I love celebrations no matter how simple it is, what matter is the reason of celebrating that reminds me how blessed I am and grateful I must be.
July 3, is my 7th year in Doha. So happy anniversary to me! And I deserve a treat, a treat for myself. Why should I need to wait for someone to give it to me, if I can give it to myself, right?
One of the things on my bucket list before I leave Doha for good is to at least try all the 5 stars hotel here, SSLS (Sosyal Sosyalan Lang Sa Sarili) ang peg - whether its a dinner, snacks or coffee time. I think I should make a list or I need to have a throwback post for my way back years experience - Marriot, Intercontinental, Four Seasons, Oryx Rotana, Ramada (now Radison), Holiday Villa, La Cigalle, some I think is just 4 stars. And added to my list Crowne Plaza Business Park Hotel.
Celebrating my 7th year in Qatar
My day is full of thanksgiving and reminiscing yesterday. While I'm recalling how it all started, one thing lang ang nasabi GOD IS REALLY GOOD ALL THE TIME.I don't have anything, all of my wisdom, knowledge and strengths are from God, that's why I really give back all the praises, honor and thanks giving to Him.
I celebrated with "THE SINGLES" , only the single ladies actually. They are my friends from our church, QICM (Qatar International Christian Ministries) and we are together in one Bible study cell group. Aside on my 7th year, its also our get together dinner to give way Jhoanne in flying back home to Philippines, I'm not saying its "for good" cos we trust in the Lord that He will make a way to her to be back as soonest here in Doha.
Welcome to Crowne Plaza - The Business Park Hotel
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| outside view |
Its my first time in Crowne Plaza last night, I'm not even familiar on which gate should we enter as they have I think 3 gate entrance and not even know where's the exact building the restaurant we booked is located. Save by the taxi driver ang beauty ng mga lola nyo, buti na lang he knows kasi daw nakapaghatid na sya before ng mga pasahero sa hotel na ito. Yon nga lang isa sya sa mga taxi driver na ang instinct kapag nag-5 star hotel ka ay big time ka, hindi ba pwedeng SSLS, kaya sorry po if we only paid you as per as meter rate policy.
Hazel: parang Holiday Villa lang din sya sis
Yup guys if you've been to Holiday Villa, almost the same din ang Crowne Plaza - ilang buildings din sya then each building has its own restaurants.
When you enter to their lobby you'll feel the spring ambiance from its vibrant orange motif, even the lights are set in "orange" mood - dim yet bright. One thing I noticed the interior like wall decor and even vases with flowers are same as what Oryx Rotana have, I guess they belong to the same family.
Syempre di nila pinalampas ang magpapicture...
Honestly I don't have any idea what kind of service they have in the restaurant that we booked, the only thing I know as per as my internet source its a place for carnivore lovers - meaning most of their foods are meat. So here's the story of my Rodizio experience with the girls...
The Rodizio Experience
Rodizio Brazillian Churrascaria, is the full name of the restaurant. O di ba name pa lang ang hirap ng i-pronounce. All I know from the name itself is they will serve Brazilian dishes, teka I don't even have any idea what their dishes even their basic food nga I don't have any idea. Well, that's what we call "food adventure" trying food for the first time.
Honestly I'm expecting that I will be seeing at least one Filipino staff - either the one in front desk or waiter as most of the hotels I've been laging may kabayan but here they don't have any. Our reservation is 7:00 p.m. we're just few minutes late. From their front desk, one lady asked the name to whom the reservation was made, they guided us inside until we take our seat. Well, halos wala pang tao on the table two part from us is a couple then kami lang, and for the first time akong kumain na walang Filipino..nakakapanibago talaga.
The place is dimly lighted; as far as I know if the light in the restaurant used a low intensity of light to create an intimate and leisurely atmosphere its a fine dining. And what to expect in a fine dining? - a good meal at a pricey cost.
Just I found out that "buffet" can be in a fine dining - an experience to start....
This is where we seated (in the right side of the sofa facing your computer) And since the light is dim don't expect a good quality of pictures in this post..hahaha. Why I shouldn't camera flash? well guys we tried but we rather observe fine dining etiquette and just enjoy our meal. Honestly, at first (batch) we're the only who are taking pictures, kaya naman mejo shy kami na lagyan ng flash parang its too eskandalosa naman while the people next to our table are enjoying the dim atmosphere.
TIP 1. When you're in a fine dining DO
NOT use your camera flash kung ayaw nyong maging center of attraction
especially among other nationalities.
TIP
2. Put your mobile on a silent mode or beep mode. Why? people choose to
have a fine dining for an intimate, meaning quiet and romantic so what
do you think will be their reaction when they hear your dance craze
mobile ringtone.
Honestly while in the restaurant I
observed how people move. You don't need to be classy in order to be
comfortable in a fine dining restaurant all you have to do is to know
and practice fine dining etiquette. Pero sympre depende pa rin sa choice
mo yon, don't get me wrong na trying hard yong ganon what may point is
if you can adapt naman then why not, nothing wrong right?
The lady who accompanied us is the same lady who handed us the menu and as I was checking, wala akong naiintindihan ...hahaha and the only part that has price is their drink/wine choices. We waited for her to come back and I honestly told her that its our first time in the place so we need her advice on which food to take.
