Business (lunch) as usual at Buddha Bar Manila

MANILA, Philippines - When was the last time you made your lunch break a little more interesting? A lot of professionals, especially in Makati City, tend to be satisfied with just grabbing a sandwich and wolfing down a few bites before going back to work. For less busy folks, the midday meal really holds nothing special other than satisfying the hunger pangs before merienda and dinner. At times like these

it pays to have something extraordinary happen — at lunchtime, no less.

At Buddha Bar Manila, having a simple lunch turns into an experience.

“Before when I thought of making this, because business lunch in Paris is like onebig plate. I said, ‘that’s not a business lunch, that’s a meal.’” Says chef Soc Santos. “I adapted it for Filipinos. You’d want to put rice that can last you until 6 p.m. — the busog factor. Everyone gets rice, even the expats,” says Buddha bar chef Soc of the new Business Lunch menu.

The famous French restaurant franchise, with more than 14 branches all over the world and one of only two in Southeast Asia (the other one is in Jakarta), launches this week the newly revised menu for their popular Business Lunch.

Starting at 12 noon all the way to 2:30 p.m., Buddha Bar’s Business Lunch

menu, specially prepared by Chef SocSantos, will definitely satisfy all types of

people, from businessmen to casual customers to foodies looking for something

special in their everyday lunch adventures. It’s not an exaggeration when I say

Buddha Bar introduces an exotic atmosphere, which is quiet, soothing, and relaxing to the senses. In the middle of it all is the giant Buddha statue, sitting right smack in the middle of this space, looking serenely over the patrons.

“adventure” — dining at Buddha Bar is quite the memorable experience.

One can say the restaurant itself is remarkable. From a bustling cityscape of frenzied pedestrians and screaming cars, Buddha Bar introduces an exotic

atmosphere that is quiet, soothing and relaxing to the senses. Eighteenth-century

wrought iron balustrades look out over a lounge area where sofas and a bar reside. On the second floor, the main dining area is populated by large tables perfect for groups or even intimate meetings. The warm, amber lighting highlights many of the Asian art objects and knickknacks adorning the lush red and gold walls. The proprietary music piped in, wood panels, furniture and the warm décor all transports guests to a dining and bar experience that is unlike any other. In the middle of it all is the giant Buddha statue, sitting right smack in the middle of this space, looking serenely over the patrons. Offered at P750++, Buddha Bar ’s Business Lunch crams everything into a complete lunch that chef Soc says is “Heavy but somehow light. It has no creams. There is no umay factor.” The menu includes drinks, appetizers, the main course and dessert.

Having earned her chef’s hat at the prestigious French Culinary Institute (now

known as The International Culinary Center) in New York, chef Soc just came from a stint at a five-star chain hotel in Boracay before going off to France last year for a one-month “training camp” at Buddha Bar’s main headquarters. Working with a combined team of 30 inside Buddha Bar Manila’s kitchen, she has prepared a lunch menu that contains the restaurant’s signature servings and her own little twists.

Kick things off with the signature Buddha Bar Iced Tea, flavored with kiwiand lychee, or a regular soda. For starters there’s a choice of the tasty salad mesclun

in Japanese vinaigrette or the clear mushroom soup with baby dumplings.

There are a total of six dishes that can be chosen for the main course — which

already includes a serving of jasmine rice. These are the sesame salmon with light mirin sauce (a seared sesame crusted salmon with bean sprout teppanyaki); lemongrass barbecue chicken (marinated chicken thigh in a papaya salad); the spicy salt and pepper pork, with sautéed pork, citrus herb dipping sauce and soy vegetables (chef Soc’s favorite); Asian braised beef with red wine (a mildly spicy dish with fried shallots and garlic steamed vegetables); Thai curry prawns (served in mild coconut red curry sauce, mini spring rolls); and for vegetarians, stewed tofu (stewed bean curd with mushrooms,

Buddha Bar Manila is at Picar Place along kalayaan Avenue and is open six day a week from 12noon to 2 a.m.(3 a.m. on weekends).

chili, and vegetable fritters). The dessert course ends the meal with some French dishes and familiar servings. Choose from a warm chocolate cake; a

trio of Thai pudding that includes mango, purple yam and pandan flavors; vanilla

crème caramel, more commonly known as leche flan; or simple fresh fruits in season. “Before when I thought of making this, because business lunch in Paris is like one big plate. I said, ‘that’s not a business lunch, that’s a meal.’” Says chef Soc. “I adapted it for Filipinos. You’d want to put rice that can last you until 6 p.m. — the busog factor.

Everyone gets rice, even the expats.” It will be early next year before chef Soc and Buddha Bar devises a new menu to take place of this delicious Business

Lunch offering. So now’s the right time to enjoy it out before it changes. But what will never change is the experience of having a meal at one of the metro’s most

unique dining spots.

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Buddha Bar Manila is located at Picar Place along Kalayaan Avenue and is open six days a week from 12 noon to 2 a.m. (3 a.m. on weekends). For more info and reservations, call (02)856-6719/6859/5738. Visit their website at www.buddhabarmanila.com.