May was a month of celebratory feasting in my family. The weekend after the one where we ventured past paddocks of horses (I want a pony!) and sheep (I don’t want sheep!) to Lark Hill Winery, and before the one where I swooned over my birthday dinner at Sage, my grandparents, parents and I sashayed into the Hyatt Hotel Canberra to toast my Grandpa’s birthday over an extravagant buffet lunch.
(If I was still a university tutor, I’d take marks off myself for the shoddily-written nature of that introductory paragraph. But hah! I’m not! So I can instead give myself a High Distinction, because this is my blog and I make the rules! Now pass me my tiara.)
The Hyatt’s buffet lunches appeal to my family for the freshness of the food on offer and because We With Allergies can create safe meals for ourselves without having to ask waiters seven thousand questions. I was impressed to see that the Hyatt now uses dairy-free, gluten-free, and egg-free labels for its dishes. There was even a dairy-free and gluten-free chocolate cake on offer; woot woot! (If only I liked chocolate cake.)
My plan of attack at the Hyatt has long been to focus on seafood, cheese, vegetables, and dessert. This time round, the mussels, crab, prawns, and smoked salmon were all enjoyable, but my heart fell hardest for the plethora of pickles on offer. Oh! Pickles!
After my first plate of seafood, I built myself an enormous salad with all sorts of raw, pickled, marinated, and roasted vegetables. By golly, it was tasty. Happy times.
However, I was sadly disappointed with the Hyatt’s cheese selection. My dad felt the same way, so let’s move on.
The dessert table offered several types of chocolate cake, tiramisu, fruit salad (some blighter had rummaged through and pinched all the fresh figs before I got there; I hope karma hit him/her back later by switching his/her coffee for decaf), several types of fruit coulis, mousse, raspberry and lychee jelly, and pistachio pannacotta.
I made a beeline for the pistachio pannacotta because if Italy taught me anything, it’s that fireworks in the daytime aren’t very impressive. Wait, no, that’s not it. I mean Italy taught me to worship at the altar of pistachio desserts.
Unfortunately, this pannacotta tasted nothing like pistachio. To add insult to injury, it was also niether smooth nor wobbly as a pannacotta should be, but instead was solid enough to have hurt the passing waiter had I thrown it at his head.
I didn’t, for the record.
What I did do was enjoy the raspberry and lychee jelly, which had a beautifully true fruit flavour. Dad and I then continued our debate about whether the meringue centerpieces on the main buffet table were edible or not. He was skeptical, I was cautiously optimistic, and the waiter (the same one I didn’t throw pannacotta at) gave us the go ahead.
So I strutted up to the meringues, posed like a fool, and procured meringues for my family according to their colour whims (Two red! No, three red! One green! One yellow!)
We then proceeded to eat our crispy pillows of meringue whilst not winning a single cent on the Scratchies that my Grandpa had bought us for a bit of fun. It was a lovely lunch.
Happy birthday Grandpa! Love you!
Question Time: Are you a fun of buffets?
You are wearing the lovely splendiferous necklace! It is charming.
I was going to ask what those colorful things-in-jars were when I saw them in the picture up top, but you too knew, ohh, you knew, how enticing they looked:)
What a place – what a bunch of bowls! I’ve never seen such a piecemeal buffet. It makes me very hungry. Heel click, tiara clink, xo.
Teehee, I wondered if anyone would notice the necklace! And kapow! So much noticing!
Though I guess it’s not very subtle is it?
Oooh, I’m going to have to add “tiara clink” to my happenstance sign-offs! Thank you
But sheep are so awesome! And they smell great (not kidding). That is the most impressive dessert table ever. And then again, its also the most impressive salad and seafood spread too (and how I miss it – I don’t trust it 500km inland). I’ve come to the conclusion (through your photos and my one Hyatt dining experience with your family) that the idea is just to go there often. on the first trip have salad/mains. Then next time eat seafood. Then devote your final trip to the dessert table. I see no other way to make sure you appreciate it all.
Looks like a nice family day out
But you can’t ride a sheep
Although, on the other hand, ponies wouldn’t be an snuggly-warm to cuddle in winter, either. Oh Hannah, you have filled my soul with a dilemma.
