Worse - 'American Chinese'

Wow... some very true points in this :D

And never thought of taking a 'whole tray' to the table to feast on :p

But a very through guide to the uninitiated ;)

sure like at a chain or lowend place like Todai, but when done right what a great buffet.:-:

For me it's "Veggie Burger" :D

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9530/4.7.0.113 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I was thinking about this article as I had a gluttonfest at the Grand Hyatt BOM brunch buffet this afternoon.

It gets worse:

"tofu steak" :eek:

Right now in Berlin, had shivers down the spine on the "Veggie Kebab" offerings. ;)

...and very soon touforkey :eek: :eek:

"California Roll" or "Vegetarian"

I may be totally alone in this, but when I hear, or see someone actively searching out the 'best buffet' -- I first think 'oxymoron' - as in there is NO BEST buffet, and then in my own mind think 'what kind of a person actively looks for food on a buffet line ?? I have, on occasion been in a situation where there is a buffet, but I would not seach it out for decent food intentionally--When I picture Buffet Lines, I see LARGE people, with BIG plates, looking to stuff themselves. Again This is only my view and not meant to antagonize those who frequent such establishments ;)

Here in Europe, you can find premium buffets that are 1.) high in price and 2.) low on choices which allows the overall quality and freshness of the food to be very high.

I don't know if such a market exists in the US though.

Two words...Las Vegas

Actually there are really good ones in Reno too, and in casinos all over Nevada including such places as Elko, Wells, and Winnemucca. Possibly the best breakfast buffet I've had in my life was at the Peppermill in Wells, NV.

I have had excellent food in hotel breakfast buffets. The charcuterie, cheese and pastries found in European Hotels, and the East-West combinations (fried chicken for breakfast - why not) you find in 5* hotels in SE Asia really hit the spot for me. Things that need to be cooked fresh generally can be.

In England buffet food is mostly terrible, usually MSG-laden congealed 'Chinese' - Indian buffets are a little better, the naan breads tend not to do well for sitting in a warmer, but curries are quite acceptable served this way.

I am surprised that there is not a dedicated thread on FlyerTalk for weekend/Sunday brunches. I suppose that this one is the closest, so I feel compelled to post.

I have eaten at some nice brunches in my day (my top two weekend brunches so far are probably Bally's in Las Vegas and the Four Seasons in Chiang Mai), but the other day I ate at the new Shangri-La on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, and it deserves to be added to the list.

It's an Asian-themed brunch, which takes over all three of the hotel's restaurants (normally a Chinese, Vietnamese, and international buffet). It features a pretty amazing array of dishes, at various cooking stations, at which I found the food of very high-quality and the chefs friendly and accommodating.

They have Asian salads, sushi and sashimi of course, as well as salads and Arabic mezze. Then a fish counter, where you can ask for any of the displayed varieties (including lobster, prawns, various Gulf fish, squid, etc.) to be cooked to your liking. This area also has a few pre-prepared dishes, including lobster, mussels, Asian-style seasoned skewers of meat and seafood, and others.

Then there is another hot area, which on this day featured an outstanding lamb ouzi, which is normally not the most interesting dish, but this one was a very modern preparation, with crispy skin and a bed of red cabbage. Here also features various international dishes of meat and vegetables, including both Arabic-style and Tandoori mixed grill, Arabic hot mezze, roast meats, more seafood dishes, etc.

There is a large Indian area, with a handful of outstanding curries and rice dishes, including naan hot from the oven, and a Moroccan area with yet another type of grilled meat as well as tagine and other dishes.

Off to another side was a Chinese area, with dim sum, a few noodles and other dishes, and, one of the highlights, Peking duck.

The desserts were slightly disappointing, although a decent variety. They have not one but three chocolate fountains (white, milk, and dark), an attended ice cream bar, a candy counter, umm ali and that warm Arabic cheese dessert whose name escapes me, and a smallish selection of pastries, mousses, and Arabic sweets. Unfortunately no real Southeast Asian desserts.

The setting and service were marvelous, and price was good too -- about AED 190+, or 220 all-in (about $60), which includes water and soft drinks; beer; red, white, and sparkling wine; and coffee and tea. (They offered juices, but I am not sure if those were included.)

P.S. They did a great job with the hotel and surrounding environment. There is a "souk" in a modern Arabic style along the water with a handful of intriguing restaurants, including Abdel Wahab (one of the best Lebanese in Beirut, which is expanding in the Gulf region), a steak place, a great-looking Indian, and others.