Melbourne is the capital of Victoria, Australia, a thriving metropolis along Port Phillip Bay that is home to almost 100,000 people and hosts a million visitors every year. The city is known for its tourist-friendly attractions, from the Carlton Gardens and Royal Exhibition Building to a three-story aquarium with underwater roller coaster to the 88th floor skydeck at the crest of the stunning Eureka Tower. Lesser known, however, are Melbourne's quality buffet restaurants, with a select few that feature fresh caught seafood, professional service, a distinct well-maintained ambiance and positive reviews from locals in the know.
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Mesh (crownltd.com.au) is a stylish 280-seat restaurant on the ground floor of the Crown Promenade Hotel, near the Yarra River downtown. Modern decor includes wood floors, copper mesh and an open kitchen. The buffet features oysters, prawns and a wide assortment of fish on Friday and Saturday nights as well as lunch on Sunday. Live bands play on weekends, and buffet prices often include wine, beer or daquiris. One child per paying adult eats free on Sunday.
Windows Restaurant Melbourne
Windows Restaurant Melbourne (mirvachotels.com) in the Sebel Albert Park hotel has a chic, contempo look and uninhibited views of nearby Albert Park Lake. An all-you-can-eat seafood buffet is every Friday and Saturday evening along with an extensive a la carte menu of traditional Australian cuisine. Fresh seafood includes smoked salmon, Blue Swimmer crab and pan-seared snapper fillet. Mini cakes, Victorian cheeses and a Callebaut chocolate fountain round out the desserts.
Conservatory
Conservatory (conservatoryatcrown.com.au) is an upscale restaurant in the Crown Casino on the north side of the Yarra, adjacent to Batman Park and the Immigration Museum. The dining room sports soft golden hues, high ceilings and river views, with an atrium lounge that serves espresso and craft beers. A buffet stocked with locally sourced seafood is offered on public holidays and weekends at lunchtime, with live music on Sundays. Promotions include free cake and champagne for birthday boys and girls.
Melba
Melba (melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au) is a signature dining establishment in the Langham, Melbourne, hotel named for world-class opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. A sleek interior features shiny tiled floors, marble countertops and windows that look out on the city skyline, while chefs prepare food at a variety of cooking stations. The eatery's "Seafood Altar" is a seasonal summer buffet boasting eel, ceviche, trout, yabbies, Moreton Bay bugs and fresh-shucked oysters from the Tasman Sea.
New Quay International Buffet & Bar
New Quay International Buffet & Bar (newquaybuffet.com.au), situated along the New Quay Promenade, offers gourmet cuisines in a traditional buffet setting and glass-walled panoramas of the harbor outside. Fresh seafood, including sushi and sashimi, is laid out every day for lunch and dinner alongside antipasto, salad greens and various hot meats. Popular selections include baked crab shells, crumbed scallops and steamed prawn dumplings. Half price discounts apply to children under 8.
CHINA Bar Asian Buffet
The CHINA Bar Asian Buffet (chinabarsignature.com) on Burwood Highway just west of the Dandenong Valley Parklands is paradise for those seeking a casual East Asian-style seafood bistro. Chefs come from China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong, preparing delicacies that range from teriyaki eel to walnut prawns to salmon and avocado sushi. The dining room looks like a high-end cafeteria, with numerous hardwood tables and strands of white lights adorning the windows. Reservations are accepted.
Casavini Ristorante
Casavini Ristorante (casavini.com.au), established in 1988, puts an Italian spin on seafood buffets, with indoor and al fresco dining in a Florentine-inspired setting. The Jackson Court area bistro offers Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch buffets outfitted with prawn cutlets, calamari rings and baked rockling fillets. Mediterranean-themed appetizers include prosciutto, roast peppers and grilled eggplant, while chocolate mud cake and canoli filled with vanilla patisserie cream are fashionable desserts.
Gogi Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant
The family-run Gogi Korean BBQ Buffet Restaurant (no website; 146/148 Little Bourke St., Melbourne; 011-61-3-9663-7912) is nestled in the heart of downtown Melbourne, within walking distance of Carlton Gardens and the Chinese Museum. A modestly priced all-you-can-eat buffet is best known for its baby shrimp, calamari and seafood-fried rice. A simple canteen-style layout is equipped with community seating and in-table grills. Inexpensive Korean beer is served here, but guests must bring their own wine.
Margo's
Margo's (crowncasino.com.au) is on the main gaming floor of the Crown Casino and is limited to those 18 and older. A glass counter displays market-fresh fish packed in ice, some marinated in specially made sauces. Guests pick any and all fish of their choosing and watch as trained chefs cook and prepare it. Chef recommendations include barramundi, flounder, blue-eye, kingfish, crayfish and Tasmanian salmon. In addition, an extensive wine list offers pairings for any order.
Food Star Restaurant Narre Warren
Food Star Restaurant Narre Warren (foodstarrestaurant.com.au) is a family-style eatery in the Narre Warren section of Melbourne, about 30 minutes southeast of downtown. The restaurant has a relaxed, casual vibe that attracts everything from birthday parties to wedding receptions to corporate dinner events. The buffet offers unlimited helpings of 80 dishes, with a carvery, Chinese cuisines and seafood like baked cardinal fish, jumbo scallops and crab with spring onion. Takeout is also available.
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