Can’t get enough of melted Raclette?
Well, there’s a new buffet that just started last Friday! It’s called the Cheese & Charcuterie Buffet, and it’s at Alfred, the in-house restaurant of the Makati Diamond Residences. Makati Diamond Residences is a relatively new luxury hotel / serviced apartments located along Legazpi Street, just across from Greenbelt 1.
While Alfred offers seasonal buffets, I was told that every third quarter, they do something new, and this year, it’s the Cheese & Charcuterie Buffet.
CHEESE & CHARCUTERIE BUFFET
The Cheese & Charcuterie Buffet includes appetizers, cold cuts, and cheeses from Alfred’s grazing menu, and also includes heavier fare like U.S. Beef Belly and Paella.
Diners will also enjoy unlimited drinks! Yep, that includes soda, iced tea, chilled juices, and alcoholic beverages like wine and gin & tonic. For coffee & tea, they serve Toby’s Estate coffee and TWG Tea.
Let me set your expectations in advance – the buffet spread is small. However, it’s a matter of quality over quantity. I did enjoy myself and while it depends on how much you like the fare, for me, I thought it was worth it.
The place looks well-appointed, but at the same time, it also feels cushy. A piano plays show tunes and classic songs in the background for added ambience.
THE FOOD
Like I said, the buffet spread is small. On one side is the Slow-Cooked U.S. Beef Belly and the Pinakbet Paella with Crispy Bagnet. I must tell you that I kept going back for these! The beef belly was tender and delicious. The Pinakbet actually tasted like bagoong rice, and it was so good! There’s a vinegar sauce on the side which was supposed to be for the bagnet, but which I also drizzled a little on the umami-ful Pinakbet Paella, and it made a nice balance of salty and sour.
The main spread includes Jamon Serrano, and the melting Raclette cheese with accompaniments like cornichons, cocktail onions, bagel crisps, boiled potatoes. There’s also a salad.
The Raclette is in the Raclette melter – just wait for the cheese to melt and drip on to your plate. It’s as melty as mozzarella. The Raclette is creamy and salty – if I had to describe it, I’d say it’s like a combination of kesong puti and mozzarella. You can try the different accompaniments, and after trying them all, I liked the Raclette eaten with potato the most. And, since I like sweet & salty combos, I tried the Raclette with some caramel from the Caramelized Brie, and I also liked the combo.
Other items on the menu change, but may include Longanisa, Gouda, Manchego, and Caprese Skewers, Chicken Lollipop in Honey Sriracha and Sweet Mustard, Prawn Kataifi with Salted Egg Dip, Spicy Jalaapeno Poppers, Ham and Cheese Croquettes, Emmentaler Tart, Pate en Croute and Baba Ghanoush.
That night we were there, we had a flavorful Chicken Satay with peanut sauce, Beet Hummus, Gorgonzola Stuffed Dates, Caramelized Brie, etc…
Here is the drinks station, and the drinks menu. Remember, drinks are unlimited (except for the Champagne)! Their Gin & Tonic is pretty good – it has some rosemary and red peppercorns.
For dessert, there’s a chocolate fondue, but almost everyone kept going back for the rose macaron! I also liked the fruit tart. The desserts are done well – the tart shell remained crispy and the rose macaron just had a subtle floral hint that many couldn’t identify. Quality over quantity. Unlike other buffets with lots of different cakes that all taste the same because they were just made with the same cake base, just covered with different frostings, these desserts at Alfred are actually distinct.
Pricing & Schedule
The Cheese & Charcuterie Buffet is P1,800 net per person, and is only available every Friday evening, starting June 27, 2018 to Sept. 28, 2018, from 6pm – 9pm.
SUMMARY
Initially, I thought the buffet spread at Alfred was pretty small, compared to the hotel buffets we are used to. However, after eating a few plates, I found myself quite full!
When I eat at big spread buffets, I almost never get to try everything because there’s just too much to try! And when I do try something, I often only get enough for one or two bites. A small spread like Alfred’s lets me enjoy the actual dishes and keep going back for them, which allows me to appreciate the dishes more.
Of course, the highlight of this spread is the melting Raclette, and I was able to go back for more several times! Eat the Raclette asap while it’s still hot.
Will you be able to fully appreciate this buffet? I think it depends if you like cheese and cold cuts and unlimited drinks. If you love melted cheese, especially Raclette, then you’ll be happy to be able to eat it to your heart’s content. I happen to love creamy cheeses so I also enjoyed the Caramelized Brie.
I also like eating dill pickles, so I enjoyed the cornichons, as well. I also liked the Chicken Satay, Pinakbet Paella, and Slow-Cooked U.S. Beef Belly. I also kept going back for the Jamon Serrano.
Service was extraordinarily good. The staff always asked if I wanted a refill on my drinks when they see it nearing empty 😀 They also always asked if it was alright to clear empty plates before doing so. I appreciate this a lot because you know I hate it when waiters start clearing the table while I’m still eating. It’s not a big deal here because it’s a buffet situation, but when it’s a regular meal and my table companions are done and I’m still eating (I’m a slow eater), and the waiter starts clearing the tables while I’m still eating, I tend to go ballistic. But I digress. Back to my point – the staff here are polite, always notice what diners may need, and always ask first. 🙂
You may also want to know that ALFRED IS OPEN 24 HOURS! If you are ever in the Greenbelt area in the wee hours of the morning, looking for a place to eat or just to bide the time, Alfred is open 24 hours. They serve their ala carte menu. Menu items are priced at typical hotel prices.
Parking is available. They have hotel parking rates, but you can get your parking validated when you dine at Alfred (check their parking guidelines).
You can download the full menu at www.makatidiamond.com/special-offers and reserve seats for the Cheese & Charcuterie Buffet by calling (02) 17 0999 local 1114.
