If you enjoy the MTR at rush hour, then Grand Buffet at the Grand Lisboa in Macau is the place for you. Joking aside, the buffet queues are orderly and polite and as most people take several overflowing plates at one time the lines diminish rapidly. Every evening between eleven hundred and thirteen hundred hungry people enter and leave satiated two hours later. To accommodate this amazing amount of people, booking is essential with two sessions available: from 6pm-8pm and 8.30pm-10.30pm. Long queues form outside long before the doors open as it is almost impossible to do justice to the vast array of cuisines on offer in the longest and largest buffet in Asia. This is the most popular venue in Macau for families, especially those with children and grandparents.

It is hard to know where to start as there are so many different cuisines available: Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Thai, to name just a few. Total dishes number over one hundred. Possibly the best technique is to go to this restaurant several times; perhaps seafood on the first visit and carvery meats on the second and so on. The quality of seafood ranges: tempura shrimp has a light batter and is scrumptious while the gratinated oyster is piping hot and the sauce creamy and delicious. On the other hand, the sashimi counter, while extensive, only has fair quality and the cold prawns lack flavour. From the carvery, there is beef, pork and duck. In many restaurants, one slice of prime rib as thick as the one on offer at Grand Buffet would cost more than the price of the whole buffet here. Indian chefs produce authentic dishes, we especially enjoy the tender and well-spiced chicken tikka. Western and Chinese desserts are numerous and children will adore the freshly-made candy floss. Surprisingly for a buffet, coffee and tea cost extra.

The 8,000 wines on the Lisboa list are all available. Wines by the glass are well-chosen, fairly priced, and come in generous servings. Turnover is low and some wines are out of condition. Unfortunately, just the filled glass is brought to the table and replacing it from a freshly opened bottle takes time.

Staff’s main role is to clear dirty plates from tables and this task is performed adequately and efficiently.

The buffet are priced at MOP258 for adults, senior citizens are charged MOP 228 while children are entitled to half-price, which is simply amazing value given the variety as well as the quality of the buffet.