Sir Boy Food Republique

For there P99.00/P110.88 w/vat "Regular Buffet", I was really disappointed. I've been to other restaurants offering buffet with the same price but it was incomparable to what Sir Boy's Food Republique offers. I think there was only 5 variety of food plus rice, plus soup, plus a dessert of fruit and kakanin. They DO NOT replenish their food fast. On that day, there was a Chicken w/ Papaya soup. Puro buto-buto ng manok. Parang yung pinagpakuluan lang para sa broth. Tapos yung "Pork Steak with Onion Rings" eh lasang sunog at walang ni isang onion rings. Yng egg soup nila lasang sunog din. Bumawi na lang ako sa fruits at dessert nila. Yung time na yun eh papaya at macaroons ata.

Eto yung sample plate ko:Nagsisi talaga ako. Even though the price is only P110.88, still it's not worth it.

My office mate once told me that she heard that there is a restaurant in Quezon City that serves buffet the costs less than a hundred.

I didn't believe her at first because P99 was too low for a buffet that is not "merienda". I looked it up in the internet and there it was Sir Boy's Food Republique located at Panay Avenue near Capitol Medical Center.

According to the article, they serve adobo, kare-kare, mechado, Bicol Express, tinola, sisig, bulalo, crispy pata, kaldereta, puchero and sinigang. It was also stated there that there are other food available aside from the common Filipino Dishes mentioned. There are dimsum, chicken and pork barbecue, cakes and pastries, and seafood.

To be honest, I got excited after reading the article. I can't believe that the amount of P99 you get to taste everything from appetizer to dessert.

I invited my parents and my friend to have dinner there after going to church. I told them that it is on me since I just got my salary. When we arrived there, the place was jam-packed. There were no parking available. I told my parents to go ahead while my friend and I waited for a parking spot.

When we were able to settle down, I paid already and got us four plates. I didn't buy their bottomless iced tea because I know it will make as full even before we get the chance to taste every dish.

I got annoyed when I saw in their instructions that for you to get another clean plate, you need to fall in line once more and exchange your used plate for a new one. I mean that was just unacceptable especially my parents are already too old to fall in line again to get a plate. It is already a big effort for them to fall in line for the buffet table. I am just wondering what will the waiters do, find us seats and refill the buffet table? I think they are over man if that is all what they are going to do in the buffet area.When we reached the buffet table, I was surprised to see that there were only few dishes available: Potato Soup, Chicken Stew, Pinakbet, Lechon Kawali, Bam-i, and Dory Fillet with Leeks. As for their dessert, they only had a very watery Buco Pandan and green colored bico.I was looking for the Chicken and Pork Barbecue, their dimsum, and cakes. Apparently, you need to pay additional P99 if you wish to avail their barbecue with unlimited barbecue, another P99 for the dimsum and unlimited rice, and another P99 for the cake and unlimited coffee. Wow! I was totally surprised with everything. I know it was good to be true to pay P99 for everything but when I read the article, I assumed it was like that. If I only knew it would be paid separately, I would have brought my parents somewhere else that is much nearer to our place.I didn't like the food and so did they. It was cold. I could not even distinguished what the Chicken Stew was. They said that it was adobo, others say it is like afritada but it doesn't have vegetables in it. The Dory Fillet with Leeks was literally tasteless. Bam-i was fine but I didn't enjoy it. The Pinakbet was too salty. The Lechon Kawali was a bit hard but among all the dishes, this was the only one that I can tolerate.

I went back to get some more Lechon Kawali but the waiter told me that they ran out of Lechon Kawali. That was absurd to think it was just 8 in the evening. They still have two hours to feed their customers. And the most annoying part is the big group (they are probably 20 pax) beside us still enjoy Lechon Kawali. Was it because they have the place reserved before hand that's why they get the Lechon Kawali. I didn't bother complaining anymore because all I wanted to do is leave whenever my parents are ready to leave.Even the house water is self-service. I am really pissed because their water wasn't even cold. You'll fall in line to get water then you'll fall in line again to get ice from their so-called bar. You will once again fall in line to replace your used plate and fall in line to get food. There was a point that one customer almost lost his patience. There were like four or five waiters behind the buffet table but none of them noticed that the customer was standing for almost 5 minutes waiting for his plates to be replaced with new ones. I could sense in his voice that he was about to shout and complain. That time, I wish he did. I am sorry for being rude but this is what I experienced and it is really a bad experience.Their dessert was fine. Well, we didn't have much choice. I ate their Buco Pandan as if I was eating soup. The bico doesn't have sweet taste. It tasted rice with little sweet flavor.

My mother told me not to come back here anymore and I was really embarrassed because everything was my idea. We could have spent P500 elsewhere that can make us satisfied. One spoon for the totality of this place from the food to the service. I think the only good service that we had was their security guard.

2011-12-03

PHP 100

My friend invited me to join her and her parents to have a buffet dinner located somewhere in Quezon Avenue. She said it was her treat because she just got her bonus. She told me that we will have our dinner at Sir Boy's Food Republique. I haven't heard about this but she again said that this will also be her first time to dine there. She heard from a colleague that their buffet is only P99 and it includes several Filipino dishes, BBQ, Chicken, Seafood, dimsum, and dessert. Sounds interesting.

When we arrived there, the place was filled with so many customers. It took us like 15 minutes to finally get a parking space. I assumed that the food is really good because you see the people that they are enjoying themselves and helping themselves for another serving.We got a place right away which is a good thing because after a few minutes, the place was packed. It was actually difficult to move.Everything was okay until the time we stood up and get our food. Would you believe that they only have 5 types of dishes contrast to what my friend heard and read over the internet? They have Chicken Stew (which tasted like adobo), Pancit Bam-i, Lechon Kawali with Lechon Sauce, Steamed Dory, and Pinakbet. They have two types of dessert: A very liquidy Buko Pandan and Green Bico.

I was disappointed because whenever you will get new serving, you will be the one to bring your plate in exchange of a cleaned one. I am sorry but the place was like a "carinderia" to me. Was it because it was just P99? And their water, it was self-service. I felt pity for my friend because both of her parents are already in their Senior so she always stands up to get them water every now and then.

The food was cold. The Lechon Kawali was so hard. The Pinakbet was too salty. The fish was tasteless. The only thing that I appreciate was the pancit and the potato soup.

The service was really awful. I saw that the line for the exchanging of plates for a cleaned one was building up that is making their customers really anxious.

I really don't know why it was like this. Why the food tasted bland and why they can not organize the place. I keep going back to the fact that because the buffet was less than a hundred. If this is the reason, does this mean that we shouldn't avail cheap thrills anymore?

2011-12-03

PHP 100