For my uncle's birthday celebration, we were supposed to dine at Four Seasons Hotpot City but when we arrived at around 7 pm, we got the queuing number of 168 so we decided to head elsewhere.  Learning from our experience, we tried to call for reservation for my cousin's birthday celebration.  But, the reservation slots were full.  Finally, for my cousin's graduation celebration, he successfully book a reservation by calling days ahead (and knowing the right person).

Four Seasons Hotpot City is located just next to Movie Stars Cafe, you can't miss the bright lights, huge signage and long lines.

For the main dining area, there were two kinds of tables: (1) tables of 2 sharing 1 yin and yang hotpot and (2) tables of 4 to 6 sharing 1 yin and yang hotpot.  I like that the place looked very clean and fresh.  It looked like a high-end supermarket except that you are equipped with white trays and plates instead of carts and baskets.  I liked the idea of there plant boxes on the dividers, it adds to the fresh vibe of the place.   Floor are clean as I can see the staffs wiping the floor spills non-stop.

On the left side are the function rooms which they call VIP rooms.  Fortunately, dear cousin booked us for VIP Table 4 and 5 which had a nice window view of the bay.  But, what may the VIP tables cool is that we each had our own pot.  This is quite convenient for me since I have seafood allergy.  It's also more spacious!  Believe me, our table is not this clear or organized as soon as we started.  I'm not sure though if we had a space problem or a service problem since we found it difficult to call the attention of the servers to remove our empty plates.  Some of them would affirm from our calls and then neglect us after.  That didn't make us feel like VIPs...  I wish they would also orient us on how to use the electric stove.  We had to call for assistance to find out the pressing the power button twice would switch it on.  Good thing too that it was in Chinese characters so we understood what was low, medium and high.  Each table could seat 12 people.  We're exactly 24 so we were able to avail of the big group promo and had 2 persons free.

There were various stations all with a large heading on top.  I noticed that many don't pay much attention to what's written on the chalk boards though.

Upon being seated, we were asked for our soup broth: Chicken, Pork, Vegetable or Sinigang.  You can get a refill but changing broth would be difficult. 

Bread Station
The buffet doesn't limit itself to a shabu-shabu buffet.  There's a Bread Station which only had a baguette and butter.

Sashimi Station

There are lots of Sashimi and Maki options.  For Sashimi, there were Salmon Sashimi (always emptied fast!), Squid, Kani, Tuna and Tamago.  Makis include Crunchy Salmon Roll, Futo Maki, Kani Tongga, Pink Maki Roll, Ebi Tempura Roll, Four Seasons Special (this is a must try!) and California Maki.

Sushi

From the Sushi section, I recommend the Spicy Tuna.  Other options include: Salmon Sushi, Tuna Sushi, Saba Sushi (I wished they had a Sashimi version of this), Squid Sushi, Tamago Sushi, Kani Sushi and Mango Sushi.


Sushi Bar
Unnoticeable to many, there a sushi bar with a chalk board label of Salmon Sashimi by the cooked dishes and the Fish Station where you can request for fresh slices of Salmon Sashimi.

Salad Station
There's a do-it-yourself salad bar with three choices of dressing: Caesar, Dijon Mustard and Thousand Island.

Appetizer Station
There was an assortment of Canapes and Cold Cuts including Ngoyong Roll, Beef Shin, Smoked Chicken, Century Egg, Kimchi Raddish and Spicy Pork Mask.


Tofu Station

Not much variety at the Tofu Station so the Noodle Station occupied half the chiller.  The Mochi Shio looks enticing in its pink wrapper.  We initially thought it was for dessert, but we were informed by the staff that we're supposed to cook it.  It's actually just plain mochi and its cooked version tastes like bilo-bilo.  If you like the Peanut Balls eaten during Chinese Lantern Festivals like I do, go for the Mochi Shio (Peanut) in brown wrapper.


