Reinventing the buffet concept in the country to match those in the international scene is NIU by Vikings. The stylish, elegant restaurant is located on the 6th floor of SM Aura Premiere and offers an upscale dining experience fit for the rich and famous.

Thanks to the Blogapalooza 2014 I was able to experience, a little, of what it feels like to dine here. NIU offered a tour of the restaurant between services (lunch and dinner) for bloggers who signed up at their booth at the event.

Marketing Director Charles Stewart Lee at the NIU booth at Blogapalooza

A glimpse of what you can eat at NIU

NIU, the Viking word for nine, delights with an array of meals from grilled seafood, roasted meats, Japanese and Chinese cuisines, and pastries.

Sushi and maki at the Japanese station

More Japanese goodness

I love the chalkboard sign

Seafood grill station. Yuh-uh-mmy!

For dessert (my favorite), they have soft-serve ice cream, gelato, milk and white chocolate fountains, mini-cakes, and fruits.

Milk and white chocolate fountain with the fun stuff you can dip in it

Bluberry cheesecake with strawberry on top

Mango pastry with a delicious fruit pastille on top

For drinks, they serve cocktails, sub-zero draft beer, several juices, soda, and wine. Yes. Wine. In unlimited supply.

Below zero draft beer

Recipe for disaster (hangover)

The bar with cocktail recipes and a selection of wine

 
Being a coffee lover, I remember noticing that they have 2 espresso machines that automatically grinds fresh beans and makes you espresso. They also have a variety of Twinings tea.

Espresso machine 1

An array of Twinings tea

Espresso machine 2

The tour NIU prepared for bloggers lasted just a few minutes, and at the end, we were given a chance to taste a few of their appetizers and desserts. Woohoo! I wasn't expecting it though, I just thought we'd go through a tour--which was a little bit disorganized--and that's it.

Plush chairs and elegant decor all around

Table setting for 4

I want to bring this home :(

It's all in the details, y'all

The piano at the heart of the restaurant

Here's my plate. First, the ones of the black serving dishes (counter clockwise order): Gindara Teriyaki (fish) on a slice of carrot; Lechon Macau with mustard and cucumber (a surprising and delicious mix of flavor I want to try with a regular lechon); Stromboli with some sweet cheese and ham (i think) on a creamy sauce; and super yummy Sushi.


There's the Mango pastry whose green tea bottom keeps getting left behind and wouldn't stick with the rest of the cake. It was ok. Nothing to rave about. Then the Blueberry Cheesecake, whose texture I didn't like, also tasted blah. IMHO, Sara Lee's tasted better.


The Sisig on top on the mini-baguette slice (middle of the plate) was also yummy. I should've gotten more of this, but was too shy because this is just free. Then, IMO, the star of this plate, the Roast Beef with the sauce on top of a mini-baguette slice. Wow! I tasted chewy, soft roast beef with an aftertaste of wasabi. Something I've never tasted before. The sauce just completes the whole thing. It was meaty heaven. I wanted more of this. Next time, when I'm paying for my meal.

For my drink, I was debating on lemongrass and the peppermint lemon lime, but I chose peppermint, which tasted like toothpaste dissolved in water. LOL. Here's the weird part...I liked it. It was a great palate cleanser.

I wouldn't have known about NIU if wasn't for Blogapalooza because SM Aura is a little far from where I live. But I wouldn't hesitate traveling all the way here to dine at NIU with family. My sister is already intrigued and wants to try it soon.

Rates are above a thousand pesos for lunch buffet and a bit more expensive for the dinner service where they add new dishes to the menu.

Ok, I never thought I'd see this one day: idol group members singing a crazy song and not being totally right in the head while doing so. I'd peg this right up there with Psy's Gangnam Style and Lim Chang Jung's Yeoboseo. However, the lyrics of this one is funnier, probably because of its truthfulness and simplicity. The song is catchy enough to make you want to listen to it over and over again.

Big Byung, translated to Big Bottle, is composed of N and Hyuk from VIXX, Jackson from GOT7, and Sungjae from BtoB. Talk about a bunch of misfits. They are so funny in the MV. Oh, and from the comments on this video, Kpop fans did not just liked it...they loved it. And they want more Big Byungs! I'm with ya, guys! I want more craziness.

"Why am I even in this group, that's the real STRESS!" ~ VIXX's N


If this group becomes a permanent sub-unit, someone suggested that the fandom name should be Thirsty or Bottle Caps. LOL. I vote Bottle Caps.

But before I even get my hopes up, it was said that this is just a random project they made for the show Hitmaker. Maybe they'd change their minds?

The temp group also made their appearance on the variety show Weekly Idol. Did I say they were hilarious? Can't stress that enough. Ugh, STRESS! X-)

One Friday, after a particularly long week at work, I decided to treat myself to a delicious spread. I was planning on eating ramen at Hanamaruken in TriNoma, which was recommended by a friend. But that day was humid and hot, and I didn't think I can take devouring hot noodle soup. So what to do? Eat somewhere else, of course!

So, I ended up at Ginza Bairin, just beside the ramen place.


After a few minutes of looking through the menu, I chose the most basic set since it was my first time to eat in a katsu place. Rosu Katsu it is for PHP345.


This comes with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, fruits, cabbage salad, pickled veggies, and rice tea (hot or cold).


