It was a beautiful sunny Sunday and we were up and early to attend the THE BIG BANQUET in the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion. At first we were not really sure what was in store for us. We have read that it has something to do with caterers giving out samples of their services and food which we get to rate afterwards. I was almost expecting the same happy hustle and bustle that we experienced in THE ULTIMATE TASTE TEST (SEE HERE) since it was also made possible by the same people behind it. But my Chinese Adonis and I were pleasantly surprised that the event was more hushed and seemed like a special gathering you will have with close relatives and family. Come to think of it, it almost felt like me and my husband were walking down the aisle towards not a priest, but of a caterer presenting vows of glorious food to us!
Now where was this 11 years ago when the Chinese Adonis and I were about to get married??
At the end of it all, my husband and I were impressed -- everything was so organized, comfortable, and of course fun! I could just imagine how THE BIG BANQUET is an answered prayer to engaged couples and for people who have a special event coming up to be held in The Blue Leaf Event's Pavilion! It was truly a one of a kind experience in getting a caterer.
Yub and I were at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion for THE BIG BANQUET at the strike of 11:00am!
There was quite a number of people who were as excited as us for the doors to open for THE BIG BANQUET.
Could you see me? Find Waldo... este... Jazmin!
Registration at THE BIG BANQUET was such a breeze. The ladies at the reception area were very helpful, accommodating, and fast! The lines were gone in a minute!
They gave us each our BIG BANQUET score card which also served as our "passport" for the event which will run twice for the day.
I said hi to THE BIG BANQUET organizer, Mr. Anton Diaz of OUR AWESOME PLANET who told me this was the first of this kind of event for them. Unlike the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST, tickets sold (at P500.00 for one person and P800.00 for two people) were really limited and they will only be serving 200 pax per slot (a choice between lunch or dinner). If things go well, they will be having a sequel to THE BIG BANQUET hopefully next year.
My husband and I went for the early slot 11:00am to 2:00pm because we need our beauty nap afterwards. Some of our KTG friends dropped by for the dinner time schedule of 4:00pm to 7:00pm.
Opening up the BIG BANQUET score card, we saw that there were 11 of the top Manila caterers participating in the event. At the same time, they were the only accredited suppliers in the The Blue Leaf Event's Pavilion should you decide to have your special event here.
So as to avoid the crowds going for one area only, the ladies of the BIG BANQUET gave us pavilion "assignments". We were advised to go to the Banyan Pavilion first.
When I entered, I was so pleased with all the space! As much fun as we had in The Ultimate Taste Test, it was also particularly hot Sunday, and a cool uncrowded area was my idea of heaven at the moment!
The Banyan Pavilion by the way had the capacity of 300 guest and rental for the venue would be at P150,000.00 which was good for 5 hours (exluding ingress and egress). The place is perfect for weddings, debuts, cocktails, birthday parties, and conferences.
There were 11 stations to visit and our first choice was...
TJIOE THE CATERER (pronounced as "chew")
Mr. Edward Tan, one of the owners of TJIOE THE CATERER, was there to receive guests and explain their services.
If their name does not ring a bell, take note that TJIOE THE CATERER is actually the only "Tsinoy" caterer that is accredited in Manila's top 10 exlusive venues.
They offer Lauriat Banqueting, Plated Dinner Menu, International Buffet, and Hors d'oeuvres!
TJIOE THE CATERER also set up place settings . Everything was nice and purty!
My husband settled in nicely at TJIOE THE CATERER's Winter's Tale table.
We were hungry so it's TIME TO EAT!
For appetizers we got the TJIOE THE CATERER's mini rellenong hipon...
... and the Yin and Yang Shrimp! I loved this because I never expected that century eggs and breaded shrimp will make a cool pair!
The crispy shell with chicken filling had a nice bite into it!
And, being the meat lover that I am, I went straight to TJIOE's Barbecue Pork Spare Ribs!
Yowza! All for me??
As mentioned in their flyers, TJIOE THE CATERER offers a plated dinner menu.
Ain't that nice and purty?
