Here is a question for you – when is dining at a buffet
more like dining at a restaurant? When the buffet is the Village
Seafood Buffet at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
The
Village Seafood Buffet debuted over two months ago and it is truly a
seafood lover’s dream come true with the freshest seafood prepared with
cuisines from all around the world in a restaurant setting with a
beautiful décor, upscale place settings, interactive Sushi Stations,
Sommeliers and a Gelato machine that just defies your imagination.
The Village Seafood Buffet is under the direction of
acclaimed Chef Richard Leggett, a man who is very passionate about his
latest endeavor. Chef Leggett was originally training to become an
accountant when he explained that while on a
date, he saw the joy a fine meal with the right pairings, atmosphere,
preparation and presentation brought to people. He knew right then that
he wanted to become a chef and began training. Chef Leggett graduated
from the Johnson Wales Culinary Institute and
worked at The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta and Victoria and Albert’s in the
Grand Floridian Resort, then to Café St. Louis at Paris Las Vegas,
before becoming the specialty room chef at the Village Seafood Buffet.
Chef Leggett’s career has covered everything from fine dining to
breakfast to hamburgers and fries and coming from a fisherman’s family,
he knew about creating the right feel for this new buffet.
“Some cultures and cuisines of the world, it is the
techniques and styles that make them different as well as the different
herbs and spices they use. Even in America, we have a conglomerate of
flavors, so we tried to touch on all of it in our stations at the
buffet,” said Chef Leggett.
Over
200 tons of fresh seafood is purchased and delivered annually.
“Everything is flown in daily and we only use it for that day,” Chef
Leggett continued. “We want people to come to this buffet and have a
restaurant feel. We want to give them restaurant style preparation, so
when people come in and sit down, it does not feel like a buffet and
taste like a buffet.” In fact, one of the most popular dishes, the
lobster, is prepared fresh about every 10 minutes and the crab legs are
already cracked to make it easier for the diners. The selections are
served in much smaller portions in stainless steel pots as compared to a
typical buffet, enabling chefs to refresh the servings more often.
Just to give you an idea how much is purchased every month for the
buffet, here are some items listed in pounds:
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Crab Legs
29,000 |
Lobster
25,000 |
Shrimp
18,604 |
Oysters
6,600 |
Prime rib
5,451 |
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|
|
Butter
4,968 |
Salmon
3,400 |
Beef ribs
2,220 |
Chicken
1,960 |
Mussels
1,310 |
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Olive oil
1,248 |
Catfish
1,245 |
Cannelloni
1,155 |
Green beans
900 |
Sausage
900 |
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|
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|
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Mahi
800 |
Tuna
800 |
Chow
Mein noodles
760 |
Pollock
610 |
Parmesan cheese
400 |
“With our year purchase the size that it is, this makes
Village Seafood Buffet one of the largest buyers in the world,” says William
Becker, Vice President of Food and Beverage, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.
The global menu of Village Seafood Buffet includes featuring
the essence of the Mediterranean, the vibrant cooking traditions in the
Pacific Rim, the rich and flavorful creations indigenous to the Baja region,
the exotic, eclectic flavors of South America with carving stations
featuring six types of proteins that be made into succulent skewers and the
diverse ingredients and cooking styles of North America.
Yes, there is “comfort food” for those who crave it,
including popcorn shrimp (for anyone who has ever eaten at Sizzler), hush
puppies, and other traditional offerings as well as a salad bar, soup, and
all sorts of vegetables. The bread offered covers a variety of tastes from
flatbread, sweet bread, salted, sourdough and just any type you would want
with your meal.
Sommeliers will pair wines with the cuisine you have selected
that bring out the best flavors in your selections. “It helps to bring out
that palate with the right wine pairing,” said Chef Leggett, “and you can
order any wine. If you want a 1952 Boudreaux, we have that in our
[Rio’s] wine cellar.” In addition, the Rio beverage team developed a
collection of specialty cocktails. With fresh sushi remaining a primary
component of the menu, the team created the “Coast to Coast,” a refreshing
blend of gin, berry cognac, cucumber, fresh lemon and just enough ginger
syrup to give a hint of Asian influence. There are other specialty
cocktails and a fully stocked bar.
To complete the experience, the Gelateria, otherwise known as
the dessert station, showcases the custom-made silver rotating gelato
display with 10 flavors and flambé station, as well as classic plated
deserts including cheesecakes, cookies and crème brulees. The Gelato
flavors are never the same and the signature flavor is Elvis, which is
peanut butter and banana. Freshly brewed coffee is available to go with
dessert as well as soft drinks and ice teas.
The décor includes visual enhancements including the grand
entrance showcasing metallic pieces that depict the ebb and flow of the
ocean tides, and the commissioned artwork from renowned artist Brad Holland
prominently on display. The Village Seafood Buffet features 13,000 square
feet of bold new colors and design, emphasizing the cool hues of the ocean’s
blues and ice-frosted whites. Cuisine is presented in a clean fashion with
stainless steel counters with food stations set up to mirror that of a
seafood market.
A new sound system boasting crisp sound quality and new
lighting special effects were added since sound and light are very important
to the dining experience. Attention to customer comfort is created with new
tables including Viking tables that seat 15 to 20
guests,
leather chairs and high back banquettes in various shades of metals, blues
and purples, which add warmth and modern style and to the atmosphere. Over
50,000 people are served at the Village Seafood Buffet per month and there
is reason for that. It is an experience you just don’t want to miss.
Village Seafood Buffet is open daily at 4 p.m., closing at 10
p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Price is
$38 (plus tax) per person and $23.99 for children ages four through eight.
Children under three are free.
The
Village Seafood Buffet
Rio
All-Suite Hotel and Casino
Rio
All Suite Hotel & Casino
3700
W. Flamingo Road
Las
Vegas, NV 89103
702-777-7777
www.playrio.com