Oh yes, oh yes, my graduation dinner!! I was so happy to have you there that night
xoxo
That is such a stunning necklace! When you bought that I was wondering what you would ever find to wear it with, but it really isn’t as insane and unwearable as I thought, just very elegant and pretty.
Shame that the pistachio panna cotta was a dud. How dare they?! And a weak cheese plate? Hang ‘em!
I’m rather ridiculously relieved to hear you say that! I’ve never bought nor worn such a look-at-me piece of jewellery before, so am quite fearful of looking silly. (Psst, don’t tell anyone, but that’s the only top I own that I can wear it with so far
)
Seriously, yes. The cheese tasted so bland!
Your necklace is on the list of Things I Love! Buffets are on the list of Things I Hate. I never eat enough to make it worth the price of a buffet. Then I feel all lame and like I should over-eat to get my money worth and the whole thing ends with me either feeling comfortably full and ripped off or painfully stuffed and pious about my spending. Neither is pleasant.
Oh, I totally get what you mean. That’s how I felt about being on a dining plan for the first semester of my exchange year at UVA. I couldn’t eat enough at once to justify the price, so effectively was subsidising all the althetic men who ate enough for a family of four
(So I did things like smuggle out three bagels, two bananas, and two cups full of cereal each day…)
I didn’t know you had food allergies. Clearly I have not been paying attention. And for the record, I love buffets. They are great for people like me with a tendency to order something and wish I’d gotten something else.
Ah, mine aren’t too bad. Just lactose intolerance which, clearly, I’m pretty lax about, and some sensitivities to fruit. My mum and grandma, on the other hand, are allergic to a squillion things, so we have to be a bit mindful in that regard.
When the Hyatt first opened they had a special where you could stay the night and have the buffet breakfast for $150/night. We used to beetle down there all the time. It was a wonderful weekend escape. The buffet lunch looks great although that’s a shame about the cheeses and I thought that pannacotta looked a little stiff – and a bit too green! But those meringues look great but why put them up so high? You almost need a step-ladder to reach them. But what a lovely day out with your family xx
Okay, that sounds plum magical. I’ve never stayed anywhere even close to the Hyatt’s level of swank (and, in truth, I know that it’s probably quite low down on the list of high-end hotels!). One day I won’t be a hostel girl. One day.
Throughout the entire lunch, no one else even seemed to notice the meringues were there. I’m not sure whether we were really expected to eat them
Ooooo, that pistachio pannacotta looks really smooth and yummy… haven’t had that at a buffet before! And aren’t those meringues colourful? Perfect wait to celebrate I think
. I’m a buffet fan if it’s a good buffet hehe hope things are well down your end, Hannah 
.
Thanks Amy! I love that you’re still positive about the pannacotta even though I said it was terrible. That’s some optimism!
I try to give desserts the benefit of the doubt
or in my foggy lack of sleep may have skipped over that part where you said it was terrible o_O
Oh, bahahaha! Caught out!
(We all do that sometimes with our comments!)
That is such a canberra building! And an amazing spread. Your skills in salad making are truly impressive and I think you should be careful with your poses or the hyatt might just try and second you into being part of the dessert display
(dessert fairy anyone?)
I love your appreciation of Canberra’s architecture
Teehee, I wouldn’t say no to being a dessert fairy, s’long as I got to eat lots!
Oh I was trying to guess what those colourful things were the whole post… I was thinking Macaroons. Close, no cigar. I love a good buffet, as long as it replenished frequently…. oh sweet pickles I LOVE you
I didn’t write it in the post, but as well as the salad I have 4-5 serves of pickles. Even one that came after dessert
I love a good buffet, haven’t been to one in years. My best memory of the Hyatt one though was the time that my family went to a chook show out at exhibition park. As we were going to a chook show in winter, we were dressed appropriately. However we ran into my aunt at said chook show and she suggested lunch. As a result, 6 chook show attired people turned up at the Hyatt. It was hilariously inappropriate but very yummy.
That is BRILLIANT. I hope you had rogue feathers in your hair and freshly-laid eggs in your pocket.
Once, when I was a kid, there was a fresh-pancake-making station at this buffet. That was good times.