I sat down with my small plate of TJIOE THE CATERER goodness and got ready to dig in!
Dessert was TJIOE THE CATERER Red Beans Macapuno Panna Cotta...
... and Strawberry Lychee!
We actually enjoyed our meal, service, and setting at TJIOE THE CATERER. The food they served was a delicious fusion of Chinese and Filipino cuisine which was matched with an elegant set up!
For inquiries and reservations:
TJIOE THE CATERER
594 Quirino Ave., Tambo, Paranaque City
632-8546600/632-8510226/63922-8588352
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After our meal, Yub proceeded to score each dish served by TJIOE THE CATERER!
Scoring is from 1 to 5 where 5 is the highest...
"I WOULD RECOMMEND IT OMIGERRD!"
While 1 is short of saying MEH.
Afterwards you could put in a few comments and recommendations regarding your THE BIG BANQUET caterer experience! :)
Our next stop in the BIG BANQUET was FLORABEL CATERING!
I was pretty excited to try out the food offered by FLORABEL CATERING since the chef owns the esteemed Florabel Restaurant in the Podium.
FLORABEL CATERING had a different minimalist but modern look for their table set up.
But of course, trust FLORABEL CATERING to stick to the basics that we all have to come and love.
But not without a touch of elegance to add to it for your special event!
Though they were not yet fully ready to serve the guests, the FLORABEL CATERING attendants made up with their warm service!
Once everything was ready, I headed straight to FLORABEL CATERING's Assorted Sushi and Sashimi! This was so good!!! If I were not going to 9 more catering stations in THE BIG BANQUET, I would have gotten more of this. I love Japanese food and FLORABEL's sushi tasted like it was made in a restaurant in little Tokyo! YUM!
FLORABEL's piece de resistance that day was their Roast Angus US Rib Eye steak with Peppercorn Gravy!
The gravy smelled wonderful but as I wanted to taste the true flavors of the beef, I did not drown my steak into it (which I would normally do. Har de har har!)
Dessert was FLORABEL CATERING's Quezo de Bola cheesecake. This was just okay. It was more crumbly than I would have wanted it to be. Sorry but I had better. He he he he! :)
FLORABEL CATERING gave us glasses of Dalandan Mint Iced Tea which was refreshing and quenched our thirst!
My little cute FLORABEL CATERING tasting plates!
The food was delicious at FLORABEL'S CATERING and their servers were very kind. If you get them for your next event, just make sure that they will be punctual when it's time to eat! That's just basing it from our experience at THE BIG BANQUET though :)
For inquiries check out
Our next stop in THE BIG BANQUET was JUAN CARLO THE CATERER!
JUAN CARLO THE CATERER treats their services "like an art where every project is a precious masterpiece"!
Later on I heard other people refer to this station as "Caterer to the Stars!"
He he he! My Chinese Adonis was checking out if his lookalike Mark Anthony Fernandez was there! :)
JUAN CARLO THE CATERER had a very lavish buffet set up where there were fresh flowers everywhere...
... and a peacock! You can't get any more lavish than that!
What impressed us with JUAN CARLO THE CATERER was that they told us to just sit down and they will take care of everything. This was such a treat when all the while we were expecting to line up to all the catering food stations at THE BIG BANQUET!
Like I said, my Chinese Adonis was very pleased and he wrote it in the BIG BANQUET score card!
JUAN CARLO THE CATERER already took care of the plating of their food for us. We got a plate that had a thick cut of Salmon with Tequila Cream Sauce and buttered vegetables.
Along with the JUAN CARLO THE CATERER delicious salmon, we were served this tall glass of Kathryn's Tahitian Punch Drunk. It was extra good and all especially with the pulp bits. We just requested for some extra ice to make it reaaaallly cold.
Yes. Cos that's what we are... cold hearted gluttons! Kidding! He he he he!
But we could still smile sweetly for the camera though! Hi hi hi!
HA HA HA HA! :P
The dessert though that really blew my mind for that day was JUAN CARLO THE CATERER's Coffee Magnifico!