Noodles Station
Lots of noodle variants.  There are usual ones we encounter elsewhere like the Bihon, Shanghai Noodles, Udon Noodles, Hongkong Noodles, Sotanghon (my nephew feasted himself with this!), Korean Noodle, Dried Hofan, Ramen Noodle (the instant type), Shelled Macaroni and Macaroni.  I'd suggest trying more of the specialty ones like the Spicy Noodles, Mushroom Noodles (the family loved this!), Carrot Noodles, Polonchay Noodles and Squid Ink Noodles.

Vegeterian Station
The Vegetarian Station has more tofu items than the Tofu Station.  Tofu variants here are: Fresh Tofu, Japanese Tofu (We loved this as it's silky and smooth!), Black Tofu (Couldn't tell the difference fro other tofu really...), White Tofu, Brown Tofu and Beancurd Stick.  The other interesting stuff I meant were Fried Tao Pao, Water Chestnuts, Guso, Black Fungus, White Fungus and Seaweeds.

Dumplings Station
While I'm not fond of dumplings, I was intrigued by their extensive selection of Beef Balls, Pork Mushroom, Squid Ball, Chicken Ball, Lobster Ball (looked like balls with kani sticks), Chicken Dumplings, Green Beijing Dumplings, Beef Curry Dumpling (A bit spicy and I enjoyed it!), Chili w/ Meat Dumplings, Kuchay Dumpling, Shanghai Meat Dumpling and Beijing Meat Dumpling.  I was looking for the Mozzarella Balls raved by many.  I spotted Richard of Tales From the Tummy and Abet of the Food Alphabet coincidentally dining there too or rather they were surprised to see a lot of versions of me (my little sisters=p) and figured I was there too.  Richard explained to me that it was there during his first visit but it isn't available this time due to supplier problems.
 
There's more dumplings on another chiller like Shrimp & Scallop Balls, Shrimp Ball, Cuttlefish Noodle, Ebi Shrimp Paste, Squid Paste, Shrimp Egg Dumpling, Shanghai Meat Wanton, Shanghai Dumpling, Hongkong Wanton and Sharkfin Dumpling.  Since none of these enticed me, I skipped these for better options. 

Pork Station
 The Pork Station is one of the most expansive station aside from the Dumpling Station.  It includes parts that you usually find in the streets but you can have them here very clean.  There's Pork Isaw, Pork Feet, Pork Skin, Pork Tito, Pork Blood, Pork Ear, Pork Lung Tube, Large Intestine, Pork Egg Isaw (This is a first time for me and I liked it!)...

Pork Liver, Pork Slice, Pork Tendon, Pork Intestine and Pig's Kidney.  Did they miss any part? 

Beef & Chicken Station
There's not much of the Beef Selections as they were limited to the Marinated Beef, Beef Shin, Beef Tito and Beef Tripe which I'd suggest to skip.  Chicken selections include: Drunker Chicken and Chicken Liver.  There's also Fried Quail Egg which I don't get the point of because you'll be cooking it again...

Sliced Meat Station (Only Available During Dinner and Weekends)

Beef Short Ribs (center), Beef Striploin (right), Pork Jowls (down), Lamb (left) and Pork Belly (up)

I'm so glad we ate during dinner time because the Sliced Meat Station was the best part of the buffet.  To order simply feel up the order slip with your table number and what you want.  Choices are: (1) Beef Short Ribs (You must order this!  I had a plateful of this all for myself.)  (2) Beef Striploin (3) Beef shortplate (4) Pork Jowls (5) Pork Neck (6) Pork Belly (If you like bacon, get this!) (7) Lamb (If you like lamb, definitely order this!  It was very clean-tasting).  Upon ordering, the server will bring plates of your order to your table.

Fresh Seafood Station
I was expecting interesting items from the Seafood Station from the blogs I've read like Baby Squid, Lobster and Frog Legs.  But, I guess we weren't as lucky.  Selections available during our visit were Fresh Shrimp, Leather Jacket, Sea Mantis, Fresh Alimasag (these were skinny but good thing there's a bigger crab among the cooked dishes), Imelda Head, Clams, Squid Ring, Yellow Eel (Ugh! This had a very very fishy taste even when cooked well), Gindara (later on replaced by Cream Dory), Talakitok (the big center fish) and Mussels.  I tried everything here and the Gindara was the only item I found worthy of the stomach space.  I somehow wished I grabbed more before they ran out of it.

