You’ve become so busy with work that it creeps up on you: Mother’s Day. What do mothers want on their day? I’d guess the following “demands”:
- Sleep without interruption
- Bathe without interruption
- No cooking, cleaning, and picking up after anyone
- No changing of diapers or wiping up spills
- Shopping without a budget
- Silence for an hour
The general theme here is that of blissful time alone — preferably with luxurious comforts and without the guilt. But how do you help your mom experience that moment?
With booze — or booze dressed up as a fancy meal between breakfast and lunch, more popularly known as the Sunday brunch buffet.
The Why
Sunday brunch buffets are perfect for celebrating with your mom for three reasons:
- She can sleep in longer because brunch typically opens at 11 a.m.
- You can get free flowing champagne with brunch, which also happens to be the best kind of brunch.
- It’s a bit of luxury and a lovely treat because no one forgets a ravishing meal on someone else’s credit card.
While brunch buffets have yet to reach the gluttonous heights of the ones in Dubai, there are a few good brunch places in our city. I’ve only managed to go to a couple — for now — and so far, I think they can meet the discerning taste of every fastidious mother.
The Where
Most hotels will serve brunch so you can explore other places, such as the Marriot Café in Marriot Manila Hotel and Spectrum at Raffles and Fairmont Hotels.
Meanwhile, here are two places I’ve tried out and one other place my mother wants to experience. (Prices and schedules may change.)
M Café, Ayala Museum
Serves 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., P1,000++ with P495++ for unlimited bubbly
The Sunday Boutique Brunch at Museum Café is the ideal compromise between a bit of luxury and a bit of budget. It’s not overly indulgent because the selections are sufficient; there is no labyrinth of culinary confusion. But it is good food — from what my mother tells me. The brunch buffet has no vegan options, so I’ve had to order from the a la carte menu.
If your mom loves cheese, this would be the ideal place to take her because they offer some pretty interesting varieties, e.g., coconut cheese and black pepper encrusted cream cheese. The brunch buffet also features Aklan oysters, pasta, cold cuts, an egg station, and a pretty decent dessert station.
Sala Bistro, Greenbelt 3, Makati
Serves 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., P1,480 (2 courses with unlimited Aussie bubbly)
For mothers who love a bit of understated style, with just the right amount of food, Sala should do the trick. It’s not a buffet so don’t expect gluttonous options. You’ll have an elegant brunch with your mom over organic poached eggs, crispy bacon, and rhubarb crumble.
Spiral, Hotel Sofitel
Serves 12 noon-3 p.m., P3,300++ (non-alcoholic) P4,000++ (free flowing Moet and white wine)
The Sunday Champagne Brunch Buffet, otherwise known as “the splurge of all splurges,” features 21 dining ateliers, which is the fancy pants term for “that’s a lot of food.” That means you’ll want to pace yourself through this meal. It is by far the most satisfying brunch because it has vegan options and booze.
Most moms love this brunch spot because the hotel has a separate area for kids’ activities. So for mothers with young boys and young girls, it’s the ultimate indulgence without fussing over the kids.
For adult kids, I recommend getting the alcoholic option. Sunday brunch at Sofitel will not feel the same without an endless series of bubbly.
If you prefer a later meal, the hotel is serving barbecue buffet at sunset. If your mom loves music with her grilled meats and seafood, why not indulge her.
So, to all the mothers and would-be moms, here’s to you. May you have the best day of days, with a bit of indulgence and a whole lot of serenity.
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