TIP 3. Nothing is wrong in asking. Don't be afraid in asking which food do they think will best for your taste buds. Don't pretend that you know what's on the list, if hindi mo mapronounce even the name of the food listed, ask them, you'll learn and next time alam mo na di ba.
She explained everything, according to her its a part of their service not only to us but for all the guests as I've seen, ineexplain nila how their buffet works...tricky hahaha
This is their actual table setting - fork, fork, knife, knife, tong....wondering why don't have spoon? let's find out as we go along.
I thought its just "palamuti" lang on the table - a simple piece of cardboard to promote the name of the restaurant, well hindi pala malaki pala ang tulong ng papel na ito as you go along in taking foods or whatever you want.
nakakalokang menu, ni hindi ko mabasa ng mabilisan, hindi naman kasi sya English (lol)
After the explanation and everything, they served a set of bread to start.
In fairness, masarap naman talaga..starter, check!
If in the other buffet restaurants or hotels is self -service here is different they will serve it to you, almost direct on your plate, at ang bida ay si tarannn...the cardboard :-)
Here how it works: if the board is facing up meaning the face of the board of flame side, they will come to your table and serve food, and when the black side is faced up they will stop serving.
At first iniisip namin kung paano nila makikita kung flame or black side e hindi naman sila lumalapit sa amin..hmmm,well hindi ko rin nadiscover kung paano. There were times na habang kumakain kami nakakalimutan namin na ilagay sa "black side" kaya nagugulat ka na lang talaga sunod sunod ang mga may dala ng food para tanungin ka which one ang gusto mo...natatawa na lang kami, well its not only us kasi even the other table next to us seems na first timer din sa Rodizio kasi natatawa rin sila how the crew are doing what they are call "in house rule".
I love salads.
Salad bar is my first stop in any buffet I've been.
Nag-enjoy ako sa salad bar nila :-) the best ang salad bar nila among sa lahat ng napuntahan kong mga restaurants and hotels
I got smoked salmon, dried tomato, mushroom, palm heart, etc .with honey and balsamic sauce
They have a lot of choices kung anong trip ng panlasa mo as well as dressing, gusto kong syang itry lahat kaya lang baka naman super busog na ako bago ako makapag main course.
Rodizio is about meat, prepared on live open flame grills in the heart
of the outlet and served to the table on skewers that allow the guest to
choose how much or how little they want
The crews are very accommodating, they will not feel you that you're not belong in the place,hahhaa. Seriously, they will really take care all your food needs and even your questions - kung ano ito or eto, kaya naman after they served the food feeling at home na kami :-)
So that's the "food thong" all about..kung bakit sa table setting may food thong. And before I forget, before they served the main course, one lady crew came to our table holding two boxes of knife. She asked us to choose between two boxes, German and Wusthof - as if naman knowing ko yon, well I asked what knife should we used to the steak we preferred.
TIP 4 Reddish liquid on the steak is not blood. Some thinks that the reddish liquid in medium or rare cooked meat is blood, its NOT. The reddish liquid is just juices of the meat itself produced when heat bursts applied. Also the juices produced as fat breaks down and mixes with meat producing a red juice. Technically they called it myoglobin. So next time don't just stick into a "well done", just because you're afraid that the red thing in your steak is blood.
They will offer you all the types of steak cuts, and sa dinami daming sinabi ng nagseserved 3 lang yata ang natandaan ko - sirloin, contrafile and the best na natikman ko the picanha. According kasi don sa nagseserved ang pinakamahal daw naman talaga is the pincanha, its worth it naman, hope it will not be the first and the last na matikman ko ..hahaha
While the night is getting darker, napansin namin na halos puno na ang place, now I know why you need a reservation. Rodzio has only 80 seats. Almost all the table has wine along with the meat except us, kontento na kami sa Evian :-)
They have live acoustic Latin band. Amazing ang mga boses mapapa-bayle ka talaga. Kung mga Pinoy nga lang siguro ang nasa loob ay wagi ang dance floor ...hehehe
Enjoying the meat experience - thank you Lord for all the blessings
They also served side dishes, ang sarap ng fried banana nila as in ...may something na kakaiba aside from its coated by cinnamon yata yon.
After ng super nakakabusog and unlimited salad and main courses, dessert naman. Kung mataas ang rating nila from the start, hay dito mejo sumablay sila. Why? matagal nila bago naiserve ang dessert. And our question..bakkeeeet?
lemon sorbet, coconut with chuvaness, and chocolate ek-ek (lol)
Only the lemon sorbet I remember exactly, the rest I can't remember the name but even pinaghintay nila kami ng mejo matagal sa dessert masarap naman, especially na sorbet. Before the dessert they served nga din pala pineapple with cinnamon syrup, sabi ng nagseserved for fast digestion daw yon. Another FYI di ba :-)
We really enjoyed our Rodizio experience. Its our first time to be together in a hotel, usually I'm with my colleagues and other friends and now I will have an additional "hotel-resto" buddies. The whole Rodizio experience is SUPERB! Happy tummy and happy us again. Truly, we're thankful how God blesses us in His own ways.
So guys if you want to try the Rodizio experienced you can take my tips above. We deserve a good treat after working hard. Its not "luho" its just how you save, spend and enjoy.
HAPPY 7th year!
The Happy and Blessed ME :-)
Location: Crowne Plaza - The Business Park Hotel
Airport Road, Doha Qatar
Phone: 974 - 44087777
Timing: Lunch and Dinner only
