THE BIG BANQUET: Top 5 Best Appetizers, Main Dishes, Desserts, & Drinks @TheBlueLeaf

2/2/15 Update: The Big Banquet 2: And the BEST Caterers and Winning Dishes are… @TheBlueLeaf Filipinas

Read first: THE BIG BANQUET: Battle of the Top Caterers in Manila! @TheBlueLeaf (A Photo Essay)

It was tough to rate the different courses from the best caterers in Manila. There were about 300-350 ratings per dish, using a scale of 1 to 5 (highest), and the weighted average was calculated to ensure an objective score. 

Congratulations to all the winning caterers! 

And the winners of the Top 5 Best Appetizers, Main Dishes, Desserts, & Drinks in the first ever The Big Banquet are….

APPETIZER CATEGORY

 

1. BIZU (Rating 3.80): 

Savoury French Toast with Ricotta and Truffle Honey

Comments

• Creamy and delicious.
• Too sweet for appetizer.
• Best for breakfast.
• I love it so much.
• Very pretty setup and beautiful presentation.
• Love the mixture of strawberry in it.
• Needs more syrup.

 

2. CENTER TABLE (Rating 3.77):  

Eastern Shrimp Spring Rolls

Comments 

• I liked it, tastier than dimsum.
• Too fatty pork used.
• Crunchy and fresh.
• Tasty but ordinary.
• I tasted the extender, not the shrimp.
• Too thick wrapper.
• Nice and crispy but very salty.

 

3. K. by CUNANAN (Rating 3.71): 

Seared Tuna on Crisp Tortilla, Balsamic Reduction, Arugula, and Caramelized Onions

Comments 

• Loved the combination.
• Crispy and well presented.
• Very creative.
• Tasted this w/o the balsamic red, but it still tastes great.
• Kind of strong for a bite sized serving, good nonetheless.
• Thought I wouldn’t like it but I was wrong. Good.
• Tuna could use a bit of salt.

 

4. MESCLUN (Rating 3.65): 

Andre’s Poke

Comments

• Fresh, spicy, great.
• Just like poke in Hawaii.
• Fresh and very appetizing.
• Spinach was interesting.
• This is really good.
• Just the right amount of spice.
• Loved it, too full but I ate it.

 

5. FLORABEL (Rating 3.56): 

Assorted Sushi and Sashimi

Comments 

• Tastes authentic.
• Sushi rice is too soft.
• Almost perfect, too much vinegar.
• Good selection.
• It falls apart, not good.
• Nice presentation.
• Tasted like from Japanese resto.

 

MAIN DISH CATEGORY 

 

1. BIZU (Rating 4.00): 

(Clockwise from top) Bizu Mini Eggs Benedict, Savoury French Toast with Ricotta and Truffle Honey, Smoked Salmon with Dill Pistachio Mousseline on Shortbread, and Three Cheese Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli Pasta

Comments 

• Liked the salmon and egg benedict.
• Ravioli Mushroom is good. 
• Salmon could be less salty and eggs benedict could be saltier.
• Salmon is great, ravioli is just okay.
• Super pretty and dainty setup.
• Smoked salmon was excellent. Eggs Benedict was tough.
• Eggs perfect, ravioli is a bit too heavy.
• Unique and stay eggs benedict. Mushroom ravioli = A+
• For the eggs benedict, I recommend a thinner slice of bread.
• Delicious and perfect for special events.

  

2. ALBERGUS (Rating 3.88): 

Slow Roast US Beef Belly with Rosemary & Garlic Crust served with Pesto Mashed Potato, Ciabatta, Horseradish Cream, Mushroom Gravy, Fried Onion, Arugula, Roasted Pepper

Comments

• Liked it, tender and flavorful.
• Tastes good but my piece had too much fat.
• Gravy is good. Beef itself is kind of bland.
• Fantastic taste. Mashed potato and the gravy tastes great.
• Roast beef was just perfect.
• 11 points. It just destroyed your grading system.
• Yummy, best roast beef.
• Perfect doneness.
• Mashed potato, grainy , sweet, beef belly, too cold during serving, gravy – premix taste.
• I like the taste of roast beef, mashed potato and pesto, don’t like the combi.

 

3. HIZON’S (Rating 3.70):

48-Hour Sous-Vide Roasted US Beef Belly

Comments

• I love the gravy.
• Chewy and tasty.
• 48 hours cooking time, wow.
• Meat was slightly tough, too much fat.
• Beef belly was a little dry.
• Soft and juicy, perfect
• The softness is just right.
• Potato flavorful, good combo with gravy.
• Good beef, ordinary sauce.
• OMG! BEST.

 

4. CENTER TABLE (Rating 3.68):

US Certified Black Angus Beef Shortplate with 3 Side Dishes: a) Corn Salsa, b) Baked Creamy Sour Cream Potatoes, and c) Baked Artichoke & Spinach

Comments

• So delicious, perfect taste. 
• Beef is superb. The sides are just okay.
• Yummy break creamy sour cream.
• Love all the side dishes esp the artichoke.
• Angus beef is 5.
• We liked the beef and baked potato.
• OMG! All components are perfect.
• Very simple yet comforting, more sophistication and no canned mushrooms.
• Angus beef is okay but all side dishes are great.
• Artichoke spinach is heavenly. Would want to ask for more.

