The San Diego Union Tribune sent a team to area casino buffets to scope out fact from fiction. Reporters discovered casino buffets today still feature mind-boggling, all-you-can-eat variety, but they’ve evolved into exceptional, up-to-the-minute gourmet restaurants with a focus is on culinary quality over quantity. The rooms themselves are getting
physically larger to accommodate thousands of diners a day. Plus they’re adding new stations and menus that offer everything from Maine lobsters, crab legs and oysters on the half shell to grass-fed steaks and pulled pork smoked on site; organic greens and farm-fresh veggies to hand-made wood-fired pizzas, artisan breads and house-cured charcuterie, plus gluten-free sweets and handcrafted gelato.
At Barona Resort & Casino, reporters visited the huge 850-seat Seasons Fresh Buffet, offering more than 200 items prepared in open kitchens at 13 different stations, including pho, Mexican, rotisserie, Italian, omelets and crepes. At the American BBQ station, diners can order brisket, ribs and pulled pork cooked in Barona’s in-house smoker. Also recommended was the creamy mac ’n’ cheese.
The 452-seat, 9-station Harrah’s Resort Southern California buffet serves 264 different items. The carving station offers grilled tri-tip, tender prime rib, smoked meats, bone-in ham and pork loin. Diners also enjoy made-to-order Vietnamese pho bowls, wood-fired pizza and freshly spun cotton candy. The buffet also offers a wide selection of made-from-scratch gelato, including the unique Royal Ube gelato, which derives its deep purple color from purple yams.
Pala Casino Spa & Resort features the Choices buffet, a 625-seat room serving 200 items and 80 desserts daily. The Tuesday feature is 1-pound lobsters and Thursday is all-you-can-eat-lobster night. In addition, among pastry chef Albert Cruz’s amazing creations, the made-to-order strawberry shortcake was a standout.
At the 460-seat Pechanga Resort & Casino, head chef Franco Duarte-Piza, who took over the buffet kitchen last year, offers unique selections like polenta cake with olive-tomato tapenade. He also serves a wide selection of Asian dishes as well as tapas and street tacos.
Sycuan Casino’s 350-seat buffet is the only one situated completely in a casino’s non-smoking area. At various stations, diners can customize their own burger, burrito, street tacos or more. In addition, among the 100-plus selections are made-to-order milkshakes, including one crafted with chocolate, peanut butter, salted caramel and pretzel.
Valley View Casino & Hotel offers an endless Maine Lobster Night that results in the buffet serving 350,000 pounds of it a year. The nearly two dozen bakers and pastry chefs show off their tempting creations at the 100-foot dessert bar. Plus the wide array of homemade breads and rolls are considered among the finest in the area.
Viejas Casino & Resort offers a modern 550-seat buffet featuring impressive
premium cheeses, homemade charcuterie, jams, Italian panini and four types of hummus. Diners rate the cheesecake bar as a favorite innovation. Plus, Viejas’ buffet is the only San Diego casino that offers unlimited beer, wine and champagne.
