(SPOT.ph) Sunday mornings are absolute heaven. You wake up with no pressure and you’re presumably well-rested. It’s the perfect time to treat yourself and indulge with a great meal. For most of us, that could be some variant of good ol' silog or maybe a pan de sal and coffee and while that’s great and all for most Sundays, some Sundays are special. You might be celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, or maybe reuniting with friends or relatives; on these occasions, you may want to opt for something a little more upscale, like say, a Sunday brunch buffet perhaps?
There are a lot of places that offer brunch buffets but arguably one of the most luxurious takes we’ve had is at the Finestra Italian Steakhouse in Solaire Resorts and Casino. They offer their high-end take only on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. We'll say it straight: Priced at P5,555 per person, this buffet is not cheap—but with that price tag comes an experience worth having not only for the food and drinks, but also for the ambiance and service it brings with it.
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Here's why the Finestra Sunday Brunch is an experience you can't miss
Entering Finestra can be a bit overwhelming. You’re surrounded with high ceilings, chandeliers with warm lighting, jewel-accented walls and the soothing serenade of the restaurant’s band. You’ll be seated in one of their plush booths or long family style tables and then served with a hot towel. Everything just screams fancy. Soon, your waiter will begin taking your order—but wait, isn’t this a buffet? Well technically yes, but it is a seated buffet. You can have as much as you want from the menu and the waiters will bring them to you without having you worrying about your tab.
The Sunday Brunch at Finestra boasts a wide array of seafood. Almost every table orders a Seafood Tower, a must-try at Finestra. It is available hot or iced. "What's the difference?" you ask. Well, the Seafood Tower on ice features fresh chucked oysters, poached prawns, crab and crab salad, mussels, as well as different dips and sauces such as your classic cocktail sauce, horse radish whip, raspberry mignonette, and lemon & lime. Meanwhile, the hot Seafood Tower highlights a variety of grilled and baked items like garlic prawns, Rockefeller oysters, mussels baked with panko and herb, and crab cakes, plus dollops of tartar sauce, horseradish dip, lemon butter and lemon and lime sauces. Another option to start your meal would be the Octopus Carpaccio—very thinly sliced octopus topped with a combination of olives, tomatoes, basil and dill. This dish is very light and fresh tasting with a slight tanginess that could almost be described as citrusy, all without losing the briny taste of the ocean.
Aside from seafood, what’s brunch without eggs? There’s a selection of egg dishes available but one that stood out from the rest is the Finestra Eggs Benedict. Think grilled mortadella and perfectly poached eggs with a tangy silky hollandaise sauce on a bed of sourdough. Breakfast meat-lovers can also enjoy the Finestra Breakfast which consists of Italian sausage, crispy pancetta, tomatoes and an egg dish of your choice.
If you’re looking for Italian staples to round up your brunch experience, Finestra has got your back. They also offer a selection of Italian pizza and pasta dishes—crowd favorites include a truffle cream-based pasta or, if you’re down for more seafood, you can try the Clam Linguine, an oil-based clam pasta with cherry tomatoes. They also have the Ravioli Ricotta & Spinach in Butter Sage sauce which is a light, pillowy yet neutral tasting pasta to balance out the strong flavors of the truffle and the seafood.
For mains, remember that Finestra is a steakhouse at its core so you shouldn't miss out on trying their selection of steaks. Their USDA Rib-eye is one of the highlights of our brunch. It was cooked and seasoned perfectly with a hint of smokiness. Another dish to note is the Tajima Wagyu Rump with Peppercorn Sauce; fork tender and scrumptious to the last bite, and that's saying the least. If you're into even more seafood, then try the following mains. You could grab a bite of the Brioche Lobster Roll with Duck-Fat Fried Fries which is the perfect combination of creamy and salty with a bit of crunch from the fries—believe us, the fries are so out of this world we got a second helping of the crisp and fatty treat, don't judge—or a hearty and buttery serving of Lobster Thermidor with Herbed Béchamel.
There are a lot of options on the menu, but trust us when we say it's worth leaving space for dessert. Their make-your-own-affogato station is one not to miss. Watch as the chef uses liquid nitrogen to make your ice cream right in front of your eyes, then top it off with your choice of toppings from nuts and berries to homemade biscotti—heck you could even put alcohol in it. Not a fan of ice cream? There are also a variety of Italian desserts like Tiramisu, Panna Cotta, Pavlova and more that would make for perfect endings (or pauses) to your meal.
Salivating yet? To help you down all the food, the buffet also has free-flowing drinks including wines, champagnes, cocktails, non-alcoholic juices and sodas, and teas.
Having all this food and drink available is already one whole thing in itself, but what sets Finestra's apart from other brunch buffets is the impeccable service from the waiters, chefs, and the whole team in general. They know the menu inside-out, enabling them to provide top-tier recommendations when you get overwhelmed by the choices. They even help you pace your meal by suggesting order times for specific dishes to get the best dining experience.
So yes, while the price makes this hard to imagine as an every-Sunday thing, dining here at least once is a must. The experience is one for the books, and with thanks to the quality of food and service, it will be deserving of quite a few pages, if not a whole chapter.
The Finestra Italian Sunday Brunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Price is at P5,555+ per person. For more information and reservations, please visit the Finestra website.
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