FoodTrip ni TJ: Gumbo SM Mall of Asia

Pasay City, METRO MANILA

Date: SEP 10, 2019

Metrodeal offers some of the best vouchers in the country. While browsing the website, I saw a promo that reads “P1000 Worth of Food & Drinks at Gumbo" for only P599. I immediately purchased one voucher and asked my best friend, Aljhon, if he wanted to join. This will be the first time that I will eat at Gumbo, and hopefully, the experience will be worth it.

Gumbo offers a variety of menu items inspired by New Orleans cuisine. I’ve been seeing this restaurant inside the mall for years, but I had no idea what type of food they serve – until I saw an affordable voucher on Metrodeal. As I read through the voucher’s conditions, I saw that reservation should be made before heading to the restaurant to avail of their Metrodeal promo. I called the SM Mall of Asia branch after purchasing the voucher and reserved my seat. The next morning, Aljhon and I headed to the MRT North EDSA station and rode the train going to SM Mall of Asia.

SM Mall of Asia is going under massive expansion, and if you are clueless, you might get lost inside the colossal mall. I checked Gumbo’s address online and found out that it is situated near the bay. After 15 minutes of walking, we managed to reach Gumbo and I was surprised because there are no other customers inside, even if it is already lunchtime. I told the waiter about my reservation, and they handed out the menu. Now, it’s time to pick what we should eat. Based on the previous reviews that I saw online, Seafood Jambalaya is Gumbo’s best-seller, so I ordered one. We also ordered two cookies and cream milkshake and a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream on top for dessert.

Seafood Jambalaya

We ordered a huge serving of Seafood Jambalaya (Photo by: Aljhon Marco)

This dish is filled with spices, and it is loaded with seafood. Similar to paella, Seafood Jambalaya uses sticky rice as its base. The sticky rice is mixed with different spices to give it a strong flavor. Mussels, scallops, shrimps, squids, and sausages were placed on top to complete the presentation. This dish is suitable for seafood and rice lovers, and the money spent on a single order is worth it.

Cookies and Cream Milkshake

I love cookies and creak milkshakes! (Photo by: Aljhon Marco)

Gumbo turns this classic drink into a fancy one, decorated with a cookie sandwich on the side, and whipped cream on top. It is not too sweet and tasted like your ordinary cookies and cream flavored milkshake.

Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Oozing vanilla ice cream on top of a moist chocolate cake (Photo by: Aljhon Marco)

For our dessert, we ordered a chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream. The chocolate cake is served hot, and the heat melts the vanilla ice cream. It is moist and chewy, and the sweetness from the ice cream complemented the taste of the chocolate cake.

VERDICT: ★★★☆☆

Gumbo SM Mall of Asia has nice-looking interiors, and the restaurant staff is really nice. However, there’s nothing special with their food, and it is also a little bit pricey. Nevertheless, I thank Gumbo for launching a Metrodeal promo. Maybe I’ll come back, especially if there are great deals online.