Christmas Buffet Extravaganza at Congress Plus

Just a little over a month until the joyous Christmas season! Have you decided where to celebrate if you're staying in Hong Kong? I think enjoying a sumptuous Christmas buffet with family is a delightful idea, so today I'm introducing you to a fantastic Christmas buffet. It's been a while since I visited Congress Plus at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for a buffet. This time, besides the regular buffet, you can also enjoy special Christmas-themed dishes, making it an incredibly rich and satisfying experience. From December 20, 2024, to January 1, 2025, Congress Plus will launch the 'Dear Santa' festive buffet, featuring a variety of traditional holiday dishes available at both lunch and dinner buffets. The restaurant has added a mailbox, a wish Christmas tree, a wish wall, and other Christmas decorations, making you feel like you're in Santa's village 'post office'—perfect for taking photos. I was lucky to preview and enjoy many Christmas-exclusive dishes! These included cocktail shrimp, foie gras mousse tart, teppanyaki lobster, black garlic herb roasted lamb rack, roasted Christmas turkey, and honey-glazed ham, all beautifully presented and full of festive spirit. What's Christmas without desserts? The gingerbread house shaped like a post office is a must for photos. There were also Christmas cream puffs, Santa's missing hat red currant pistachio crunchy cake, and Christmas mailbox white chocolate with Earl Grey hazelnut roll, all in festive red and green colors. Besides taking photos, of course, you can also taste these delights! The cocktail shrimp is fresh and bouncy, a must for seafood lovers. The foie gras mousse tart, with its thin chocolate shell and rich foie gras mousse, is irresistibly delicious, with a crispy and smooth texture. This Christmas happiness plate includes ultra-tender Christmas turkey, flavorful lobster, and crispy lamb rack, all on one plate, offering a taste of Christmas joy. The dessert is like a sweet letter from Santa! Filled with festive treats, this letter is sweet enough to move anyone. If you want to enjoy these exclusive Christmas dishes, remember to book in advance. Click here for details on different days' charges. While you're here, don't miss the Global Seafood Feast Dinner Buffet! Starting with unlimited freshly shucked Fine de Claire oysters from France. The chilled seafood includes prawns, crab legs, lobster, spicy whelks, and mussels, which I, as a seafood lover, found very satisfying. There are several ready-made salads, including roasted pumpkin salad, pickled beetroot salad, Italian pasta salad, and tuna Niçoise salad. Japanese cuisine is a must, with fresh sashimi like salmon, red shrimp, scallops, octopus, and yellowtail. There are also various sushi and rolls, crab roe matcha tofu, and seaweed yuzu vinegar. The appetizer and salad section is rich, with selected cold cuts, beetroot-cured salmon, smoked salmon, global cheeses, various salad toppings, and fresh salad greens. Now for the hot dishes! Starting with Indian Corner, featuring Indian curry lamb, butter chicken, curry fish, vegetable samosas, Indian rice, and naan. Next are the kids' favorite party foods! Onion rings, Korean fried chicken, mini hot dogs, and mini burgers. Then there are Southeast Asian dishes like Thai grilled chicken, Thai stir-fried noodles, Thai stir-fried eggplant tofu, Malaysian curry fish fillet, and Vietnamese braised beef. Western dishes include carrot cream soup, tomato cheese pizza, herb lamb chops, herb butter roasted prime rib, red wine braised oxtail, pan-seared sea bass with tomato salsa, bacon-baked oysters, and slow-cooked herb pork ribs. There are also Japanese dishes like crab porridge, meatball rice noodles, braised radish beef ribs, teppanyaki prawns, Okinawan pork belly, and robatayaki. The teppanyaki prawns are aromatic and very appealing. Chinese dishes are also abundant, with roast goose, char siu, and roast ribs. There are lotus root, octopus, peanut, and black-eyed pea soup with pork ribs, steamed giant grouper, garlic stir-fried seasonal vegetables, jade stir-fried seafood, braised pork, garlic vermicelli steamed scallops, and glutinous rice. The beverage station offers a wide selection! Including a self-service coffee machine, hot and cold tea, orange juice, canned drinks, canned beer, and red and white wine, all unlimited for your enjoyment. The dessert section first features plenty of fresh fruits, including the rare ginseng fruit, which is a real treat. There are also buffet staples like bread pudding, papaya snow fungus sweet soup, special cookies, and walnut tarts. The fridge is filled with various desserts and cakes, with many options to choose from, making dessert lovers very happy. Ice cream is a highlight for dessert lovers! They offer four flavors of Movenpick ice cream, including the new coconut flavor. There's also Hong Kong's favorite egg waffles and a chocolate fountain loved by kids. Finally, it's time for me to start my meal! Let's begin with a glass of red wine to whet the appetite. The first plate includes some appetizers, with the fresh beetroot salad being my favorite. The Fine de Claire oysters have a hint of hazelnut aroma, very elegant, with a fresh ocean taste that's captivating. The sashimi is beautifully presented, with the soft scallops and tender red shrimp being particularly delightful. The chilled seafood includes sweet and crunchy lobster, but the spicy whelks are even more impressive, with a rich flavor and tender texture. The lotus root, octopus, peanut, and black-eyed pea soup with pork ribs is warming, with a rich and fragrant broth. The teppanyaki prawns are a highlight, and the garlic vermicelli steamed scallops are also excellent. For those who don't mind indulgence, the braised pork is worth trying. The Japanese crab porridge is fresh and comforting. The Thai stir-fried eggplant tofu is flavorful, with perfectly cooked eggplant. The curry has a rich aroma that's irresistible. The herb butter roasted prime rib is so good that my dad ate two pieces without blinking. Ice cream and papaya snow fungus sweet soup, along with a plate of fresh fruit, made me very satisfied.