Get ready to be greeted by the opulence and lavishness of NIU by Vikings the moment you set foot inside this restaurant. It's like a five-star hotel restaurant with well-chosen pieces of decor, posh vases, rich leather couches, comfortable sofas, and wooden chairs and tables. The interiors are illuminated by exquisite lights that are neither too bright nor too soft.

I began my culinary journey that evening with slices of rib eye steak smothered with truffle gravy, slices of fresh salmon, cheesy baked oysters, herbed steamed mussels, chunks of lechon, and juicy shrimp. I consider the rib-eye steak and baked oysters as the star. I like how the rib eye was perfectly cooked and tender. It was salty, which I liked, but the flavor was further enhanced by the gravy. The baked oysters, meanwhile, were well-cooked but still juicy.

We also tried lobster in miso soup. It's also very nice with its light soup that cleansed and balanced the palate. Big crabs are also available which are best steamed and topped with toasted garlic. The claws are winners -- filled with juicy and tasty meat. Open the shell, and feel your cholesterol level go up just by looking at the rich crab fat.

I saved some space in my tummy for dessert. I only had two in mind, ice cream, and leche flan. I got pistachio and cappuccino ice cream flavors and I never regretted it a bit. Superb! Next, I headed to the halo-halo bar where I took chunks of leche flan swimming in caramel sauce. It was also perfect -- with its firm texture and rich milky-egg taste. It was heaven in each spoonful.

Drinks were also free-flowing, whether it was wine, beer, or juices. I tried several juices and iced tea from the bar.

Because it's premium, the price is also high. It was around P1,500++ per head. Service is also very fast and efficient.

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