Misto Isn't Here to Serve You the Usual

Misto 
Seda BGC, 30th Street corner 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City
Open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(SPOT.ph) Here’s the thing about all-you-can-eat deals: some are great value for money overall, and some just have that One Thing you go for while everything else is kind of meh. You might say there are buffets, and then there are buffets.

There’s nothing about Misto at Seda BGC that other buffets can’t give you—at least, not on paper. But there is a distinctive difference here that you can only catch if you’ve got a sense for it.

It’s that the food doesn’t necessarily taste like hotel food.

You might think of that as a bad thing. It’s not. What the chefs have done is something only true experts can do: They’ve learned all the rules and how to break them to give the diner—that’s you—the best out of any dish. And we do mean any dish.

This is best illustrated in the buffet’s Grilling Station. The Chicken Skewers taste like summer; there’s nothing high-brow about them, and that’s the whole point. The Grilled Squid has both good snap and great char to it, and any of the grilled fish flake perfectly. You’re transported to your childhood beach vacations, away from the perceived stiffness of hotel dining.

They do acknowledge that they’re not a smokehouse in any regard, so the Beef Ribs do put up a bit of a fight, but the smokiness is reminiscent of the kind of barbecue you chow on at your favorite low-key eatery. When a hotel nails that street-side taste, you know you’re in good hands.

Even their cold cuts and hors d’ oeuvres are approachable and somehow arranged in such a way that someone who’s unfamiliar with them won’t have to worry too much. At the same time, though, some of these appetizers are so layered and complex that you might want to take your time figuring out each one. If you’ve never had shortbread as a cradle for a mousse-y paté, then maybe you’re in for an adventure here.

Don’t waste too much time on the normal items at the Salad Bar—although the produce is obviously some of the freshest stuff around—because Misto has an unusual take on Ceviche that you shouldn’t skip. If you’re not particularly into the sharpness of normal ceviche, you might appreciate the more full-bodied taste of this one.

That’s to say nothing of the Indian Food Station, though, where Misto’s version of Buttered Chicken might even convert the spice-phobic. With an aromatic but mild sauce and tender shredded chicken, you'd keep coming back for more.

But the killer is the dessert selection. There’s quite literally something for everyone, from soft, decadent Cheesecake to heftier Red Velvet-based bites; from the humble (but delightfully chewy) cookie to a mind-blowing Pistachio Mousse.

Now, think of it: all that and then some, available seven days a week, at P888. Factor in the quality and subtle, unique twists on classic entrees, and all you really have to worry about is how to make room. (Pro tip from us: stretchy pants.) 

Photos by Hans Fausto