Vegetable Section
My favorite station is the Vegetable Station because it had my favorite vegetables: Polonchay and Watercrest.  And, it also has so many kinds of mushrooms which I'm crazy for like the Golden Mushroom, Straw Mushroom, Oyster Mushroom, Beijing Mushroom and Shitake Mushroom (These were rubbery for some reason).  It also includes some add-ons like Sampalok for the Sinigang Broth.


To enhance the broths or create your own dip, there's a lots of condiments and sauces available.  They are two stations like this with similar content.  You can be adventurous by adding Peanut Butter or go with classic options like Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce and Sate Sauce.

Cooked Station and Tempura Station
Aside from the Steamed Crab, I skipped the rest.  As usual in every buffet, the Tempura Station with Ebi Tempura and Vegetable Tempura is popular and quickly emptied.  There's also Fried Wanton HK Style, Fried Beancurn Roll and Fried Rice.

Dessert Station
Dessert Selection is similar to its sister company Vikings.  It includes Colorful Cakes, Fresh Fruits...

Kakanin, Frozen Yogurt, Chocolate Fondue, Ice Cream and Crepe.


I'm always a fan of their Green Tea Ice Cream.


Drinks are also the same as Vikings but this had an addition of Arizona Iced Tea and Chang Beer (Thailand Brand).

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
We all had fun with the individual pot but still in the same table together experience that Four Seasons Hotpot City offered.  Having tried, several eat-all-you-can shabu-shabu in the past, that was a first-time for us.  Quality-wise, I thought it was a good bargain with the Sliced Meat included.  Without it, I'd rather pass even at a lesser rate.  We're eager to see more they were to offer with their Premium Station (which is still closed at the moment)

Last Monday, I was invited to try the dishes at the Banzai The Great Teppanyaki Theater in San Miguel by the Bay at SM Mall of Asia.  It's between Buffet 101 and The Eye of MOA. Unlike other buffets, this is specialized with Japanese cuisine.  It also has a the Great Teppanyaki Theater.



Upon entry, I was immediately impressed with it's creative Japanese interiors.  The wooden tables with matching well-designed wooden chairs gave a warm and cozy feel.  The dinning areas had different themes.  This side had a Tokyo City lights on its wall.  It will probably be lively at night.


These area looks like a sumo ring.  The portion on the far end is the modern Japanese area. 

Trick Art Gallery

My friends: Pretty Japanese doll Hana and golden boy Justin

The Great Teppanyaki Show





Another plus for Banzai is that they have long lunch and dinner hours.  The lunch time is from 10 am to 3 pm and the dinner time is from 5 pm to 10 pm.  And, every 2:30 pm and 7:30 pm, there is the Great Teppanyaki Show!  Check my videos to see some of their performance. But of course, watching it live is better.  =)   






Update (April 30, 2014): The family dined here and we were told that the official grand opening is on May 14, 2014.  This middle section for the Teppanyaki Theatre will be filled with more dishes.


Food
I dedicate this tour to my friend Con, who is more foodie than I am and has been more than eager to see what's in store before he visits it next week.

Teppanyaki Station

I'll start with the Teppanyaki Station which is the highlight of Banzai.  


As you can see, they use fresh ingredients and authentic Japanese sauces.  When you order, they will give you a number and they will deliver it on your table.  The only problem with this system is that it's difficult for the waiters to see which of the many tables has the number with no number holders...

