5 reasons you should eat like a viking

EVERYONE saw the invasion coming, but the scale of it no one could have imagined. And so the Cebuanos welcomed the friendlyinvaders with open arms, plates on one hand and cutlery on the other, actually, and devoured with gusto their culinary offerings sourced from all over the globe — seafood from the seven seas, slabs of prime meat from down under, spices from exotic lands, and, yes, even the freshest local fare, among many others.

Since its grand opening last May 10, Vikings SM City Cebu has shaken the food scene in these parts, and as Vikings mania continues to sweep the land, it would be a good idea to submit to these new culinary conquerors and seriously consider why you should eat like a viking. Sun.Star Weekend offers five reasons:

1. It’s the ultimate food trip. The buffet stations at Vikings SM City Cebu are a showcase of world famous cuisines such as Japanese, Thai, Malaysian, Chinese, and, course Filipino, not to mention various gastronomic offerings such as cheeses, breads, pastries and drinks.

Imagine navigating for hours through an ocean of food, mouth-wateringly sumptuous food, each buffet, each dish a tempting invitation for you to indulge

in, plate after plate after delightful plate.

2. Lots of drinks to wash down all that food. From infused waters to fruit juices to sodas, Vikings has a long selection of beverages to choose from. And did we say there’s draft beer, an endless supply of delightful draft beer with all the pulutan you can partake of? So if you feel like going on an eating and drinking binge, just take note of the operating hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner. Either way, let’s drink to that!

3. The carving station is meat heaven. It is futile to resist the Roasted Turkey, Leg of Lamb, Rack of Pork Ribs, and Whole Boneless Ribeye Steak on display in all their gastronomic glory at the carving station. Sourced from New Zealand, the Ribeye, cut and grilled before your eyes, is divine. The carving station alone makes the Vikings buffet rates worth it. The regular rates for adults for a weekday lunch goes for P688, while for weekday dinner, as well as weekend and holiday and lunch dinner, is at P888. Not bad, right?

4. It’s a perfect treat for friends and family. For your barkada, especially those having a birthday, Vikings has a “free buffet” birthday promo. For the family, the rates are significantly lower for kids of a certain height, and for seniors above 75 years and above (50 percent special discount). And for both young and old, there’s plenty of buffet goodness to choose from. There’s more: for added fun and discounts, their opening promo of 25 percent off for Facebook fans runs until May 26, and for Instagram followers, from May 27 to June 9.

5. Each dish is a must taste. Prepared by the most-skilled of chefs, the buffet spreads at Vikings are a cause for indulgence, which means we can’t blame you if you wish to taste everything. But unless you have the appetite of a Norse god, there’s no way you can pull that off in one visit. You can always try, though. Still, while you’re enjoying the rounds and relishing every morsel, it helps to yield to the reality that a second visit to Vikings, even a third, is a must. So just give in and eat like a viking. (Text & Photos by N.S. Villaflor)