It’s hard to be blasé when you first step into the Solaire Resort & Casino along the Bay City area of Parañaque City. First, you are greeted by long-legged beauties in a foyer lined with a water wall and palm trees. When you glance above, there is a crystal chandelier that is more art installation than lighting fixture.

Practically the entire area is carpeted. Only the hallways leading to the hotel’s F&B establishments are tiled. It’s enough to scare most people off.

Joy Wassmer, the property’s director of Communications, said during a recent lunch that the restaurants are all competitively priced. Still, some items like the Alaskan King Crab at Yakumi, the Japanese restaurant, are really expensive.

Range and freshness

“What we’re particularly proud of is the range and freshness of the ingredients available to our chefs because we are able to bring in supplies regularly,” she said.

t0320raoul-solaire_feat2_2 — CAVIAR-TOPPED Japanese rolls

Before the property opened a year ago on March 16, this writer was invited to check it out along with several other lifestyle writers and editors.

At Fresh, Solaire’s all-day buffet dining outlet, I remember espying platters of fresh fruit rarely seen in hotel buffets. Pomegranates, plums and grapefruit were piled high, while nearby multiple rows of pastel-hued macarons rested on a wire tray.

The hot dishes at the buffet were also worth mentioning. Peking duck, a selection of pork, beef and chicken dishes. During a recent lunch, there was a vegetable dish—beets with candied walnuts and goat cheese—that was worth going back for seconds.

Should you fancy a glass or bottle of wine to go with your meal, wine manager Gerard Savigny is there to help. Instead of suggesting certain pairings, he first asks what wines you recently enjoyed. Only then does he suggest one or two wines that might be to your liking.

t0320raoul-solaire_feat2_3 — FRESH seafood and seaweed at the buffet

“We provide a wide variety of dishes in our buffets because we want to offer our customers value for their money,” Wassmer said.

Delightful appetizer

During breakfast at Solaire recently, I was amazed at the different types of sausages available. There was veal sausage, chicken sausage, pork links, spicy Merguez sausage and the local longganisa, best enjoyed with a dipping sauce of spiked vinegar.

Do not miss the imported wine jelly that goes well with the cheeses. Paired with a few crackers and dried fruit, it makes for a delightful appetizer for lunch or dinner.

I still couldn’t get over the actual honeycomb—with a few bees buzzing around for good measure—and the giant jar of Nutella that I originally thought was only there for display. Note to