Fireworks that look like flowers in the sky
The annual Philippine International Pyromusical Competition is now on its third year and it’s a definite must-go event if you love fireworks that won’t threaten to blow your fingers off.
Sunset View at SM Mall of Asia
This event is held every Saturday from February 11, 2012 to March 17, 2012 at the SM Mall of Asia. You can reserve tickets at the Philippine Pyromusical Competition website or look for restaurants with a veranda view. That’s what I did.
Tanabe at SM Mall of Asia
I’ve never tried Tanabe before but a number of friends and relatives of mine say this place has really good Japanese food so I decided to book a reservation here for Php 1,200 per head (consumable). It means that you can spend the whole 1,200 on any kind of food and drink from their menu, but keep in mind that they also have service charge so your bill might be over the original 1,200 per head.
Other restaurants have different packages too but if you want to have dinner and watch the fireworks, you have to have a reservation or you can’t get to the veranda restaurants (e.g. Italianni’s, Gumbo, Cafe Adriatico, etc).
The food at Tanabe was really good and they have huge servings. The 1,200 per person will be easily maxed out if you have a huge appetite but it’s okay to share with your companion too.
I actually really loved the view offered outside Tanabe. Luckily, our table was the second table from the railing so there weren’t many ‘heads’ covering the view. I didn’t want to stand up to take photos since I might obstruct the view for other people, so it was a really good thing we were seated near the railings.
The fireworks are a bit wiggly because I didn’t bring the tripod anymore. But if you want a more stable burst of lights, go and bring a tripod. Get there early and set it up to get the right angle and position. The organizers send up a few test shots before complete sundown to test the visibility of the fireworks. They really do their best to give everyone a show to remember.
The mall is already packed with people as early as four in the afternoon, so it would be a good thing to arrive early at the vicinity and get a good parking slot near the exits. Maybe catch a movie in the afternoon and head to your reserved seats at around six in the evening, or an hour before the show starts.
Kill some time by window shopping or looking through the menu of the restaurant you chose. It’s going to be a long night so it would be nice to check out some good food while you enjoy the view. Or you can eat first then enjoy the whole show by taking a video or photographing them.
Overall, the food, the view, and the show made the evening a great night to remember. It was my second time to catch the Pyromusical competition and the view at the second floor (from Tanabe) is better than the view from the first (Fish & Co). Try checking out different restaurants and have a whole new experience.
