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Buffet Lacks 'Wow' Factor

By JOHN W. ALLMAN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 15, 2008

TAMPA - During my high school wrestling days, when cutting weight often meant spitting into a cup all day to eke out one more pound, our coach would reward us with a post-tournament trip to Shoney's breakfast bar.

We would take turns seeing who could make the most trips back for a fresh, heaping plate. My all-time record was 13 trips.

I don't do buffets too much anymore now that I'm nearing 40. The temptation is too strong in this one, Obi-Wan.

But they still fascinate me, and Tampa has long lacked a decent alternative to Crazy Buffet on Dale Mabry Highway.

So I had high expectations, maybe too high, for Fresh Harvest, the mega-buffet at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, especially after the casino unveiled its must-try restaurant, Council Oak Steak and Seafood.

But Fresh Harvest, like the Hard Rock's new Vegas-style slot machines, promises riches but doesn't necessarily deliver.

The restaurant certainly looks amazing with its cavernous dining room and seven strategically placed dining stations. And, even on a Thursday night, the place was bustling with people.

It's just that at $27 a person, I was expecting something more. More variety, more creativity, more flavor.

My wife, a friend and I envisioned a culinary adventure. What we got was more like a gussied-up Golden Corral.

It's not that Fresh Harvest doesn't try to appeal to every taste.

The seven buffet stations feature everything from sushi and dim sum to a raw bar with peel-and-eat shrimp and oysters to traditional American fare (fried chicken, mashed potatoes, ribs, etc.), grilled meats and pastas.

But you could prepare most of these dishes at home, likely for less money, and that's a disappointment.

And we found the staff to be less than attentive to people walking up to inspect different dishes, especially at the stations where meals are prepared fresh, such as the grill and the sushi bar.

The sushi display, frankly, was disturbing - an assortment of unidentified rolls with no way to gauge freshness. The dim sum spring rolls, however, were good.

The salad bar is too small and generic in its offerings. There was more variety with the cold bean, meat and vegetable salads, but pre-prepared dishes are not every vegetarian's preference.

The variety of meats was notable, but again, not inspiring.

The marinated flank steak and the pesto chicken breast were very tasty, and the carved beef wasn't bad. The baked snapper, however, was bland and cold. The cheesy risotto was OK, but not really memorable.

The steamed crab legs were soggy when cracked open, but they were a huge hit with other diners, along with the peel-and-eat shrimp. Plates and plates of spindly legs and shrimp tails passed our table.

Even the desserts didn't "wow" as expected.

Having visited Las Vegas, it's no secret that casinos can and do provide epic buffet feasts for about the same price that the Hard Rock charges. It's a quick and easy way to satisfy a large group of gamblers looking to break briefly from the ever-present ping-ping-ping of hundreds of slot machines.

Tampa isn't quite up to that level yet. But there's hope.

DINING REVIEW

Fresh Harvest

BOTTOM LINE: Average buffet that should be better for the price.

WHERE: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5223 N. Orient Road, Tampa

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: No

CHILDREN'S MENU: Can accommodate

ALCOHOL: Beer and wine

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

PRICE: $27 per person for all you can eat (daily specials are extra)