 

5. JOSIAH’S (Rating 3.54):

Sundried Tomato and Cream Cheese Stuffed Roast Chicken

Baked Salmon with Mango Butter Sauce

Comments

• Salmon was moist and sauce was too greasy for me.
• The chicken is great. 
• Salmon and chicken is rightly cooked.
• Salmon and roast chicken is good.
• Mango butter sauce was good.
• Salmon sauce, sweet, tastes like margarine.
• Tender and moist chicken. Salmon is a little dry but sauce is an A+++.
• Love salmon.
• Salmon with sweet sauce.
• Good but ordinary.

 

DESSERTS CATEGORY

 

1. BIZU (Rating 4.36):

Nirvana Trifle with Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Creamer and Rocher

Macaron de Paris

Comments

• Love the macarons.
• Taste and texture are nice.
• I love the nirvana trifle.
• Their desserts made me smile.
• Chocolate cream is great. Cake could be better.
• Still lovely, trifle is amazing.
• Lovely desserts, love the lightness of the mousse and the texture of the macarons.
• Desserts were yummy, too sweet though.

 

2. MESCLUN (Rating 3.72):

Paulene Chocolate

Comments

• I love chocolate bites.
• I like how it melts in my mouth.
• Super good, melts instantly.
• Tastes like Royce.
• Great to finish off the meal.
• I like the green tea more than the chocolate.
• Heavenly, especially the mocha.
• more flavor from the liquor. spiced rum maybe?
• Love the tang and sweetness.

 

3. JUAN CARLO (Rating 3.37):

Coffee Magnifico 

Comments

• Too sweet
• Too strong.
• Different from the rest.
• Temp is very good & taste.
• Needs more water, too painful on the throat.
• Add more water, too much syrup.
• Very fruity and tasty
• A little bit sweet though.

 

4. ALBERGUS (Rating 3.30):

Red Velvet Duo

Comments 

• Very rich.
• Very sweet.
• Cake was a little heavy.
• It complements with the red velvet.
• Very doughy, too much really.
• More tanginess from the cream cheese frosting maybe.
• Base-dry, red velvet mushy.
• Chocolate overpowers the velvet.

 

5. HIZON’S (Rating 3.29):

Sunken Island with Vanilla Custard 

Comments

• Fluffy and soft.
• Base – firm w/ sauce sweet.
• Delicate in your mouth.
• Great mix and ingredients.
• Custard, grainy and too sweet.
• Very pretty.
• Must try.
• Light but yummy.

 

DRINKS CATEGORY

1. BIZU’S Cucumber Lemonade (Rating 3.71)

Comments

• Very refreshing. 
• Hits the spot.
• It has its health benefits.
• I could taste the cucumber.
• Pampatanggal umay.
• Best tandem, cucumber and lemon.
• Tastes like vegetable drink.
• Love the cucumber twist.

2. ALBERGUS’ Pandan Lemongrass Juice (Rating 3.59)

Comments

• Too sweet for me.
• Very refreshing.
• Good and different.
• Light and paired well with every meal.
• Unique taste.
• Refreshing healthy.
• Overpowering Pandan flavor.
• Lemongrass faint flavors, taste like lemonade premix.

3. TJIOE’s Raspberry Iced Tea (Rating 3.44)

Comments 

• Tastes like SOLA.
• Tastes like cough syrup.
• Nice drink to finish the meal.
• Tastes watered down.
• Tastes like medicine.
• Great, not too sweet.
• Very tasty raspberry.
• Balanced tea and raspberry flavor.

4. CENTER TABLE’s Green Apple Iced Tea (Rating 3.26)

Comments

• Love the apple.
• Bitter.
• Interesting flavor.
• Tastes like instant iced tea.
• Refreshing.
• Hit my sweet tooth.
• Tastes like sugar.
• On the sweet side.

5. FLORABEL’s Dalandan Mint Iced Tea (Rating 3.08)

Comments

• Very refreshing.
• Too minty, overpowered.
• Tastes like bubble gum.
• Tastes like mint candy.
• Mind overpowered dalandan.
• A bit bland.
• Weird taste for me.
• Felt the mint more than dalandan.

 

THE BIG BANQUET @ THE BLUE LEAF Series:

• THE BIG BANQUET: Battle of the Top Caterers in Manila! @TheBlueLeaf (A Photo Essay) 
• THE BIG BANQUET: Top 5 Best Appetizers, Main Dishes, Desserts & Drinks @TheBlueLeaf
• THE BIG BANQUET: And the Best Caterer in Manila is… @TheBlueLeaf

 

Live an Awesome Life,

Founder, www.OurAwesomePlanet.com 

Disclosure: Our Awesome Planet in partnership with The Blue Leaf group co-founded The Big Banquet concept. Read Our Awesome Planet Complete Disclosure Policy here.  

P.S. Special Thanks to San Miguel Lifestyle Brews for providing the awesome beers for The Big Banquet! 🙂