LSA Reviews: Harbourside buffet at Regent Hong Kong remains a firm favourite

In its heyday, the old Regent Hotel was the place to see and to be seen in the city and the Harbourside buffet was one of its most popular dining destinations. Now that the Regent is back, so is its famous buffet.

Even though the day was overcast, it was difficult not to catch my breath as the familiar view of Victoria Harbour opened up as we walk down the spiral staircase to the Harbourside. The place looks smaller than memory recalls because they have moved the seatings around a bit. It’s for the better; every table in the restaurant now enjoys the same spectacular sea view.

Despite being a weekday, it was buzzing with excited couples and families. Despite that, there was no rush to the buffet spreads. With only about four big stations, there wasn’t as many choices as I had expected but this was made up for by the quality of what was on offer.

One more conservative diner in our group was quite happy with his choices of cold cuts, cheese, bread and salads. The rest of us couldn’t resist the cold appetisers of prawns, roe crabs and crab claws. The roe crabs, in particular, were exceptionally meaty and filled with roe. There was also about eight types of sushi to choose from, besides sashimi choices of salmon, scallop, amaebi, tuna and hamachi.

The carving station served roasted US striploin and super crispy roasted pork belly. Tucked between the carving and the appetisers was the laksa counter where they make it to order. I opted for egg, prawn, fish cake and fish balls but it was the rich and creamy soup that made it a must-have. It was one of the best laksas I have had in Hong Kong, although it shouldn’t be surprising since head chef Nicholas Chan is a Malaysian native.

Besides the laksa, the Japanese grilled eel rice was also made to order. The eel was fleshy and well grilled, although the additional freshly made sauce they lathered the rice with was not to my taste and I would have preferred it the traditional unagi donburi style with just the soy sauce to flavour the rice.

The warm choices included the usual suspects: some dim sum choices, the ever popular steamed fish, curries, stews, pizza, and Hainanese chicken rice. The beef curry with the roti was excellent as was the chicken rice.

We were also spoilt for choice for desserts as well with cakes and cupcakes galore, as well as eight flavours of ice cream, waffles and even Portuguese tarts, as well as madeleines and cookies. My ice cream with M&M chocolates and strawberries made me feel like a kid again!

There are options for free flow champagne ($438) or prosecco ($238). You can also order from the menu for soft drinks, wine or the exclusive Taboocha kombucha.

Cuisine

International

We Recommend 

Cold

Roe crab, sashimi

Warm

Beef curry, steamed fish, Hainanese chicken rice

Made to Order

Laksa

Dessert

Portuguese tart, tiramisu

The Highlights 

We went for lunch and the view stretching from the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to IFC was stunning, despite it being an overcast day. For the quality of the food, prices are still very reasonable at $528 for weekday lunches and $688 on weekends and public holidays; $888 for dinner from Sunday to Thursday, $928 for Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays) and there’s more than enough to choose from for a fulfilling meal, making it a great choice for big groups and families with different dietary concerns.

Quick Notes

Address: 

Regent Hong Kong, Ground Floor
18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel: 2313 2313

Opening Hours

Lunch Buffet
Monday – Friday: 12:00 noon – 2:30pm
Saturday, Sunday and Public Holiday: 12:00 noon – 3:00pm
Dinner Buffet

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