The Teppanyaki Station is divided into different sections serving various dishes such as: Meat (Beef Misono, Beef Teppan, Chicken Teppan), Okonomiyaki (Bacon Okomiyaki and Squid Okonomiyaki), Noodles, Rice and Vegetables (Yakisoba, Yakiudon, Vegetables, Yasai Itame and Fried Rice) and Seafood (Ebi Teppan, Salmon Teppan, Dory Teppan, Tuna Teppan,
Oysters and Ika Teppan)

Seafood Teppanyaki Station
You can check the freshness because their showcased on ice. 

♥ Ebi Teppan and ♥ Salmon Teppan

♥ Oyster and ♥ Ika Teppan

The Ebi, Salmon, Oyster and Ika Teppan were delicious as expected from their expert chefs who made use of the freshest ingredients.  The Ika was soft and tender!  Be careful in ordering too much though.  This plate is only one order of each but look at how many they are!

Okonomiyaki Station

Squid Okonomiyaki

I tried both the Bacon and Squid Okonomiyaki which looked exactly the same.  Since I couldn't taste the bacon flavor in the former, I prefer the classic Squid Okonomiyaki.

Noodles, Rice and Vegetables

Yasai Itame

The Yasai Itame is really crunchy and bursting with sweet natural flavors.  
 

Fried Rice

Beyond Teppanyaki
Yes, they have more than teppanyaki to offer.

Salad Station

Spicy Tuna Salad, Cold Beansprout Salad with Sesame, Seaweed Salad, Japanese Potato Salad and Chicken Teriyaki Salad

They have a lot of Japanese salad varieties!  Everything looked good!  I would recommend smaller cuts on the Japanese Potato Salad though.  I wanted to try it but the potatoes are as big as ice cubes and eggs were sliced only in halves.  

Big Salad Station

They have an even wider selection for their Big Salad Station which is their version of the classic make-your-own salad bar.  The toppings (all properly labelled) are: carrots, white onions, leeks, fried wanton wrapper, peanut, mango, orange, sweet corn, mixed goma (black and plain sesame), radish, lettuce and more.  The Japanese dressings available are: Akira Kyuru Dressing, Spicy Mayo Dressing, Miso Dressing and Sesame Dressing.

Japanese Caesar Salad Station Next to the Big Salad Station is the Japanese Caesar Salad Station with bacon, croutons, crunchy kani, parmesan cheese, lettuce and caesar dressing.

Roll Station
I like their system of limiting their rolls in display because they have chefs on standby for restocking anyway.  This assures the freshness of their rolls.  But, some labels on these would be more helpful.

Sushi Station

Tuna (Maguro) Sushi, Salmon (Sake) Sushi, Squid (Ika) Sushi, Yellow Tail (Hamachi) Sushi, Octopus (Tako) Sushi, Prawn (Ebi) Sushi, Egg (Tamago) Sushi and Crabstick (Kani) Sushi

Sashimi Station

Tuna (Maguro) Ssashimi, ♥ Salmon (Sake) Sashimi, Yellow Tail (Hamachi) Sashimi, Octopus (Tako) Sashimi

My Appetizer Plate: ♥ Spicy Tuna Salad,Seaweed Salad, Hamachi Sashimi, ♥ Salmon Sashimi, Tako Sashimi

I highly recommend everything on this plate! =D Cold Soba Station


Tempura Station

Ebi Tempura

Aside from Ebi Tempura, the Tempura Station offers Fish Tempura and Vegetable Tempura. 

Tonkatsu Station

Oyster Katsu

I tried the Oyster Katsu which had too thick of a batter for my liking.
 

Chicken and Pork Katsu

Yakitori and Grill Station

Beef Yakitori, Chicken Yakitori, Chicken Teriyaki, Bacon Kani Shioyaki, Bacon Asparagus Shioyaki, Bacon Potato Shiyaki, Tamanegi (Eggplant) Teriyaki or Shioyaki and Onion Teriyaki or Shioyaki

Tamanegi (Eggplant) Teriyaki, ♥ Beef Yakitori and ♥ Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken Teriyaki because look at how big it was!
 
Ramen Station

If only I wasn't stuffed to the limit, I'd try their ramen.  My friends kept on raving about it.  They have almost all basic types of ramen: Shoyu Ramen, Miso Ramen, Tonkatsu Ramen, Chasyu Ramen and
Tantanmen.


