Melba has long been known to Melbournians as one of the best, as well as one of the most expensive buffets in Melbourne. Housed in the luxurious Langham Hotel, Melba Restaurant fits right in with the opulent beauty of the surrounding area, as it brings its quality food and service to Southbank, which is an area known for its many fine restaurants.
The buffet
Fresh seafood
The seafood on the seafood display looked beautifully fresh and was one of the first displays I decided to visit. The mussels and prawns were both lovely and I consumed more than my fair share of them, however while some of the oysters were quite fresh, a couple of the oysters I picked out had an odd taste to them which was a bit nasty.
Sashimi cabinet
The sashimi cabinet was always attended to by a chef which sliced the fish to order. I tried a little bit of all the fish that was available, which had a fresh flavour and firm texture.
Antipasto and cheese
Five spice pork belly
Roast duck
The hot food on offer at Melba was best described as mediocre. While some of the items were excellent and flavourful, a lot of the items had become dry due to the heat lamps they use. While it was not bad, I would definitely expect a restaurant of Melba's caliber to be better, as it is definitely one of the most expensive buffets in Melbourne.
Dessert cabinet
As I was getting full on the hot food at Melba, I started eyeing the dessert cabinet. There were a range of colourful desserts on offer, my favourite of which were the chocolate mousse, bread and butter pudding and the different slices available. The desserts were not too sweet and the textures of the smooth chocolate mousse and soft bread and butter pudding made the desserts a lovely conclusion to the buffet.
Food Rating 7.5/10
Overall Rating 8/10