Pre-Valentines Spanish Lunch Buffet at Alba Restorante Espanol

Lettuce Says,

It's February gals and guys! I know a lot of us are now searching for romantic and brilliant ideas on how to celebrate Valentines day with our lovey doves, family, or even with our single friends.  Here's a surefire hit and date-worthy restaurant for people who have cravings for some delectable spanish dishes and a tight budget, Alba Ristorante Espanol. They serve lunch and dinner buffets, and luckily I got vouchers to treat Sunrise and MIL (mother-in-law)!

First things first, when you hear "buffet" you may be expecting a large spread just like the bigwig hotels or Dad's or Yakimix. Here in Alba, expect a selected array of spanish creations that are big in flavor, taste, and quality.

We had lunch reservations at their Alabang branch located inside Westgate. Their interiors were dimly lit and the tables were simply decorated with red and white tablecloths. They occupied two cozy floors, with a wall laden with bottles of wine.

Shall we start emptyin Alba's plates?

They have 3 buffet stations which were composed of the appetizers, mains, and desserts. The attentive waiters served some soup which is the, Sopa de Cebollas, onion soup.

The Appetizers

Appetizers

Ensalada Murciana

Ensalada Murciana, tossed salad of fresh lettuce, tomato, shrimp, and corn kernel with light mayo dressing.

Sardinas Picantes

Sardinas Picantes
This spicy spanish sardines became one of my favorites! We  even took some of the imported cans for take away. This has the authentic taste of spanish sardines which was not overly salty.

A trio tray servings of Albondigas de Pollo (chicken meatballs in cream and gravy), just ordinary chicken balls, Champignon al Ajillo (button mushrooms in olive oil, garlic and chili) which was very tasty, and Croquetas de Pescado, a fried meat ball, totally forgettable.

Toasted Bread with Pates

Toasted breads served with Liver Pate, Espinacas (spinach with feta cheese), and Pimientos pate. I loved the liver pate.

Cold cuts

Cold cuts selection in Spanish were Tabla Embutidos, these were Pamplona (cured spanish chorizo), Mortadela (bologna), and Salchichon (spanish style salami). The spices on the cold cuts are distinct and went well on their own or with some of the pates and bread.

The Main Dishes

Callos a la Madrilena

Callos a la Madrilena, stewed ox-tripe in rich tomato sauce. They cooked their callos right.

Pollo al Ajillo

Pollo al Ajillo, grilled chicken with pobre sauce.

Pasta con Setas

Menestre Legumbres

Menestre Legumbres, sauteed vegetables in light sauce. In buffets, I always skip the veggies, but since the spread was limited, I was able to squeeze some tummy space for these vibrant and seasoned veggies.

Lengua Sevillana

Lengua Sevillana, stewed ox-tongue with mushroom and olives in rich sherry brown sauce. MIL loved this a lot, the lengua was really soft and tender and the sauce definitely need some rice lovin.

Care for some crispy pata?

Crispy Pata

Cochinillo Asado

Cochinillo Asado, oven roasted suckling pig, with the right crisp of that golden color.

Paella Valenciana

The star of our lunch, the real deal, Paella Valenciana, Valencian rice dish with chicken, pork, seafood and vegetables. After tasting this paella, we were hands down to their home style spanish cooking. The paella alone was worth every peso of the buffet price. We could wolf down one paellera all to ourselves. Their recipe was outstanding from the meaty toppings down to the burnt bottom goodness. For us, this is the best paella in the Metro!

Glorious plate of mine!

Room for Desserts

Desserts

Canonigo

Canonigo, soft meringue cake with vanilla custard sauce. Brazo de Mercedes sent Sunrise to a different level. Yummy and not too sweet.

Canonigo

Pwede na pang date? :)

Rule No.1 NO LEFTOVERS

I salute Alba for having a no left over policy to conserve food and water and to avoid unnecessary spoilage. Please note that Php500 per table will be charged for left overs.

Hashtag #myemptyplates for all your emptied plates!!!

