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| - This review is extended because I've had some time to think about how I really felt about it... and there's really a lot to talk about.
In the sea of buffets in Vegas, there are a few that stand out... Bacchanal at Caesars, Wicked Spoon at Cosmo, and now, the buffet at SLS.
The SLS buffet is not as big as the other two and there's not as much variety, but some of the things that they do well, they do very well.
Before we get into it though, I will mention that they just opened not very long ago, and so I'm sure they are changing and making tweaks every day.
The buffet's variety is limited as I mentioned before. And at times, it feels unbalanced.
Ok, let's get to the Chinese section. Dim sum. Whose bright idea was it to bring dim sum to Las Vegas buffet? Was it Bacchanal? I don't care. I love it I can't get enough of it. I'm from Hong Kong so I know my dim sum and this is legit. They come in cute individual bamboo steamers too. I love a good presentation. Oh, and something about their spring rolls. They're like crack. Crispy and the vegetable filling hits the spot. I'm not sure how many of those I ate.
They had XO Rolled Rice Noodles. I have never seen that at a buffet before. This is a very Cantonese dish. Rolled rice noodles woked with spicy XO sauce. Delicious and comforting. And then there's the chow mein. Ho-hum. Chow mein. WAIT! No, this is no ordinary chow mein. This is Cantonese style soy sauce chow mein ("soy sauce king" chow mein). Clearly, they've got a Cantonese chef back there! Hello! I can eat just in the Chinese section of the buffet and be happy.
With that said, there are some very specialized dishes there. Namely, the pork knuckles and chicken feet. They're not for me, but I know people who like them. But I also know far more people who don't... and this might be one of those things that can be sacrificed to make room for more variety. Even the XO Noodles and soy sauce chow mein are pretty niche in my opinion, as much as I love them. But I'm not complaining that there's good Canto food here.
Let's move away from my variety issue, and get on to what else they have. Sushi is well represented here, and surprisingly fresh. Buffet tuna can often be a little mushy. But the tuna here has nice texture, and tastes great. Definitely go get yourself some sushi here.
The meat station... I tried the prime rib. I have yet to find a buffet that has decent prime rib which is why I avoid it if I can. But they nailed it. It was juicy, tender, and well seasoned. I'm pretty impressed.
Unfortunately I wasn't a fan of the cold seafood station. Peel and eat shrimp... It was overcooked and having to peel shrimp shells was a pain. I get that having the shrimp shells on provides more flavor (I often cook shrimp with the shells on myself), but when you overcook the shrimp, the shells won't save you.
The crab legs were good. On par with Caesars.
Let's move on to the desserts... The good: salted peanut butter ice cream. It is exactly how I imagined it to be, and it was delicious.
But unfortunately the rest of the desserts were disappointing. I didn't try their cupcakes and brownies or the many variations of them (blondies). They just looked dense and heavy, and after a big meal, that's not what I'm looking for. I did try their tiramisu, and that was pretty sad. Likewise for their chocolate mousse and cannoli. The desserts just seemed very one-dimension.
I would have appreciated maybe chocolate dipped strawberries, maybe something tart? Lighter desserts. I think they can benefit from a new pastry chef.
Let's talk service. Service is amazing. Top notch. Attentive and friendly wait staff, and the manager was always visible. Can't ask for more.
So let's go back to my obsession about variety. During the meal I felt the buffet was missing a station, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I think it might be just snack/finger foods. As silly as it sounds, one of my favorite things to get at Wicked Spoon and Bacchanal is snacks. Fries, sweet potato tots, chips... whatever. Simple stuff, right?
Overall, I had an enjoyable experience, and I know this place can (and will) get better. I will be back (especially since I have 2 free buffets from their player's club! :)
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