The Buffet Dining Experience in the New Normal at Solaire Resort & Casino's Fresh

It's been quite some time since my last buffet dining experience due to the pandemic. With the latest health and safety protocols in place, Fresh at Solaire Resort & Casino is ready for the new normal...

Much has changed since the lockdown last year. Things may be a lot different in this new normal, but value and variety in a lavish buffet spread still ranks high in everyone's list. A sumptuous international buffet dining experience awaits at Solaire Resort & Casino with the world's finest cuisine all in one place at Fresh International Buffet. Your safety and peace of mind are also a priority, and Fresh ensures all mandatory protocols are properly set up for the new normal way of buffet dining. Read on for a virtual tour and revisit Fresh at Solaire...

Temperature scans and registration at the entrance are now part of the standard procedures in the new normal. Inside Fresh at Solaire, you'll find clear plexiglass shields installed in all the food stations, all you have to do is point and the station chefs will do the rest. Food handling is limited to the station chefs to ensure food safety at all times. Frequent sanitizing of every surface is also practiced along with the implementation of maximum social distancing, that's two per table, for the new normal way of buffet dining. That's no problem for large groups or families, tables can arranged as long as the one-seat apart configuration is followed. 

Each table is numbered for your convenience, simply inform the station chefs and your plate will be on its way to you. The quarantine experience has transformed every aspect of our daily routine, but guests and diners of Fresh at Solaire can still expect the same wide variety of international offerings the restaurant is known for (more on Fresh at Solaire on my previous post, A Winning Pair of Filipino Flavors by Chef Sau del Rosario at Solaire Resort & Casino's Fresh from five years back). 

The countless specialty stations, known as Exhibition Kitchens, still remains at the heart of the buffet dining experience at Fresh with a few tweaks conforming to the new normal. From Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Italian and Continental cuisine to savory Rotisserie Carvings and a bountiful harvest from the fresh Seafood Station, Fresh at Solaire still offers both value and variety for a sumptuous buffet experience. 

To enjoy your buffet feast fresh and at its flavorful peak, your selections are prepared a la minute and plated by a team of skilled chefs and served to your table. Fresh at Solaire describes their spin on the new normal way of buffet dining as grab-and-go dining where pre-portioned dishes are prepared as ordered. You can still enjoy the familiar buffet experience at Fresh at Solaire, but this time, the station chefs prepare your own plate with your selection behind plexiglass shields. Foot markers for proper social distancing are also placed on the floor at each station. 

This new way of buffet dining may be different, but the quality of the lavish offerings at Fresh remain just the way you remember it. You can wait for your dish, or better yet, check out the other stations and have it served on your table (just remember your table number). The new system of buffet dining at Fresh features layers of safety protocols, but I have to admit, I like it. There's order in the new normal way of buffet dining without crowding the station and the usual free-for-all chaos that normally happens at a buffet. The new layers of safety protocols are seamlessly woven to provide an exceptional, stress-free and orderly buffet dining experience.

Each Exhibition Kitchen at Fresh offers a tempting array of global flavors from gourmet cheeses, refreshing salads, fresh-baked bread, tasty appetizers and indulgent pastries to hearty pizza and pasta, sumptuous steaks and succulent seafood. But each Exhibition Kitchen also serves one specialty dish, and you can find out by simply asking the station chefs. Go on a culinary tour of the world by enjoying the specialty dish of each Exhibition Kitchen and come back for seconds. You can, even in this new normal, enjoy a memorable buffet dining experience at Fresh.

Navigating the different Exhibition Kitchens of Fresh at Solaire is easy with its convenient linear layout. The safety protocols also allow you to be more methodical in your approach for a proper buffet feast. Start your buffet dining experience at Fresh with the premium Sashimi selection from the Japanese Station...

...followed by Sushi Rolls. No need to queue up and wait in line, your dish is prepared and served to your table. Your table number is your virtual passport to a world of culinary delights at Fresh.

That day, the Grilled Barramundi with its butter-like texture and creamy melt-in-your-mouth finish capped by mild smoky hints from the grill was a popular hit from the Japanese Station. And yes, you can enjoy seconds.

In between bites, enjoy a refreshing Kani Salad served in sealed jars also from the Japanese Station. Pre-portioned and conveniently packed, the serving style is consistent with the grab-and-go format for the new normal way of buffet dining. 

You can also opt for a refreshing bowl of salad with a medley of garden-fresh and crisp greens and vegetables prepared by the Salad Station with your choice of dressing and have it conveniently served to your table. Service becomes an added element in the new normal way of buffet dining, and Fresh at Solaire does it exceptionally well. 

Tempura is best enjoyed fresh off the deep-fryer, and the Japanese Station does exactly that with your fresh batch delivered straight to your table in minutes. 

Wash it all down with Fresh at Solaire's daily bottomless servings of beverage specials like the Apple, Hazelnut and Tropical Coolers. Fresh at Solaire offers a variety of daily specials to enhance your buffet dining experience. Just give them a call for the day's specials.

At the Filipino Station, you'll find comforting favorites...

...like the popular Sisig topped with egg and drizzled with creamy aioli...

...and their specialty dish, the Bulalo, a traditional bone marrow soup topped with shredded cabbage, beans and corn. Loaded with slabs of fork-tender beef simmered for hours in a rich broth, each soothing sip takes you back to simpler times before the pandemic. The prized bone marrow adds its own unctuous richness to the broth. They were right about the Bulalo, and it's an absolute must-try at the Filipino Station of Fresh at Solaire.

Looking for something light? The deli-style sandwiches are an excellent option. Change the pace with a serving of gourmet cheeses, charcuterie, dried fruits and nuts from the Cheese Station...

...and head back to the Asian Station for a second round with a comforting bowl of Laksa. From 12:00 nn to 2:30 pm, that's more than enough time to enjoy the buffet spread at Fresh so there's no need to rush. 

At the Carving Station, why not indulge in the day's special of USDA Prime Rib? Served with roasted vegetables and a side of gravy, this one's a full meal in itself. 

Gruyere, Emmental, Parmigiano and Mozzarella with an indulgent drizzle of truffle oil and honey, the Quattro Formagi of Fresh at Solaire is one more specialty dish not to be missed. Indulgently rich with a hint of deep, earthy and nutty notes from the truffle followed by just a hint of sweetness, the Qattro Formagi offers a savory and sweet burst of vibrant notes with each slice and bite. I'm told many of the loyal customers of Fresh go back again and again for this specialty pizza.

Chicken Tikka, biryani and other Indian specialties take you on a culinary journey to the exotic east with authentic flavors from the Indian Station...

...and their Curacha Masala or local spanner crab draped in a richly spiced masala sauce is another must-try. The fresh briny sweetness of the crab is enhanced without being overpowered by the rich blend of spices for a delicately balanced dish.

The buffet dining experience at Fresh is still as lavish as before. And it's safer too. Open daily, you may want to check the specials at Fresh before booking a table. Make it a memorable buffet dining experience to remember in this new normal with the indulgent Sunday Lobster Specials at Fresh, just call in early to book your table.

The new normal is here to stay, forever changing consumer habits and even dining out. The new normal may have changed our usual routine, and the buffet dining experience may no longer be the way we remember it. But the added layers of safety protocols, at least for me, enhances the experience adding order while emphasizing service along with the wide selection of offerings. Experience it for yourself any day of the week, only at Fresh at Solaire... 

For more on Fresh and buffet dining in the new normal at Solaire Resort & Casino, visit their website at https://www.solaireresort.com/dining/fresh or get the latest updates and offers from their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/FreshAtSolaire/. Book your table now by calling 8888 8888.

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