Mosaic

Mosaic Buffet
At The Cove in Atlantis Paradise Island Resort
The Bahamas


Having lived in Las Vegas, I've become a buffet snob. It's not that I don't like them. Don't get me wrong. I'm just very particular about the offerings. To me, a buffet spread doesn't have to be a big bonanza. I could go for something simple as long as there's a decent variety of palate-pleasing selections.

There are buffet restaurants that lure you with heaps and heaps of food but nothing tastes great. Others are more basic but yield unforgettable dishes or present something unique. Those are the ones that stand out for me.

There are "hole-in-the-wall" buffet places in Sin City -- like Gandhi India's Cuisine and Lotus of Siam (Thai) -- that command return visits because of their authentic and delicious fare.

Another one I've always enjoyed is the Wynn's La Cave. I've labeled it "The Buffet For The Lazy" because as a customer, you don't ever need to leave your seat. The servers bring the selections directly to your table. Just as with other luxury hotel buffets like Bellagio's, their servings are personal in size, allowing you to sample everything without having to waste anything.

Sunday Brunch at Mosaic, the buffet restaurant at The Cove in Atlantis, made it to my list of good buffets. We didn't have to stand in line and we were led to a table as soon as we walked in. Compared to most buffet restaurants, Mosaic is more intimate, eliminating the jostling of patrons moving from one station to the next.

Mosaic Buffet at The Cove in Atlantis Paradise Island

I found the atmosphere to be delightful with ample sunlight streaming in through large picture windows. And it wasn't loud. The background music was faint but audible enough for anyone to recognize what was playing.

Picture windows allowing ample natural light

Service was efficient and pleasant. Our server, Shakeisha, was always on hand to cater to our needs, quickly changing our used plates. When replenishing my coffee, she'd politely ask for my nod before pouring into my cup.

Hot food station at Mosaic

I found it refreshingly different from Vegas buffets that Mosaic features Rack of Lamb. Prepared the classic way, they're served bite-size (which is brilliant) and bursting with flavor.

Rack of Lamb at Mosaic's Sunday Brunch

At the carving station, the Beef and Lamb Churrasco also grabbed my attention. I was thrilled that I could savor it in multiple ways with the array of condiments such as mint jelly, chimichurri, cranberry relish, and mango chutney.

Great food and smiles at the carving station at Mosaic

Beef and Lamb Churrasco at Mosaic Buffet's hot station

At the end of the meal, I was quite satisfied and didn't feel like I had to waddle on my way out.

High Tech Ramen

Yasubee
Shinjuku, Japan
October 10, 2014


Japan is known to have vending machines for almost anything. Even for ramen? That was totally unexpected!

A vending machine for ramen. I don't know where to start!

It would be a shame to be in Japan without having some ramen. We decided it was time to get a taste of the local specialty. Short of doing the "eenie meenie miney moe" method, we picked out Yasubee from a list of ramen shops recommended by our hotel concierge.

If we hadn't been paying attention, we would have walked right past it. Thank goodness we noticed the billboard by the entrance.  The English website yasubee.com was written on it.

There it is on the bottom right hand corner: yasubee.com

The ramen shop is a long and narrow space like most restaurants in the area. This one had a long counter with seating for only a dozen people. The bar-like counter faced an open kitchen where you could see the chefs prepare your order while you wait.

Tight space but their ramen bursts with flavor

A host greeted us at the door with a few nods and then he pointed us to the vending machine. We were dumbfounded. While we tried to figure things out, a line of patrons was forming behind us. We had to step aside and let them go ahead while we watched.

The process starts with making a menu selection by pressing the corresponding buttons. After paying, the vending machine dispenses a ticket that you hand to the host. He in turn gives it to the kitchen staff who facilitates your order. Meanwhile, the host seats you and then after a few minutes, your order is handed to you over the counter. Sound simple?

Well, the buttons and selections were all in Japanese characters so that didn't help us. Haha! We still didn't know what to do! I finally asked the host to explain and show us how. He pulled the Eigo Menyu (English menu). What a relief!

Yasubee's English menu complete with instructions on how to use the vending machine.

Step 1: Choose your noodles.

Tsukemen is the Japanese style with the noodles served separately because you dip them in the broth. Ramen is the Chinese style with the noodles are served in the same bowl as the soup.

Step 2:  Choose your broth flavors (soy sauce, miso, or salty) and serving size.

Step 3:  Choose your toppings:  choices range from sea weeds to flavored eggs, mixed vegetables, or roasted pork.

Choices of toppings for your tsukemen or ramen

For a first-time customer, I'm proud to say I made a good and tasty ramen selection. The only thing I messed up was the size. My spoon looked more like a soup ladle. And just look at that mondo-sized bowl.  That could have easily fed four!

A huge helping of ramen with roasted pork and a side of mixed vegetables.

This story continued from Tokyo from the Top, a travel series about Japan.

Menu Surprise

Akihabara

October 6, 2014

There was so much more I wanted to do on our first day in Tokyo. After walking around Ueno Park, we went all the way to Tokyo Skytree only to find out that it was closed due to strong winds. That was a bummer. 

Next we went to Akihabara but only had time to wander inside Yodobashi, a giant discount electronic store. I was frustrated that I couldn't find the maid cafes and anime exhibitions that makes this area so popular. I kept looking up to see if I could recognize the buildings from the photos I've seen. I wish I had known that they were on the other side (west side) of Akihabara Station. 

It was getting late and our feet were aching from walking all day. We decided to look for a place to eat  before heading back to our hotel. We passed several restaurants that had photos of their specialty items on the windows. Nothing seemed to catch our fancy.

Here's our little table at the restaurant. I guess the hangers on the walls are for your coats.

As we turned into an alley, we found an interesting restaurant. The menu was in Japanese but they did have a picture version. The staff also spoke little English so the few Japanese phrases I learned came in handy. I told Alan we could go somewhere else but he replied, "No, this is fine. It's an adventure!"

We pointed out our menu selections to our waitress. I guess we ended up ordering fresh tomato salad, chicken skewers, and... peacock barbecue!

Our fresh tomato salad.

These chicken skewers may not look as appetizing but they're better tasting than the peacock barbecue.

And this is peacock. The barbecue glaze was tasty but I found the meat to be rather chewy.

Continued from Rain, Rain, Gone Away. Stay tuned for more adventures about Japan.