Deym! I never expected it to be THAT scrumptious! It was like tiramisu only more creamy with crunchy wafer bits at the bottom! I swear I was already feeling my tummy swelling up but I WANTED to eat more of this.
And so!
This coffee magnifico. I like it. ANOTHER!
I tell you, JUAN CARLO THE CATERER truly gave us an experience! We immediately felt spoiled even with the short time that we were there. We sort of felt how the stars were served because they made us seem like VIP's! No wonder the stars like them! They truly know how to take care of their guests!
For inquiries : JUAN CARLO THE CATERER
632-4165134/632-4137511/632-9293674
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If you love desserts, I'm sure you would be all too familiar with our next stop in THE BIG BANQUET!
BIZU CATERING STUDIO!
The home of the best tasting Macaron de Paris there is!!!
I loved the french tea time inspired table set up of BIZU CATERING STUDIO!
The BIZU CATERING STUDIO place settings were homey, rustic, yet with a feel of elegance!
Their food set up also conveyed the same simple but exquisite vibe!
The menu!
BIZU Smoked Salmon with dill pistachio mousseline and caviar!
We also had this creamy bites of french toast!
Along with the french toast and smoked salmon, we had the BIZU Mini Eggs Benedict. It was quite enjoyable especially with the gooey egg and salty porcetta!
With these dainty BIZU bites, we were given a tall glass of iced cold Cucumber Lemonade!
The lemonade was quite refreshing but I'm not too fond of having cucumber in my drink. He he he! Salads yes. Slosher... no.
The main meal of BIZU served that day was a serving of their Ravioli and Mushroom pasta.
The sauce was simple yet delectable. It was the same tangy marinara I have come to love in other tomato based pasta dishes.
Of course, no meal is complete with BIZU at the helm without a bite from their popular Macaron de Paris!
ERICJAZ FOODIES at THE BIG BANQUET!
Check it out. It's already lunch time and everything was still smooth and spacey. My husband and I felt like we're on a date!
I think among all the caterers in THE BIG BANQUET, only BIZU had this amazing offer for those who book their services on that day.
For a simple yet chic catering service, try out BIZU CATERING STUDIO!
For inquiries:
632-8450590 to 93
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Along with the many caterer food that we get to sample, we are also given an ice cold bottle of San Miguel beer!
Do you guys still remember their battle cry, "IBA ANG MAY PINAGSAMAHAN?"
Choice of San Miguel brews for the day!
After our 4 caterer invasion in Banyan, it's time to move to the Jade Pavillion which was smaller in size than the former.
True enough, the capacity of the Jade Pavillion is for 200 guests and rent for the place is P130,000.00 good for 5 hours.
Our first stop in the BIG BANQUET Jade Pavillion was K. by CUNANAN CATERING.
Yup! Simply K.
The Seared Tuna on Tortilla with Balsamic Reduction was good but the sauce was too overpowering.
It's okay though because I had room for my memorable dish for the day...
K. by CUNANAN CATERING's Paella Soup!
It was my first time to eat seafood paella swimming in piping hot broth. I really enjoyed this dish because I love rice with any type of sauce or clear soup and the paella just made everything more delectable! YUM!
I ALMOST finished the Paella soup! Yes! I will put that on record that since I was on a diet, I did not finish my food!
Kidding. I wiped that out after the picture was taken.
Dessert from K. by CUNANAN CATERING was a very rich salted caramel pot de creme which unfortunately, was too salty for our taste.
Along with the very delectable paella soup, K. gave out Mojito drinks. This would have been good if it was not too watered down with the ice.
If you're going to get K. by CUNANAN CATERING, don't forget to request their Paella soup. Yes it's THAT delicious! I want to order it in a restaurant if they're selling it!
For inquiries:
K. by CUNANAN CATERING
7106445 (Main) 7110940 (Commissary)
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It was during this time I saw dear Gerry San Miguel (DUDE FOR FOOD) and his very lovely mom! We had such a great time chatting with them!
We also bumped into RJ Ledesma who is also Anton Diaz's partner in many of his foodie events!