Alba Restaurante Español

Westgate, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City 

771.2178-79

38 Polaris St. Bel Air Makati City

896.6950-51, 890.4372 

Tomas Morato cor. Scout Lozano, QC

925.1912, 411.7052, 928.7129

Spanish Lunch Buffet

P650+ per head

Kids 4 feet and below: P325+

3 years old and below: free

Schedule:

11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Available Monday to Sunday in all outlets

Spanish Dinner Buffet

P695+ per head

Kids 4 feet and below: P348+

3 years old and below: free

Schedule:

6:00 to 10:30 pm

Monday to Sunday in Tomas Morato, QC branch

Saturdays and Sundays in Westgate, Alabang branch

Sundays in Polaris, Bel Air Makati Branch

*All articles and photos posted are owned by LettuceandSunrise and should not be copied and/or used without prior written authorization from us. You can always SHARE our posts with the applicable trackback by putting the corresponding links. We will also do this ethical act for other people's posts, websites, and photos that we want to share on this blog. This is a personal blog. Like a diary or journal, all the views, insights, and opinions written here are solely based on our own point of views and belong to ours alone and not of the companies we are part of. Information may not be accurate and may only be applicable at the exact time and situation we experienced it. We will not liable for any errors in this information or any losses or damages arising from its display or use.

Time Stood Still...Vanilla Cupcake Bakery

Lettuce Says,

Time stood still... (A Thousand Years, one of our wedding songs)

Time stood still ... as I took a big bite of a Red Velvet cupcake.

Red Velvet Cupcake
Downright Yummy

The start of this year, right after we got married, Sunrise and I's life became a whirlwind  of  events, projects, business start-ups, promotions, things to do, things to think about, people to care for, people to tolerate.  As a summary, chunks and slices of both challenges and successes.  As I sat here, a sip of freshly brewed coffee for me, and Sunrise's battle with the Candy Crush (as I write this blog entry, he's still concentrating on that fudging game...), I came to recap these events in my mind with the fast forward button pressed.

Cupcakes here in Vanilla Cupcake Bakery seemed to have  this melancholic effect in me. With their big pastel colored curtains, floral chairs, and pink fridge, I became a small girl in a big Barbie house with freshly baked aromas surrounding me. I'd love to bring our niece, Sofia here. I can imagine how her big brown eyes will widen at the sight of this.
We always pass by this quaint cupcakery in Glorietta. But as soon as I told Sunrise how much each cupcake costs, he quickens our pace. Hehehe

Homey Ambiance

Trinkets here and there.

After a week of eating riceless meals, Sunrise took pity on me and had me eat a boodle feast from Seafood Island, just to fulfill my cravings for a steamed crabby. Then I was feeling all bloated and coffee was the missing element in my body that time.

Cupcakes!!!

More Cupcakes!

I can say that the place is always packed whenever we pass it by on our way to the customer lounge. It's carinderia-waiting style, meaning there are customers waiting by your side who impatiently wait and hope that you eat quickly and leave so they can take your table. :) Good thing we were located deep inside the bakery, Sunrise was able to nap. 

Their best seller is the Red Velvet cupcake, which I thought was burnt because of its brownish reddish color. But surprisingly, the cake was moist and the combination of cream on top sent me to heaven for a few yummy seconds.

Our Quaint Corner

Favorite Red Velvet Cupcake

Banoffee Jar

Cute Coffee

Sunrise, I like for our home!

For Sunrise, I ordered Banofee Pie on a Jar. He said he's missing the hard crust of Banapple's, which I do not eat and always set aside for him, so that small jar made me happy. I love the concept of small jars for pastries and as drinking glasses. I was not happy with their coffee, though. The serving size was really small which I only finished in 3  gulps, seriously, no matter how cute the cup and saucer was. Their iced teas were also only 3 gulps in volume.

Like Cupcakes by Sonja, they pour in quality ingredients that may justify the expensive prices. Although, for working people like us who came from humble beginnings, this is already on our splurge-slash-guilty column of our budget worksheet. But once in a while, maybe, I can drag Sunrise here again (as long as I can occupy him with the 335 levels of Candy Crush). :)

I know some of you always took a look in Vanilla Cupcake Bakery's way, in life, you may splurge a little, live a little. Your hard work always deserves a sweet treat. Let me know if time stood still for you. Happy Cupcaking!

Till next time!

