Address: The Langham, 83 Symonds Street
Phone: 09 300 2852
Website: eightrestaurant.co.nz
Cuisine: International
Rating: 7/10
Buffets. Smorgasbords. All you can eat. Long gone are the days when this style of frenzied eating held any appeal for me. What starts out as a visual feast soon resembles a train wreck with me very much the victim of too much food and not enough quality.
So ... my exact words to the friend I was trying to convince to join me at the Langham's newest hotel restaurant, Eight, were "I know it's a buffet, but the Langham does everything so well, let's give it a go".
I'd done my research and it sounded interesting; the website claimed "Eight kitchens. One culinary journey". The kitchens are "interactive" which is to say that each is staffed by qualified chefs who prepare and cook to order so diners can create their own degustation. A buffet of sorts then.
Executive Chef Volker Marecek is on hand as a tour guide for the eight different culinary destinations that include the Silk Road (wok, steam baskets and dim sum), Great Ocean Rd (seafood), Tokaido (sushi and sashimi), Route 66 (grill), Spice Route (Indian tandoori and curries), Garden Route (salads), Champs-Elysees (pastries, crepes and cheese), and Dessert Road (desserts).
We made three rules for ourselves: not to rush, not to overeat, and not to feel obliged to sample everything. This is what our journey looked like...
First leg: Beginning with the Silk Road, we selected freshly prepared and steamed prawn and pork shaomai dumplings, mini pork buns and tasty vegetarian dumplings as well as a small bowl of the wok special - egg noodles with black pepper and prawns. Alongside the dim sum station was the Great Ocean Rd so, what the heck, I added some prawns, a slipper lobster tail and a drizzle of thousand island dressing to my plate. Back at our table we tucked in and were impressed - the dumplings were tender and tasty, the noodles, though a little short on prawns, were jam-packed with pieces of sweet and spicy thin, red Chinese sausage, the seafood fresh.
Second leg: We decided to split up in an attempt to cover all destinations without doubling up. I headed to the Garden for a simple antipasto of crunchy baby cos leaves, shaved parmesan, prosciutto, slow roasted vine tomatoes and a splash of smooth balsamic vinegar, which I noted was one of the more expensive brands as opposed to the cheap, throat-catching supermarket varieties.
My friend made for the sushi and sashimi and emerged with a plate of delicate and beautifully presented sushi selection as well as some freshly prepared tuna sashimi that was "incredibly fresh and just melts in the mouth" according to her.
Third leg: Feeling confident that we had our portions under control, we headed for the big guns - me to Route 66 and my friend to the country of her forebears, India. The meat selection at the grill is impressive with free range pork, First Light venison steaks, locally produced sausages as well as a full selection of beef and lamb cuts. Back at our table we shared our spoils.
The naan were unbelievable - they were fluffy and piping hot, fresh from the tandoor oven, blistered and charred in all the right places. Chef Marecek had boasted that the butter chicken was the best in Auckland and I'd have to agree that it was up there - tangy and spicy, not cloyingly sweet like so many inferior recipes. A lamb curry was similarly authentic. The rice, basmati flecked with toasted cumin seeds in true jeera chawal style, was delicious.
The souvenirs I'd returned with from the grill were not as impressive. The pork scotch and on-the-bone steak I'd ordered were cut too thin and, combined with being slightly over-cooked, were on the dry side.
At this stage we were feeling smug that, by exercising some portion control, we'd avoided that over-stuffed feeling a buffet usually brings about. Little did we know ...
Homeward bound: It all turned to custard on the Dessert Rd. Confronted with all of my favourite puddings, it was impossible to show restraint. Mini versions of vanilla pannacotta, creme caramel, tiramisu, lemon meringue pie, poached fruit in sabayon and more. Suffice to say, all three of our self-imposed rules were broken on Dessert Rd.
The verdict? Eight's buffet elevates itself above the norm by using quality ingredients and by preparing and cooking the food to order. If buffet is not your gig, Eight also offers a respectable looking a la carte menu.
They're hoping to attract not just the hotel guests but regular diners too and I'd say they're on the right track. Book your tour today.
From the menu: Dinner buffet @ $67 pp (lunch @ $37 pp, same 8 kitchens with reduced selection).
Drinks: Fully licensed.