Up next is the catering service that a lot of people may be familiar with...
HIZON'S CATERING SERVICES!
HIZON'S CATERING SERVICES has been around for 30 years so be assured that these guys know what they are doing.
HIZON's Crisp Beef Ssam Rolls was not enough for me. This was something I would have liked to have more of.
But of course, save a LOT of room for HIZON's Slow Roasted US Beef with Mushroom Gravy!
The chunk of meat that I got was so fat and buttery tender! Truly something you would want to have at your next momentous event!
Look at me carefully ladling the thick gravy onto my US beef... The lady behind was probably wondering what the heck was taking 20 minutes??? Kidding!
The roasted vegetables that HIZON's served with the beef were perfectly cooked. It still had a bit of crunched to it which I loved!
Dessert was my husband's favorite so far. He cannot stop raving about the HIZON's Sunken Island with vanilla custard.
I swear if he says "Ang sarap nyan" one more time I would shove the whole thing inside his mouth. "Ah masarap ah?? Um!"
Kidding!
My HIZON's plate! Nummy!
For Inquiries:
HIZON'S CATERING SERVICES
#22 Renowned Lane Sanville
Project 6, Quezon City
632-9250107 / 632-9283672
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Our 7th stop for the day in THE BIG BANQUET was .... (as if it weren't obvious enough with the sign... he he he)
JOSIAH'S CATERING!
Like with JUAN CARLO THE CATERER, JOSIAH CATERING attendants immediately seated us and said they will take care of everything.
I find the JOSIAH CATERING food set up to be too plain for comfort.
But I did find their simple table set up lovely especially with the floral centerpiece and tea light candles.
Food by JOSIAH CATERING that day was Boursin Cheese on Melba Toast, Sun Dried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Roast Chicken, California Seafood Rolls, and Baked Salmon.
I reallly wanted to love the food since the servers were so nice and happy to see us (that's rare you know... ha ha ha ha!).
But everything was just too sweet for our taste.
My Chinese Adonis and I enjoyed their desserts because, well, it SHOULD be sweet! He he he he!
I can't stop taking huge bites of the Smores!
Well over-all we still had a good time courtesy of JOSIAH'S CATERING! A toast to THE BIG BANQUET!
Selfie!!!!
Our last stop in The BIG BANQUET Jade Pavillion is the caterer that I'm familiar with because of their flavorful steaks!
ALBERGUS CATERING -- "It all starts with great food"!
And as I mentioned above...
(Homer drools.... gwkwkwkww)
Now THAT is one fine slab of Slow Roast US Beef Belly!
The ALBERGUS US Roast Beef Belly came with these bland tasting Pesto Mashed Potatoes. But there is nothing that a good ladle of hearty gravy cannot fix.
Of course there were other dishes available that day in ALBERGUS!
Beside the US Roast Beef though what made a mark in my book was the Red Velvet Duo squares.
The cake was very moist and not too sweet. So perfect with a hot mug of coffee!
If you want to start off your event with a real good steak, then try out ALBERGUS!
For inquiries:
ALBERGUS
632-9313663 / 632-9314859
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After trying out the food of 8 caterers at THE BIG BANQUET, I was already full up to my big forehead. But there was still 3 more ahead and it would be unfair if I didn't at least take a taste.
So my Chinese Adonis and I headed over to the next assigned pavilion.
The Silk Pavillion!
Again, when you enter this Blue Leaf Pavillion, you'll immediately blurt out without thinking.. SPACE! There was a lot of areas for me to do the tango or do the hula! And again, I was already expecting a flock of hungry diners at this point (since it was the peak hour and all) but yes, everything was still organized and controlled.
The Silk Pavillion has the capacity of 250 guests and priced at P140,000.00 for 5 hours. And like the other rooms in Blue Leaf, it is perfect for weddings, special events, and conferences.
The second to the last stop for us in THE BIG BANQUET was THE RED CHEF AND EVENTS!
I was already groaning in pain from all the food but my husband wouldn't hear anything from my whining and took a small plate for us to share.
