Dinner Buffet in The Pantry of Dusit Thani, Makati

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PANTRY is Dusit Thani’s replacement to Basix, and thankfully with the Eatigo App, I was able to book a buffet dinner for 45% off. In this post, I’ll be sharing with you our dining experience and at the same time give a preview of what you can expect from the buffet spread. 

The Pantry is located at the west wing of the hotel, or let’s just say that it’s on your right from the main entrance

"Bread" design of The Pantry
The first thing that entered my mind when I saw the interior was “bread”. Maybe it’s because of the pastry shop at the front as well as the infusion of light brown elements in the design. The lighting was dim which gave a cozy feel, but I might have preferred it to be a little brighter in some areas, especially the salad area — it makes the area look and feel sad.

Okay, let’s take a look area per area beginning with the “Italian” corner.

The Italian Section
This section is where you can have most of the interesting appetizers which include the cold cuts - salami, mortadella and spianata romana.

You'll also find here 3 kinds of cheese (i.e. goat cheese, bleu pepato and la regina), mac & cheese, pizza, eggplant parmigiana and etc.

In this section, my top picks are mac & cheese and eggplant parmigiana. The mushroom ravioli was also interesting, something my palate needed to adjust to, which means it was something "new". It had this sharp saltiness and flavor from its sauce, while the core is juicy and meaty.

The Bread Section
I'm not having much carbs lately, so I honestly skipped this part. I just took photos so you'll have an idea.

The Salad and Wrap Section
Located in the dim part of the restaurant (as if really shunning the veggies) is the salad and wrap section. If you want to start healthy and somehow light, this is where you should begin. I was able to appreciate the bite-sized wraps due to their balanced freshness and flavors.

The salad is customizable as you can choose among the ingredients on the spread. In my case, I just went for my usual favorite -- lettuce, bacon bits, Caesar dressing and a lot of cheese.

Much to my disappointment, there is no Sashimi or sushi available in the buffet. This for me is a staple which I always crave for each time I go to a buffet. This explains why I felt like my buffet experience was not complete.

The Main Selection

There is an interesting set of dishes for the main. You can find Filipino, Mixed Asian, American and Spanish cuisines on the the spread.

For Filipino dishes, you’ll find there Lechon Sisig and Crispy Skin.

Crispy pata for the hefty eaters

Crispy Pata is also available which adds a layer of festive vibe to the experience. Oh, let’s not forget of course the Lechon.

Lechon for a festive dining experience in The Pantry

What I found really enjoyable was the sauce collection for both the lechon and the beef (photo below). You have about 5 sauces to pick from with varying spiciness, smokiness and sweetness.

Sauces include (1) spicy vinegar, (2) liver sauce, (3) lexington bbq sauce, (4) tangy bbq sauce and (5) mesquite bbq sauce.

Although I may have forgotten the exact name of the dish, it was this beef carving that I found the most exquisite among all that I tried for the night. It had this bold smoky flavor mixed with subtle sweetness from its natural juice. It also paired well with the most of the sauces.

The gigantic paella at the center of the section

There was a gigantic platter of paella at the center of the section which really attracted attention. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for carbs, so I just shifted my attention to the seafood and paluto corner.

If you are a seafood lover, you'll enjoy the "paluto" corner of the spread. You can have the chefs prepare seafood dishes to your liking (of course, only those within expectations such as buttered or baked).

The Drink Station

Drinks are available to complement your buffet dining experience. Selection is limited to juices, so it’s hitting thr minimum.

Desserts Section

The line up of desserts may not be as impressive but they are far beyond decent. There are Filipino desserts ranging from the traditional Puto Ube and samalamig drinks (e.g. mais con yelo, halo-halo or any do-it-your own icy desserts). Of course, there are house-made ice cream selections available to sweeten up your palate good for all ages.

Puto ube desserts of The Pantry

House-made ice cream selections 

Samalamig and do-it-yourself desserts

Create your own dessert with several components to choose from

There are also varieties in the dessert section for those craving for something more universal or “international”. Cheesecakes are available and chocolate-based pastries.

There was not much that was able to steal the spotlight which is why I mentioned that nothing “impressive” came up. Or perhaps I wasn't really in the mood for desserts during this visit.

Overall, our experience was still within the higher end of satisfaction. This is perhaps due to some dish being quiet excellent. I still believe that it was a wrong choice for them to remove the sashimi (from Basix), so I hope there will be special nights when they will be serving it. If there are, I would love to come back and try.

The Pantry - In a Nutshell

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Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★☆
Variety ★★★☆
Service ★★★☆
Budget: P1,210 each for a dinner buffet under 45% discount in eatigo (if you don't know what's eatigo, please see below)
No. of visits for this particular restaurant/branch - 1 || Date of last visit - February 8, 2018

The Pantry provides convenient access to "affordable" buffet within the heart of Makati. It may seem very pricey at first, but you can maximize discounts offered by third-party apps such as Eatigo. This will make the prices somehow “reachable”. Anyway, I was able to appreciate the ambiance, though I found the lighting too dim at times. Service can also level up by having more warmth especially for the front-liners. Food had a decent variety, but I would appeciate a little more. Overall, it was a fairly decent experience, but not something to entice me to come back on a frequent basis.

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The Pantry
Location: Ground floor, Dusit Thani, 1223 Epifanio de los Santos Ave, Makati, 1223 Metro Manila
Contact No.: (02) 238 8888