Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila: Sabato Cena Italiana’s Limited Dinner Affair

 

Save your Saturday nights for Oakroom Bar and Restaurant’s latest addition to its variety of culinary fares, Sabato Cena Italiana. Located at the 6^th floor of the Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila, Oakroom  is a cozy and cosmopolitan escape nestled within the bustling Ortigas business district. 

For a limited time of just three months starting last June 7, Oakroom’s Saturday dinner buffet showcases a smorgasbord of Italian attractions for the palate.

Get ready for an overwhelming array of appetisers – from antipasto like Italian cold cuts and assorted cheese (mouthwatering names like Mascarpone, Gorgonzola, Formaggio, Provolone and Parmesan) to Caesar salad samplers and bruschetta sliders – the starters aren’t just tempting, but are actually enough to fill you up.

Don’t forget to try the non-conventional bites in contemporary Italian cuisine, either, such as the Beef Carpaggio, Roasted Pork with Tuna Sauce, Parma Wrapped Melon and Parmigiano Crème Brûlée, just to name a few. 

Once you’ve had your fill of Mini Fritatas and the like, move on to Sabato Cena Italiana’s sumptuous entrees. Start out with the tomato-based Minestrone soup – guilt-free and filling on its own.

Carnivores rejoice! Sabato Cena Italiana has its very own Parma station, where you can get slivers of the massive ham cut straight onto your plate. Osso Buco Bits (succulent veal shanks) and Scallopini de Miale (thinly sliced pork) also grace the platters of this buffet.

I am a huge fan of croquettes. These creamy béchamel and potato deep fried into balls of golden perfection are always winner in my books. And delectably enough, the buffet serves its Italian counterpart arranged on top of pomodoro sauce, Arancini.

Italian meatballs, anyone? Alongside the potato croquettes are the Polpettini – bite-sized versions of the well-loved meatballs cooked in white sauce with capers. 

Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola: a curious dish for the first-timer. Green pasta resembling olives with creamy gorgonzola sauce. Beside the gnocchi sits the Roasted Grouper with Italian Herbs and Olive Oil to balance out the richness of the pasta.

A better way to eat your vegetables: Eggplant Parmigiana and Roasted Baby Potato with Pesto 

I found myself indulging mostly in the Mussels in White Wine – juicy mussels cooked the right way. Alongside the mussels are deep-fried fish and calamari or Fritto Misto served with tartar as dip.