After months of enjoying a la carte menus it was time to try a dinner buffet. Indulging in a buffet for dinner seems a bit overwhelming, yet, I thought it to be a change. We, as a nation often crave for wholesome lunch buffets, so how would we receive a buffet at night?
The Harbour Court is an award winning venue. I have had their Oyster Brunch Buffet on Sundays a few months back and it was a scintillating affair. The dinner buffet on Friday night was full of people and happening in every sense.
The Hotel has the advantage of a prudently designed fixed layout for a smooth flow of food service, supplemented by large glass windows that give you a refreshing view of the ocean. The lights from the distant Port City project cast their silhouette on the glass. I noticed a unique tag on a few tables: instead of saying ‘reserved’ the board said, “promised” which is a lovely way of appreciating a dinner reservation.
A steward recommends that I try the Blossom Breeze mocktail, concocted with strawberry, lime and passion pulp. Its crimson hue was very appealing when brought to the table. The buffet had an extensive choice with a convergence of culinary styles from Europe, India, China, Japan and South East Asia. One way to enjoy a buffet is to skip the soup or just savour a few spoons of it. Some are given to the habit of taking a ‘bowl full’ of soup (and bread rolls) and later tell friends that they could not eat this and that as they were feeling full. In that sense soups are best suited for an elegant a la carte meal sequence.
The buffet has a splendid range of cold cuts and cheese, supplemented by a long and healthy choice of salads. It was nice to see duck being served as this is not found often for dinner. The stand out dishes for me was the vegetable terrine, presented in neat consistent slices. The terrine is a unique way to present vegetables, and adds to the opulent culinary expression. An array of sushi with wasabi sauce had many guests hovering around.
The choice of mains was real value for money. Executive Chef Kithsiri de Silva and his team have beautifully brought forth dishes in their traditional recipes. I was able to see a Hungarian beef goulash after a long time. At the Indian action station with the tandoor oven, juicy kebabs were done to perfection by Chef Sanjay Prasad and his colleague.
Again, the Kingsbury team must be given credit for having a Sri Lankan corner for the benefit of those eating our native food for the first time. There was a good presentation of pickles, sambols and chutneys along with rice and curry. The vegetarian dishes onboard also had ample choice for those not indulging in any meat.
Dessert after a long meal is always a challenge, and thankfully I was able to have a few bites of the sweet sensations. Once again the display of local sweets must be commended.
The dinner buffet is a lovely way to conclude the working week and jubilantly enter the weekend.