I, however, entertained myself with catching the attention of this stiff statue! Tee hee!
The table set up of THE RED CHEF AND EVENTS was striking in a weirdly subtle way.
I think I even referred to it as "surreal, but nice".
 |
| the power of my feathers compels you! |
I wonder if they got the feathers from the pet peacock of JUAN CARLO THE CATERER for this one?
Tee hee! Kidding!
THE RED CHEF AND EVENTS made one mean Callos that was served with a crusty baget. I got the whole piece of bread and mopped up all the sauces, oils, plus bits of meat, then plopped it inside my (supposedly) full self.
YUM!
My husband however, was under the spell of THE RED CHEF AND EVENTS' Arroz Con Leche.
He got a bit wild and made a mess of it though... (so embarassing...)
THE RED CHEF AND EVENTS
For Inquiries:
95 Guirayan St., Brgy. Dona Imelda
Quezon City, Philippines
7412762 & 5240980
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Second to the last for us in THE BIG BANQUET was MESCLUN!
I loved the Jeffersonian romantic look to their table set up.
It was as if the place setting was already inviting me for a whole lazy day of just gabbing and hanging around.
But the food of MESCLUN is nothing to be lazy about! Believe me!
For one, their Roast Pork Belly with Lechon Rice is sinful but "required" -- if you don't have a taste of it, you might be regretful for a significant number of days.
Now will you look at that crunchy skin? Yes, just one look and I could already hear that crispy pork ripping sound!
Weak as I was already (either from being too full or too lazy), I begged my husband to just get me a plate of MESCLUN food.
My dear Chinese Adonis, as much as I loved him, mixed EVERYTHING in one plate.
Sorry, it's a pet peeve for me to put the dessert with the main entree. Chocolate WITH rice really grosses me out.
Oh dear stop the press. I might already be ripping a new set of stretch marks, but I just HAVE to have 4 pieces of MESCLUN's Andre's Poke. It was soooo good!!! I can't stop munching on it! Truly worth getting fat for.
MESCLUN EVENTS CATERING
For inquiries:
2F The Linden Suites, Ortigas City
632-6387878 loc 8207/
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Last but definitely not the least for us in THE BIG BANQUET was CENTER TABLE CATERING, INC.!
We may already be breathing out beef and iced tea but we were so attracted with their Eastern Shrimp Spring Rolls!
The CENTER TABLE CATERING served a US certified black angus beef which had these side dishes.
Baked Creamy Sour Cream Potatoes...
... and Baked Artichoke Spinach!
Dessert were these very lovable Strawberry Sans Rival!
My husband kept on chugging down CENTER TABLE CATERINGS Apple Iced Tea!
Our lunch was extra fun with the wonderful company, most especially Gerry's lovable mom who gave me tips on raising a gentleman (naks!) and regaled me with tales of old Manila! I hope to see her again.
We finally wrapped up our late lunch (yes it became late) only because the caterers need to get ready for the next dinner time slot! He he he he! With that, we gave our score cards to the receptionists at the front and bid farewell to our foodie friends there.
Congratulations Mr. Diaz for the wonderful turn out of THE BIG BANQUET! Once again, your event was a success! We will certainly look out for the caterer "top picks" based on the score card in your uber popular website OUR AWESOME PLANET!
Thank you so much Mr. Spanky Enriquez and Mr. Anton Diaz for having ERICJAZ FOODIES!!!!
Burp! I was full and I know it! But I don't care! Such a wonderful Sunday for us. We cannot wait for the next BIG BANQUET!
LET'S EAT!
The Blue Leaf Events Paviollion
100 Park Avenue, Mckinley Hill Village,
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
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Blue Leaf is perfect for couples who wish to be transported from the hustles and bustles of city life into a luscious resort garden making it a perfect place for their perfect celebration without going very far.
ReplyDeleteOh I agree Zonia!!! The facilities and overall look of the place would certainly make any event more special!!! Thanks for dropping by! Cheers!!!!!!
DeleteI go for albergus. Affordable price and great food!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right!That Roast Beef was so unforgettable too!
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