{invite} Bianca: Haul out the fat pants and stretchy clothes, you’re going to need them. Team FFS assembled a few weeks back where we gorged on Pizza, pasta, seafood, Indian, cakes, Ice-cream… you name it, we ate it.
After a recent refurb the former Garden Buffet has now become Harvest Buffet. Sunday lunch sets you back $48.90 p.p and for seasoned profesh eaters I could see how easy it would be to take full advantage of the food on offer. Now we can eat with the best of them but when it comes to buffets our stomachs run and hide, we’re probably the least value for money people to take. Plus, total amateurs… We actually got an entire plate full of different breads and butter. A total no no.
Comparing Harvest to the Conservatory buffet at the Crown, which I had late last year at $89 p.p. The latter is clearly on the higher end of the scale and in terms of decor and locale (view etc) it has the edge. But for price and quality of food Harvest is just as good.
With different stations hosting different cuisines. We made a beeline for the Seafood and picked ourselves up some sushi rolls, with the cucumber being a favourite. As you know seafood isn’t exactly our favourite thing in the world. But there were ample bowls of fresh prawns, pipis, mussels and a seafood salad.
Cheese is also another firm favourite with team FSS, so I made us a little cheese plate with some brie and two types of cheddar. They were on the skint side with the lavosh and bread sticks when I rolled around, with nary a lavosh cracker to be found.
Paying homage to the mother country I picked up a few items from the Italian section, with the creamy orecchiette pasta being the standout favourite. The meatballs were soft and tender and the tomato based sauce well-developed. I wasn’t as taken with the pizza.
The Americana station had some southern fried chicken, charred corn and my personal favourite, the truffle salt fries. Which I covered gloriously in the mushroom sauce, a few stations over. Don’t judge me!
We were all smitten with the DIY Gua Bao’s at the Asian station. With pieces of crispy pork, topped with cucumber slices, shallots and sweet hoisin sauce. I could have eaten several of these.
I was equally impressed with the vegetable curry and the Naan at the Indian station but again they were a little low on stock.
At the Roast/Carvery station there was beef striploin, roast veggies, Yorkshire puddings, gravy and honey ham. I had reached a level after plate 2. So we all knew it was time for our favourite bit of any buffet, dessert!
The Dessert section was very well stocked with little cakes, a great bread and butter pudding, ice-cream with a topping section, freshly made waffles and three giant chocolate fountains with dippable items – strawberries, meringues, brownie bites. And fruit for the strange strange folk. Our favourites were the waffles topped with dark and milk chocolate sauce, chocolate ice-cream and fresh strawberries. I went to town on the chocolate ice-cream with m&ms and gummy bears because apparently buffets instantly transport me back to being a 5-year-old child. There is also a tea and coffee section, of which we indulged at the very end. Peppermint teas to sooth our very full tummies.
All in all, good quality food for the price point.
Bianca
Photos by Alex
*For Food’s Sake dined as guests of Harvest Buffet, all opinions however are our own.
Hehe I’m hopeless at getting value for money at buffets too. I mean I like seafood but I’ll just go make myself a lobster or crab sandwich and I’ll be happy with that! 😛
thank you, Bianca – I just put on 10 lbs by just looking at your photos and reading the article. We used to frequently have Sunday Lunch at the “Lord Jim” Restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, but changed recently – because we had the same problem most of us have with those incredible (but exspensive) buffets.