Our family loves a good buffet for the same reasons but yes, that cheese selection is pitiful!
Would love some meringue and the lychee jelly. Wouldn’t be too bad with my breakfast coffee….
Meringue and coffee is an awesome combination. Which is why I often make coffee meringues. And then eat them with coffee. Oh, caffeine, I adore you.
You are so hot.
I miss you so much it hurts.
Happy birthday to your dear grandpa my friend
What a wonderful celebration for his birthday!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
You are delightfully easy to please, if pickles win over seafood
I’m disappointed in your dessert experience (except for the edible meringues!) but am impressed with the Hyatt’s allergy friendly approach. I wonder if that’s a national thing? Alas, I never go to buffets because I find one has to (i) eat meat and (ii) be prepared to eat quite a lot in order for the prices to be justifiable. Normally I end up eating vegetables and then lots of desserts, which is very fun, but I could just eat vegetables and lots of desserts for less money. And so normally I do
Yep, that’s me. Easy.
I completely get and understand your thoughts, and they’re thoughts I’ve thought at times of thinking myself before. With the thoughts. And the thinking. However, I like to instead focus on the fact that dining out isn’t always about money and focusing on “value”, but about the company and experience.
You should add that to your book of wisdom, along with sprinkles make everything better
You = amazing. xo
That looks like a seriously classy buffet!
Yeah, we Canberrans are high flyers all.
Oooh love you can build your own salads
I’m just like Bob the Builder, but female.
When I was younger and more gluttonous I would drool. Now I catch myself thinking, do I really want to eat all that. It does look nice though.
Yes, yes you do. That’s why we’re food bloggers.
Ha, you’re right Hannah. You are SOOOOO right
You never pose like a fool! I love the fun action shots you put here. I could take you anywhere and be guaranteed to have fun!
I always weep with joy on the inside when I see a hotel buffet with allergy labels beside the offerings!! Although luckily for me, gluten is my only problem, so it’s pretty easy to eat out these days.
Bahaha! Absolutely! You just have to shove me out in front of a crowd and shout “Dance, little girl, dance!” while throwing candy at me.
Works every time.
Oh yes, gluten-free is everywhere these days! It’s quite frustrating for me personally, because so many places seem to think gluten is the only base they need to cover, which means I can almost never find a dairy-free treat apart from sorbet or poached pear (bleurgh) at a restaurant or in a cafe. But we all know I tend to just go for the discomfort and eat anyway
Bad panna cotta bad! Now how do you feel about ownership of donkeys? Because I never considered a donkey until I met a sweet donkey in Canada. Now all I want is a donkey…
*tilts head to side* Hmm. Yes, I could go a donkey. I’d take a donkey. Want to go halvsies on donkey ownership, Spay Lady?
Deal!
In answer to your question: noooo I hate buffets. It makes me all so uncomfortable – all the excess and food wastage and my lack of self control. Waaaaah. However, I can see how they’re good for families with allergies. And happy birthday to your grandpa!
Whenever I get cranky about the food wastage, I think about how it’s even worse in the hidden elite part of the Qantas Club lounge, where (according to a lass who worked as a waitress there) the sashimi is thrown out and replaced every half an hour.
See? Buffets are quite frugal, in comparison.
Another great post Hannah … you captured the meal perfectly. For the record, that jelly was yummo.
You’re just lucky I didn’t ban you from commenting on account of your flagrant refusal to wear your bling.
But in all seriousness, thank you. You know your opinion means so much to me. xo
I didn’t refuse … it’s just that my old lady brain forgot!
Not old, just overloaded with the incredibly large amount of knowledge and wisdom you store in there.
Not a huge fan of buffets, but my parents LOVE them so they’re usually safe bets when it comes to organising Mother’s Day lunches and whatnot
Teehee, I remember reading your post about your family’s buffet love!
I love buffets…a bit too much I think, I can never help myself and always always grab too much food. I feel like because it’s there, I have to at least get one of everything so I taste them all. This looks great and your grandparents look so cute!
That’s the whole point of a buffet! EAT ALL THE THINGS.
Teehee, I hope my grandma reads all the comments on this post
Now I say if you can casually drop in “I want a pony” into an introductory paragraph then I say HD’s all round!
