#963 Buffet dining allows you to sample many flavors while…

One of the best parts about living in or visiting Las Vegas is the buffet. Practically every casino or resort in Las Vegas has a buffet. Just last night Brenna and I were eating at the Silverton Casino buffet and I was only semi joking when I said, “You know you have lived in Las Vegas a while when they know you by name at several buffets.”

When I first moved to Las Vegas over a decade ago I stayed with my friend Ron in his castle. It is literally a castle. Wild I know. Anyway, it was just us two guys as his wife was on tour in Egypt so we figure one good way for him to show me around and teach me the city while we fed ourselves was to visit a different casino or resort each night and eat at their buffet. At first I thought this was going to be a little pricey and sometimes it was. Gone are the days in Las Vegas where the buffet cost a dollar or two. Now it can run you $30 or more if you go to the higher end places like Bellagio or Cosmopolitan or even Studio B at the M resort and casino on the weekend. (Weekend or seafood nights are usually more expensive.) We were able to justify it in our own heads and here is how:

 
Ok, let me back up a bit and explain the buffet for those who have yet to experience one and why they make me smile.

At the buffet there are generally several different stations or areas. You have the Asian section with egg rolls and sushi and oxtail soup. The Italian section with pizza and pasta. The Mexican station with enchiladas and tacos. Depending on where you go the stations will all be different and offer different selections. Gone too are the days were everything is lumped into one sterile lunch line like in middle school cafeteria.

Check out that line at Studio B buffet at M Resort. And that is only half of it plus the dessert line!

You can go to the line and have as much, or as little, of any item you desire. You can go back as often as you like. So for Ron and me it was great. Maybe I only want one piece of pizza. No problem at the buffet. At home we would have had to cook, and eat, the whole thing. Same if we wanted roast beef or cauliflower or couscous. Do you know how to cook that stuff? We didn’t. So off to the buffet for us it was.

The other neat thing about the buffet is it offered a change of scenery. Why sit around a dreary old castle when we could have views like this at Flamingo?

There are many ‘tips’ to going to a buffet. Most of them are dumb and gluttonous. “In the days before your buffet adventure, drink a lot of water so as to stretch the stomach.” Or “Eat a light snack in the morning before your buffet trip including food with sugar to get your metabolism ready for your big meal.” And “Don’t wear a belt rather wear something with an expandable waistband.” Really?

Here is my tip for a wonderful buffet experience: Walk the line and view all the choices before taking anything. Decide what it is you would like to enjoy concentrating on the items you would most likely not have at home and take a small portion of it. One or two bites will do. Sample everything.

Note I said “sample”. There is no reason to pile your plate three feet high. Relax and enjoy all the wonderful tastes and sensations. With my buffet strategy you can wear your pants with the belt …and a smile.

Have you gone to a buffet in Las Vegas? Or some other city? What was your experience? I seem to recall a place called the Swedish Smorgasbord. Anyone else remember that? Let me know in the comments. Love to hear abut your Las Vegas or buffet experiences.