For the Tempura, Katsudon, Yakitori and Ramen, you can order freshly cooked ones and they will give you a buzzer so you'll know when it's ready to be claimed.

Gyoza Station

Pork Gyoza, Vegetable Gyoza and ♥ Chicken Gyoza

Chicken Teriyaki Pizza, Japanese Hawaiian Pizza and ♥ Shrimp and Enoki Pizza

Pork Gyoza, Vegetable Gyoza, ♥ Chicken Gyoza and ♥ Shrimp and Enoki Pizza

I was really impressed with their Pork Gyoza, Vegetable Gyoza and Chicken Gyoza.  It's at par with those offered ala carte in other authentic Japanese restaurants and probably the best gyoza ever offered in buffets.  The crunchy thin crust Shrimp and Enoki Pizza is also a gastronomic delight!
 
Miso Soup and Gohan Station They also have Miso Soup and Gohan (rice).  I skipped this for more interesting options.

Takoyaki and Kaniyaki Station


 

♥ Takoyaki and Kaniyaki

As a fan of Takoyaki, I'm quite pleased that they offered it.  What a fun idea!  We tried both Takoyaki and Kaniyaki.   It's my first time to try the Kaniyaki so it's a cool experience but my heart still belongs to the classic Takoyaki.

Dessert Station




For desserts, they have a lot of cakes and fresh fruits to offer.  Aside from this cakes, they have two chillers and six trays full of them.  I'm told that they have their own pastry chef.  I would appreciate it if they have labels on the cakes though.   It's quite bothersome to ask the staffs what each was.  They are not even familiar with everything too.

My first dessert plate

My top picks are the ♥ Matcha Mousse and ♥ White Matcha Opera Cake. I also picked a candy from their artificial cherry blossom tree display.  (The kind waitress tipped me =D)

My second dessert plate: Dessert Maki, Creme Brulee, Strawberry Mousse and Fresh Fruits

The Dessert Maki which is sugar-coated with peach, cherry and pear filling is an innovative idea.  The Strawberry Mousse was way too sweet for my taste.  The Creme Brulee is one of the crowd favorites.  But, I prefer the Matcha Mousse more.  To compensate my guilty pleasures, I had a bowl of Fresh Fruits too.  

Green Apple Snow Cone

I was giddy over their snow cone!  I haven't had one in quite some time.  It's so perfect for the summer.  They had lots of flavors: Strawberry, Bubble Gum, Orange, Blue Raspberry and Green Apple.  Seeing that the Green Apple Snow Cone was almost empty, I chose that. =))  I hope they add Matcha with Red Bean as toppings though.  It seems to fit their Japanese theme.

Beverage Station
The Japanese wines are only for display. =p  But, they do have unlimited Local Beer!  The also have unlimited Red Iced Tea, Iced Tea, Blue Lemonaide and Milo. 


I had the ♥ Milo and Blue Lemonaide. I actually thought that the Milo was the Milo Freeze because it was in the Nescafe Freeze dispenser but it wasn't... Nevertheless, the Milo was delicious!  The Blue Lemonaide was loved by my companions but too sweet for me.


They also had a Nescafe Alegria machine which serve: Caramel Machiatto, Cappucino, Mocha, lack Coffee and Hot Milo.

I chose Iced Mocha but it came out hot so I guess only hot drinks are available.  Not a problem though because you can get some ice for it.






Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Banzai The Great Teppanyaki Theater offers a one of a kind authentic Japanese  buffet experience.  The food quality and variety is top-notch!  Most stations are interactive and equipped with expert chefs.  The staffs are courteous and attentive. Almost all my favorite Japanese dishes are there except for chawan mushi and saba shioyaki.  Plus, the Trick Art Gallery and the Great Teppanyaki Show is sure to add some fun.  What I tried is only their ordinary buffet, i can't wait to check out what their Premium Buffet is like.