This was Easter long weekend, a holiday celebrated with food and family. So we convened at the Coast Langley City Hotel & Convention Centre, in the heart of Langley for brunch. A far drive from Burnaby, but well worth it for one of the largest buffet offerings in the city.
A meal held every Sunday in the ballroom, there are two seatings to reserve for. Your options are either between 10am or 12:45pm, and reservations are required to hold a table. Our group would choose the latter to be able to sleep in and grow our hunger. And this Sunday the event was extra special for Easter. The room and offerings were decorated with bunnies, marshmallow peeps, and plenty of chocolate. And even the Easter Bunny made an appearance.
Attendees were on time and right at 12:45pm bodies were checked in, lead to their designated assigned tables, and then directed to the buffet island at the centre of the room.
Servers came around with the option of fruit juices and/or coffee. Everything else is a self serve exploration.
The main section is a series of heated troths. You grab a plate and work your way down either ends. It begins with breakfast the likes of a classic continental offering. Hashbrowns, bacon, two types of sausages, and fluffy scrambled eggs. I was especially impressed by the deep fried devilled egg, and can see myself replicating this at home.
Our group really liked the Portuguese egg tarts here.
At the centre is the cold food bar adorned by an Easter egg tree today. Here you can dress your own salad green and load up on chilled seafood like cocktail shrimp and mussels.
The next stretch serves more as lunch or dinner with roast beef, mashed potatoes, a steamed vegetable medley, assorted fish in cream sauce; carved turkey with stuffing and cranberry. The latter was one of my favourite dishes that I had that day, as I am more partial to lunch than breakfast, so passed on the former.
However, what I should have done was focus on the made to order section. From everyone else’s feedback they enjoyed these offerings the most. There was a build your own eggs Benny station with eggs poached on the spot and your choice of protein on them, all before being smothered in a creamy hollandaise sauce.
Apparently the pasta station was the one to visit with three different options prepared in single servings. A tomato sauce spaghetti with meatballs, a cheese rigatoni with sausage, and a mushroom pesto.
There was also a customize your own omelette station with pre-made waffles and French toast you can self-dress and decorate adjacent. Here, they had quarters of waffles topped with fried chicken.
And a carving station for roast beef, definitely a staple and a crowd favourite at any buffet. The spectacle of having a slice carved off a slab of beef is a treat, just as much as eating it is.
Hot soup the likes of a tomato bisque and salmon chowder were by the Easter themed charcuterie board. This was a collection of cubed and soft cheeses, curls of meat, fresh fruit, and vegetables intermingled with foil wrapped chocolate eggs and real carrots to decorate in theme.
There was even a table labelled just for the kids and it included gooey Mac and cheese and crispy chicken tenders.
However, our little ones actually steered away from this in favour of the sushi. Presented on wooden ships and wood boards, there wasn’t much in terms of raw seafood, but they got fairly creative with vegetables, chicken, and eggs as filling.
Although to be honest, after a few bites of a couple of rolls they were quick and eager to move on to dessert. They switched from sweet to savoury once the Easter Bunny came around to hand out plastic eggs. Each child got one and each contained a couple of chocolate mini eggs and a plastic toy. And one lucky child got a special ticket in their egg for the grand prize: a chocolate filled basket, awarded to them by the Easter bunny.
Having the bunny mascot there was great fun as he posed for photos and gave out hi-fives and smiles.
Dessert was definitely the climax. Soft serve ice cream was available and presented in waffle bowls. At the back of the room there was a table of sprinkles, syrups, and toppings to dress them with. You could build your own sundae with any of these, or utilize anything you see from the dessert buffet that included cookies, macarons decorated like bunnies, and cakes by the slice.
I liked the jello and pudding in jars and the cakes in a cup for easy eating, in the perfect portion size. This was much like the mini mason jars of smoothies in berry or mango filled with two sips worth of drink.
The most eye catching of the dessert stations was the chocolate fondue tower. You had your choice of marshmallows, fresh fruit, and cream puffs to skewer and run under waterfalls of chocolate. A fun to have, but a hard to reach, with the need to further extend your body over the table, and stretch out on tippy toes.
As is buffet etiquette, you gather what you want on your plate, eat what you like, and go back for seconds or what you have missed during the first round. All while enjoying the live music they have performing on stage to set a jovial tone. Today it was a gentleman on the guitar doing jazzy renditions of classic songs.
In closing, this was one of the largest buffet offerings I have seen and had to date. There was something for everyone across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. You eat all you could, an at an affordable price. Adults only pay $44.95, seniors pay $36.95, kids from the ages of 4 to 12 are $21.95, and kids under 3 eat for free. With something for everyone you definitely get your moneys worth and Coast Langley Conventions make a great destination for all your celebrations.
The next occasion buffet they have is for Mother’s Day on May 12, 2024. Priced vary, and you have the ability to treat mom to the best buffet in Langley.
Features include Carved Prime Rib & Cherry Bourbon Glazed Ham, a Sweet & Savory Crepe Chef Station, Acai Bowls, a Vietnamese Spring Roll Station, and a Ruby Chocolate Fountain.
Coast Langley City Hotel & Convention Centre
20393 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 7N2, Canada
(604) 530-1500
coasthotels.com/coast-langley-city-hotel-and-convention-centre
