The Double Mid-Autumn Surprise: Ramada Ongpin's Buffet

- September 9, 2014, Tuesday.

- My friend Margarette texted me excitedly right after I finished doing some editing for my thesis proposal. She asked if I was free, and if I was, she wanted me to hurry up to Binondo's Ramada Hotel. I knew something big was up, because I detected a really different speech pattern through her texts. Trusting her with my life, I dressed up quickly and dashed off to Ramada.

- After arriving at the second floor of the hostel, where the humble buffet was located, I saw Margerette, Melissa, and two other friends I did not expect to see. I gasped; I was so shocked that I was not able to make a sound, and I covered my mouth with both hands to make sure I won't scream and make the hotel explode. I saw the Oi twins, Oi Hing and Oi Kwan, and apparently it was their last day in the country from their short mid-autumn-long-weekend vacation. They have been based in Hong Kong for some time now, and I was fortunately able to meet them last March when I visited Hong Kong for the 9th Asian Studies Conference organized by the Asian Studies Association of Hong Kong and a short vacation afterwards (see part 1, part 2, and part 3.) Margarette and Melissa knew about the twins' coming after both of them met the twins in Hong Kong just before my trip to Korea a few weeks ago for the 25th International Youth Forum (see part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.,) but all four of them apparently kept the secret from me just so they could make me do a priceless surprised face that was not caught on cam. (Thanks, guys.)

Twins!! :D:D:D:D

- I settled down after I was told about everything, and I got myself ready for the buffet. Ramada's buffet is not too big, but I fancied the food options available. The buffet both served non-Chinese/international (ex. broccoli and cheese, paella,) and a limited choice of dimsum. It had a pasta and fresh lumpia (fresh spring roll) station as well. The dessert station served a few cakes, three kinds of ice cream, and some fresh fruits. Apart from these, I also had my eye on their fluffy ensaymada that I paired up with their diabetically-sweet chocolate ice cream (since there was no hot chocolate around.)

Pardon my hunger.

My ensaymada with chocolate ice cream.

- We finally had to leave when the twins had to meet their family and rush off to the airport to catch their late afternoon flight back to Hong Kong. Marga had to leave too to fix some stuff back home, while Melissa and I went to Lucky Chinatown to catch a movie to give our tummies some time to digest our nice heavy lunch.