Next time I drop by any katsu place, I'm going to order seafood katsu. The Premium Seafood Katsu set is making my mouth water right now. Scallop, oyster, prawns...yuuuh-mmmmy!


This menu card shows you the sauces you can mix for the different kinds of katsu Ginza Bairin in offering.


And here is my feast. Can't wait to dig in!


Does a different angle make it any less yummy? Don't think so.


The sauces. Mix, mix, mix it up! The roasted sesame dressing on the cabbage salad was AH-MA-ZING! I tried a little of the wasabi shoyu dressing but I didn't like it.


It was a good experience. The food was delicious. The meat was tender, the coating stayed crunchy until the very end of my meal, which lasted over an hour. And I really loved the cabbage salad. A few weeks later I was eating at YABU with my sissy. Hehehe. It is really, really similar to Ginza Bairin. The price is even the same.

As if I don't have enough on my plate already (plate of to-watch, to-come-back-to), I find out about this:

The Flash
The Smallville version of DC's The Flash. The series is about the origins of the fastest man alive, Barry Allen who acquired his unique ability from a freak accident.

Photo from: Hollywood Reporter

iZombie
Another zombie-apocalypse series? No. No way...It's not? Oh good. It's a procedural drama about a coroner's assistant who is really a zombie. She eats brains so she can remain human. Yes. Sounds familiar, eh? But interesting nevertheless. This reminds me--somewhat--of Moonlight where the main character is a private investigator helping the police capture the bad guys. That's not all, he's a vampire, and he drinks blood so he can live.

Photo from Hollywood Reporter

CSI: Cyber
Yes. Another spinoff from the CSI franchise. But this one deals with cyber crimes. And because I love CSI, I am excited to see this one. And also because I like Patricia Arquette. Medium, anyone?


Hieroglyph
Just because I like everything ancient Egypt.

Photo from Hollywood Reporter

State of Affairs
A CIA agent becomes the president's daily briefer, who is tasked to identify vital national security issues. Stars Katherine Heigl as the CIA agent and Alfre Woodard as the first black female president. Should be an interesting watch if you like Zero Dark Thirty and The West Wing.




Selfie
I am looking forward to this not because I like John Cho ever since I watched him on a Charmed episode. Not at all. I am not that shallow. The series is very current, as it is about a woman who suddenly becomes the center of attention (for the wrong reasons) when a video involving her went viral. She enlists the help of a marketing expert, who also happens to work in the same company as her, to fix her tainted image.


Forever
Do I like these kinds of dramas, or do I not? Seems like fighting crime means you have to be immortal, a zombie, a vampire, or a superhero. Can't we just be normal peeps? This one is about New York's star medical examiner, Dr. Henry Morgan (played by Ioan Gruffudd) who happens to be immortal. He helps solve cases and studies the dead so he can find the answers to why he cannot die.

Oh, come on abc! Really? You're going with "He's dying to know the truth"?

Constantine
Oh yes. John Constantine is back. The badass magician and master of the occult from DC Comics' Hellblazer. In the series, he plays an unwilling hero defending humanity against the forces of darkness even while he struggles with his faith and atones for his sins. Should be good considering I likes the movie version.



Gotham
Is it just me? Or everything here is based on DC comics? I'm not a fan by any means. I just happen to like the movie versions. The series though, is about Gordon's early days in the city's police force. It will also touch on the stories of several Batman villains, including Penguin, Riddler, Catwoman, Joker, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Hugo Strange, Harvey Dent, and Mr. Freeze.

The master of the hard court, Roger Federer was down two sets and looked like he was going to fail miserably in the third set when he was broken back by his opponent, 20th seed Gael Monfils of France. He was tested almost to the limit. I had but given up in the 4th set at match point for Monfils. But Roger Federer will not go down easily. Showing true grit, steel-strength will, and endurance, he bounced back to win the match in 3 straight sets. The 9th time he had to go through the same situation, 2 sets down.

2 sets down, the players on a break before the 3rd set

Wonder what he was thinking here. Probably how to get back into the game.

The crowd wait with baited breath at the Arthur Ashe Stadium

Double match point with Federer serving to stay in the match. Totally nerve wracking, heart-attack inducing.

Saved the 2 match points to even out the scores.

The variety of shots was amazing. Volleys, net plays, drop shots, cross courts, lobs, down the line...it was like the whole US Open played out in that little rectangle at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Both players went after every shot and Gael even flew a few times! The big guy could sideline as a flying superhero. Really. And the power behind his every shot...I don't even know how he can sustain that. Add it to his antics on the court, even I'm exhausted. And I'm just watching him!

Federer, ever the elegant player, stayed cool. For most of the match, that is. He did dish out a few frustrated outbursts in the 3rd and 4th sets. At one point he even slammed his racket on the center of the net. Something he rarely does. It was the first time I've seen him lose his cool. As a fan--YES I AM A BIG FAN--I felt frustrated, too. I couldn't even follow the full match (I was at work, but I was keeping tabs via USOpen.org's slamtracker) because it was killing me! Federer was killing me. Aaaarrrrggghhh! At the 4th set, I had to leave the slamtracker watch.

I went back to the game when I saw that they had gone into a 5th set. Whew! The great Roger escaped losing by a hair! By a freakin' hair. And once he evened out the field, he took the driver's seat all the way to the finish line. It was absolutely amazing! Just one of the many reasons why I love this game.

On to the Semis for the Fed Express (Photo from USOpen.org)