de-light cuisine at spiral sofitel manila

It used to be that healthy food translated to me as bland and boring but eversince I started doing Crossfit religiously,  it changed my lifestyle and allowed me to open up my mind and give it a chance. After two months of working out and living with healthier food choices, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Once you get started, it gets easier. And the food, I find, is actually really tasty and better suited to my taste.

I no longer feel sluggish and bloated after meals, just perfectly content and satisfied without the guilt.

A great example of a delicious yet healthy meal is the new De-Light Cuisine at Spiral Buffet in Sofitel Manila.

Spiral's De-light was developed to compliment Sofitel and Vietura's new Beauty Staycation packages  - overnight stays that promote wellness: a sound mind + a sound body = a sound life.

It was during my Timeless Beauty staycation (read here) that I got to sample these new offerings that are perfect for the health conscious and those who want a refreshing mid-meal break from the other heavy dishes at Spiral buffet.

Yes, De-light dishes are included in the regular buffet so you can opt to go healthy all the way or insert a few of their dishes into your meal for a less-guilty buffet experience.

De-Light dishes are easy to spot, just look for the "De-Light" logo which also includes other information such as fat content and calorie count.

For our degustation that night, we got to try their Cold Gaspacho Soup, several main dishes, fresh-pressed cocktails and even an enjoyable low-fat dessert.

de-light cold gaspacho soup

 I am not really a fan of cold soup but this was okay. I enjoyed the one topped with shrimp at the far end though I would probably skip on the other two next time...it felt more like juice to me rather than soup...but that's just me, like I said, was never really a fan of cold soup in the first place...:P

shrimp and pomelo salad

 Healthy or not, Shrimp and Pomelo Salad has always been at the top of my Thai food list of favorites so I was really happy to find it included in the De-Light menu. Spiral's version is one of the cleanest tasting salads I have ever tried. The shrimp and pomelo used was extremely fresh. Shrimp was sweet and the Pomelo was perfectly ripe so it didn't leave a bitter aftertaste in the mouth.

Tandoori Chicken

 This didn't feel like diet food at all. Their Tandoori Chicken was well-seasoned and juicy. It was difficult to have just one piece. I couldn't get enough of the creamy cilantro sauce that was served alongside it.

Tofu with Fresh Scallops and Brocolli

 3 of my favorite things to eat. This was a no-brainer for me, loved it even before tasting it --- although the others found it a bit bland, I loved every bite. The tofu was silken and gave a great contrast to the crisp broccoli and springy scallops. I also found the sauce to have just enough flavor and the right type of consistency to perfectly compliment a delicate dish such as this one.

shrimp rolls

 This was so refreshing. A great snack or appetizer, something I wouldn't mind having everyday.

Salmon with Asparagus

 I'm not a big fan of Salmon because most restaurants tend to overcook it and you're left with a dry slab of fish. It can also be quite fishy when the fish used isn't fresh. This one though was super fresh and perfectly, perfectly cooked. Juicy, tasty, delectable and extremely luxurious as a main dish.

Sushi!

 Enough said! Who doesn't love this Japanese delicacy?

tuna tartare

 Like Sushi with a twist! Also extremely satiating and surprisingly heavy on the belly in a nice, guiltless way.

Fresh Oysters

 Bigger in size than I'm normally accustomed to but just as good. ;)

Yoghurt with Strawberry Compote and Green Tea Sponge Cakes

Hooray for guiltless dessert! Add the compote to the yoghurt and mix together for a cold treat. The light as a feather green tea sponge cakes work extremely well at cleansing the palette when the yoghurt/compote's sweet/sour flavor gets a bit too much. Get the most out of the dish when you alternate bites.

In conclusion: With De-Light at Spiral, eating healthy is now an exciting and gratifying experience. I enjoyed it so much, I skipped on all the other dishes included in the regular Spiral buffet. Having a 100% untarnished healthy meal from start to finish results in a nicely full but light belly. My mood was improved, I didn't leave the table sluggish and most importantly, I didn't feel like I was missing out at all.

For more info on Sofitel's Beauty Staycations, click HERE or visit: http://www.sofitelmanila.com/en

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