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At the time of writing (September 25, 2008) it
seems the world is in the middle of a recession. It’s all doom
and gloom. But walk into Red Hot World Buffet in the Theatre
District and you could be forgiven for believing our economy is
in the middle of a boom! This place was buzzing! I had not been
looking forward to this review – buffet? I am not keen on
buffets at all, until now that is!
Red Hot World Buffet pride themselves on
providing a buffet that does not compromise on quality. No easy
task for a busy restaurant, but with no fewer than 17 chefs to
hand, every step necessary is taken to ensure this is an eating
experience you will never forget.
Décor
A large open planned restaurant greets you with
probably enough room to seat in excess of 200 people. A huge
rectangular red neon light catches your eye in the centre of the
room before your eyes move to the left to see the buffet area
which is a flurry of activity. The few empty dark mahogany
tables that remained with high back chairs were immaculately yet
simply prepared. The buffet area is superbly lit and given the
number of people helping themselves to the tasty food on offer;
it was incredibly clean and inviting. Kaldhaliwal, the creator
of the concept of Red Hot World Buffet sadly passed away at the
age of 41, but he will surely be looking down with some pride at
what is now his legacy.
Food
Red Hot World Buffet have created something quite
unique. This is no ordinary buffet! Your options of food range
from Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Italian, Indian and Mexican. As
you will see, my business partner and I did out best to sample
everything for you the reader.
The starters are so inviting that it would not
surprise me if you returned to or three times just for these and
found no room for a main course. The Indian starters were
outstanding in quality. Particular mention has to be given to
the Tandoori Chicken which, like all the food, was still hot
when we returned to our seats. The onions that came with this
helping were so incredibly fresh too. This was almost too good
for a buffet. In our quest to sample tasty food throughout
Milton Keynes, this really was setting the taste buds alight.
You should also treat yourself to the Lamb Seekh
Kebab. This was slightly dry but a helping of the Mint Chutney
makes the world of difference. The Onion Bhaji is another must,
with a delightfully crispy outer, yet soft, moist and tasty
centre.
The Chinese starters were also a delight. The
crispy aromatic duck is shredded finely, almost to a mince. The
plum sauce might have been a slight let down (too runny) but the
fresh spring onions made up for this to create a tasty starter.
Where the plum sauce failed, the sweet chilli sauce that
accompanied my vegetable spring rolls was out of this world. The
spring rolls were quite thin, but smacked of flavour and instead
of helping myself to two, I wish I had taken more. The same can
be said of the Calamari Rings!
The BBQ Chicken Wings had an amazingly crispy,
smoked but not burnt skin, and this yet again left my partner
and I looking at each other with facial expressions that simply
said “Wow!” You will struggle to find anywhere else where there
is such an abundance of flavours and such a huge variety of
tasty dishes. There is even the option to choose your own
ingredients and sauce for a stir-fry. Simply put the ingredients
onto a plate, choose your sauce, inform the chef of your table
number and they will cook it for you and bring it to your table.
For mains I decided to return to an Indian dish
and opted for both the Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikka Masala
with steamed rice. I approached the steamed rice only to find
there was none left but as soon as I turned, approaching me was
one of the 17 Chefs with a new bowl. The curries did not match
the starters but my plate was still left empty. The steamed rice
was simply perfect. The Tikka Masala was slightly overpowered by
the strong tomato sauce and I would have preferred to have seen
slightly less colouring. A minor criticism maybe, but boy, were
we having a good time!
My partner opted for the Mexican which was almost
like a ‘pick n mix’ in a sweet shop. That is not putting this
particular section of the buffet down, it’s simply evidence of
how much choice of food is on offer. Their fajita was almost
predictably filled with too much food and it had to be cut in
order to be eaten. This was actually fun. Food can be enjoyed in
so many different ways, and for once we decided not to take
ourselves too seriously as we relaxed and enjoyed what could
only be described as a feast.
You should not be surprised when we tell you that
for desserts you are once again spoiled for choice. With an ice
cream bar containing ice cream made in the restaurant, a section
where you can make your own sundae, a whole host of cakes and
sweets and fruits, you can simply help yourself to whatever
takes your fancy. There is a Fruit Compote where you can choose
your fruit and liqueur and watch the chef prepare a dessert for
you.
In conclusion, we were amazed
at the quality of food on offer for a buffet. Compliments have
to be given to connections for serving hot and fresh food that
was not only tasty, but also fantastic value for money.
Atmosphere
Red Hot World Buffet is simply a must for anyone
wishing to try a new dining experience. The establishment was
packed with families, couples, and groups, all of varying ages
but all having a good time. The buffet experience and countless
smiles you will encounter throughout the evening from fellow
diners and staff all add to a unique experience.
Service
The staff could not have been more welcoming. It
is clear the team have an amazing passion for what they do.
Whilst you do only need their help if you choose to have some
food freshly cooked for you, or for your drinks order, we were
served with a smile and little time was wasted in bringing our
drinks or fresh cutlery for our next course. |
