Brace yourself.
You’re about to be confused. In a good way.
Your stomach will be telling you to stop. But your taste buds will be wanting more.
From there, it’s all about will power. And common sense as you make your way through each section of the buffet at Ariala at Lexington Rd, directly across the highway from Arndale Shopping Centre.
The restaurant talks about simple food and great flavours, made from fresh ingredients.
Tucked away in one corner is a tray of scotch fillet steaks, tender with either mushroom sauce or gravy.
At the opposite corner of the buffet is a tray of perfectly-cooked roast pork belly, alongside pork ribs smothered in smoky sauce.
Order any of these items as a single dish at any other restaurant and you’ve covered the $38.50 price of entry.
I was once told that buffets have the habit of sucking the flavour right out of a good meal.
But that’s not the case here. It’s obvious from the variety of dishes on display, from Chinese, to Italian, to modern Australian, to seafood, to Mediterranean, that the chefs have been given a license to be creative.
If I’m to offer a suggest about how to best enjoy a great buffet, and not walking out feeling like you’ve been on one-too-many rides at the show: Resist the temptation to leap in for a bite of everything on offer, although on the first visit, that’s exactly what our table felt compelled to do.
Instead, think about each tray as a menu item – or at least part of a menu item. Then think about how you might order a three-course meal at an a la carte restaurant.
Scoop it onto your plate, be proud of your presentation, and voila. You’ll feel less like you’ve been let loose in a lolly store, and more like you’ve gained a culinary experience.
At one end of the dessert bar is a large chocolate fountain with plenty of fruit and marshmallow to work with.
But stop. There’s a middle and another end to this tale, cakes and desserts made in-house by the chefs, and a hot bar with deep-fried banana and sticky date pudding.
Coffee, tea and water are included in the price, but there’s also a fully-stocked bar.
There’s nothing more frustrating at a buffet than having plates piled up at the end of the table, but service here is so quick that plates will almost disappear from under your nose.
Having been opened for about seven months, the training has had time to kick in and it shows.
Some of my foodie colleagues will rib me for saying this about any buffet, but bravo to the crew at Ariala. They’ve broken the boring, tasteless formula that usually comes with all-you-can-eat dining, and introduced flavour.
It’s a welcome addition to Logan’s dining landscape.
Leave a Reply