a gift for myself. This is also my way of remembering the date when I activated my new domain.

For those who still bookmarked hainrihisdiscoveries.blogspot.com, no need to worry. When you type that URL, it will redirect to www.hainrihisdiscoveries.com. However, I’ll be promoting this new URL soon, so please bookmark or follow it.

My birthday weekend was a simple but great occasion and I’m happy to have spent it with my boyfriend. I’m a year older and I have grown a lot. But there is still a part of me that remains the same---which is being young at heart. This is actually what my blog is all about: how much I have grown and how young I still am in my heart. It’s something that has been up for years and I plan to continue growing this baby in the next years to come. :)

~Hainrihi

Share your thoughts in the comments below. You can also talk to me on my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.