Also I suspect the macarons are deliberately placed in those vases so customers can’t reach them. Futile attempt!
Bahaha! Your unyielding support of my greedy whims, both pony- and sugar-related, is simply one of the reasons I love you so much, Helen.
I LOVE a salad buffet. But….don’t hate me…I really dislike meringues.
*runs and hides*
Heidi xo
One day I’ll make you my sesame seed and cacao nib studded tiny meringue bites…
And then you can make me an orange chocolate dessert, and we’ll look at each other skeptically before return to our own creations.
nawww Happy Birthday Grandpa! I like your meringue technique
Ain’t nothin’ gonna get between me and my sugar.
I love buffets, all that food.. but never would trust myself at one. I haven’t been to one since rare childhood Sizzler outings… if my eating behaviour at Sizzler is anything to go by, that’s a very good thing.
Very rude of that fig stealer!
Glad your Grandpa had a happy birthday.
Oh wow, what a wonderful buffet! I like buffets because that means that I can usually get something I feel fine with, and like to have choices. On the other hand, I often end up loading my plate with so many goodies that it’s really hard work to finish them off.
Sorry about the panna cotta! So sad for a dessert person like you when the dessert is disappointing! I hope the jelly could make up for that a little at least!
Actually, I’m generally uninterested in the dessert part of buffets; they’re generally too mass-produced and sweet for my liking. It’s all about the pickles for me, baby.
Ah yes! Love Chocolat, such a great movie. It was on the other night on TV. I think out of all people, you would know the value of chocolate and all its glory.
I totally saw Chocolat was on TV the other night, and thought “Ooh! I must remember to watch it!”
Then two seconds later I remembered I own the DVD and can therefore watch it anytime, and felt rather stupid.
Happy Birthday to your Grandpa
I love buffets hehe seeing all that food in front of me just makes me smile and SO HAPPY lol I really want to try that pistachio panna cotta even though i don’t even like panna cotta hehe but i love pistachio ~
Bahaha, too funny! You keep wanting to try all the things that didn’t taste good. It’s like you don’t even trust me
http://memeblender.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/oh-god-why-meme-eat-all-the-food.png
Sorry… just could not resist
Hyperbole and a Half is the best thing ever. Even when it’s bastardised Hyperbole and a Half.
In other words, no apologies necessary
LOL ofcuz I trust you
and I want to try that panna cotta to see how bad it is 
cuz i just had a really bad sweet potato panna cotta the other day EWWWW sigh so jealous you keep talking about your trip to Italy sighhh wish I could go soon 
Darling, that trip of mine was over two years ago. I’m sighing too!
You’re bringing back memories with this post. Years ago I used to stay at the Hyatt while on business in Canberra, and I used to indulge in the buffet while I was there, alone, with no witnesses to my gluttony! (It was at the Hyatt buffet that I discovered the answer to the age old question of how many oysters I could eat in one meal. The answer was lots!)
As a fellow oyster devotee, your comment brings me great joy. But also great envy, for there haven’t been oysters at the Hyatt buffet for years! (At least, not when I’ve been.)
No, wait, there’s more envy that that. You got to stay at the Hyatt for work?! Swish! That’s awesome.
Yes, it was back in the days of the dot com boom when everyone had money to burn… *sigh*…
Whereas nowadays I get to pull 15 hour days for interstate meetings, rather than staying somewhere overnight. Fun!
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I LOVE that necklace! But then again, I’m the kinda girl who once had to go see the school nurse because her ears were hurting and it was found to be result of the gigantic heavy silver hoop earrings she had worn (which promptly got confiscated because we weren’t really allowed to wear gigantic heavy silver hoop earrings to school).
This buffet looks amazing. You had me at tiramisu and then jelly. And then of course I’d go back for the fresh salad and seafood. And perhaps the cheese. And DEFINITELY the pickles. Mmmmmm
Dear heavens, you wore contraband earrings to school?! I’m surprised you haven’t grown up to be the master of a crackden.
I’ve always been an earrings-rather-than-necklace girl, but I’m trying to bite the bullet and feel comfortable wearing showy necklaces. Fake it til you make it, right?
I had another serve of pickles after dessert. It felt right.
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