Destination Dining: Pacific Land

Delicious bite-sized desserts at Shangri-La's Seafood, El Marino buffet. Photo / Shauni James

154-17 Jungmungwangwang-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Island, Korea

We arrived... on a warm sunny day with clear blue skies. The weather was ideal given the restaurant's location: much of the space has big open windows looking out to sea. It was a serene view to enjoy along with our meals.

We chose here because... we were recommended the place, which has undergone renovations recently, by our lovely hosts who built an itinerary for us during our stay in Korea.

My first impression was... what a stunning view! I liked the open space of the restaurant. Then I caught sight of the food: a massive buffet with what seemed a never-ending array of choices.

Shangri-La's Seafood, El Marino buffet food. Photo / Shauni James

I started with… the legendary Jeju Black Pork. The breed is found on Jeju Island and this dish is well-loved by locals. Covered in a crispy crumb with a douse of barbecue-style sauce, it was delectable and I went back for more than one helping. I also piled my plate with as much seafood as I could without looking too greedy: salmon, tuna, sashimi rolls and prawn dumplings - all were delicious. The restaurant also serves a "black bread". It looked unusual but was surprisingly good. So much so that it also warranted going back for seconds.

The highlight was… not the impressive array of fresh seafood or the cute sweet treats for dessert. It was something I'd never even heard of before: calamansi juice. Also known as calamondin or Philippine lime, it's described as the Filipino version of lemonade. I couldn't tell you how many glasses I drank of the stuff, but I had no shame in returning to the dispenser to top up my glass more than twice.

Delicious bite-sized desserts at Shangri-La's Seafood, El Marino buffet. Photo / Shauni James

Dessert was… Small, cute and delicious. From brownie to cakes to tarts and ice cream there was plenty to choose from and each came in bite-sized portions. There was also bread pudding on offer, which I have to say was quite heavenly.

Come here if… you want to be satiated and don't mind carrying a food baby out with you.

- Shauni James