April 2013
Vanilla Cupcake Bakery
Alabang Town Center

PhP 190 per person

*All articles and photos posted are owned by LettuceandSunrise and should not be copied and/or used without prior written authorization from us. You can always SHARE our posts with the applicable trackback by putting the corresponding links. We will also do this ethical act for other people's posts, websites, and photos that we want to share on this blog. This is a personal blog. Like a diary or journal, all the views, insights, and opinions written here are solely based on our own point of views and belong to ours alone and not of the companies we are part of. Information may not be accurate and may only be applicable at the exact time and situation we experienced it. We will not liable for any errors in this information or any losses or damages arising from its display or use.

Valentines Racks!

What We Did Last Valentines

Lettuce Says,

Sunrise and I never went out on a Valentines Day. Restaurants, hotels, resorts, and roads were jammed with people, so we either celebrate the weekend before or after. But when he picked me up from work, I have the sudden urge to dine out. We skipped Glorietta and Greenbelt where there was already a built up of vday diners.

We went to Festival Mall Alabang with only the fell-of-the-bones-im-inlove-with RIBS of RACKS on my heart and mind. Luckily, we managed to get a table as soon as we arrived. There's more! An acoustic band performing right outside the resto! 

My Sunny Date

We were not that aware that this was our last Valentines as an engaged couple and as single individuals.

Carbonara (Solo, PhP 242)

The pasta was well done and with enough creaminess until the last strand.

Racks Baby Ribs Full Slab (PhP849)

The baby back ribs were a sight to behold and smelled divine. It was cooked perfectly that Sunrise almost ate all the bones. The meat was sooo tender and flavorful. Then, I looked at Sunrise and I saw how much he love me. Well, I also saw how much he love the ribs. :)

Happy and Happy!

The side dishes were also worth mentioning. I loved how the broccolli and cheese had the right amount of saltiness and crunch. Sunrise devoured the potato salad in seconds. We also ordered a glass of red wine, which went well with the ribs. I felt a bit flushed after dinner because of the wine. That's a Lettuce's Tip for guys out there! Just let your dates sip on some wine to loosen them up just right, but of course don't let them get drunk! :)

See, how much he loved our dinner?

An Empty Plate to Mark Our Last Valentines As Singles

This coming Valentines, I know Racks will be full till the last full show. Their ribs are not just for special days like Valentines, but for everyday celebrations of joy and love with people who matters most.

Stay in love like Lettuce and Sunrise!

February 2012
Racks Festivall Mall
Alabang, Muntinlupa


*All articles and photos posted are owned by LettuceandSunrise and should not be copied and/or used without prior written authorization from us. You can always SHARE our posts with the applicable trackback by putting the corresponding links. We will also do this ethical act for other people's posts, websites, and photos that we want to share on this blog. This is a personal blog. Like a diary or journal, all the views, insights, and opinions written here are solely based on our own point of views and belong to ours alone and not of the companies we are part of. Information may not be accurate and may only be applicable at the exact time and situation we experienced it. We will not liable for any errors in this information or any losses or damages arising from its display or use.


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Bake and Churn Ice Cream Cakes

Snapshots of Last Year Series

Lettuce Says,

Whenever we have sweet cravings, Sunrise and I always look for some ice cream or some cake. That’s dessert staples. How cool is that if you found out you can have both in one and turned out it’s affordable too?!

Bake and Churn Ice Cream Cake booths have sprouted all over Mega Manila. We sampled some at Festival Mall Alabang.

They have whole dome ice cream cakes(PhP530), ice cream cake logs(PhP250), chilly cups (PhP50).

Some of their ice cream cake flavors are French Chocolate, Midnight Cookies & Cream Strawberry Cheesecake, Rocky Road, Black Forest, Cookies and Cream, Ube Classic, and Mango Madness.

Ice Cream Cake Slice

Their cakes make a perfect gift for all occasions.

2011 (With Updated 2012 Prices)

Bakeand Churn Ice Cream Cakes
Festival Mall Alabang

*All articles and photos posted are owned by LettuceandSunrise and should not be copied and/or used without prior written authorization from us. You can always SHARE our posts with the applicable trackback by putting the corresponding links. We will also do this ethical act for other people's posts, websites, and photos that we want to share on this blog. This is a personal blog. Like a diary or journal, all the views, insights, and opinions written here are solely based on our own point of views and belong to ours alone and not of the companies we are part of. Information may not be accurate and may only be applicable at the exact time and situation we experienced it. We will not liable for any errors in this information or any losses or damages arising from its display or use.

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