As far as buffets go, Fairways is a pretty decent one. The atmosphere is pleasant and rather cosy, the staff are especially polite and attentive, and they have a fairly expansive spread. The quality of the food varies though, so you really must pick wisely. The pasta station is definitely something to avoid, and we promise your ancestors won’t be turning in their graves if you forgo the sushi here too. It’s satisfying as an appetiser, but certainly packs no surprises that are going to knock your socks off. Instead, turn your attention to the Middle-Eastern fare on offer, because it is here that you will find satisfaction in tender lamb kebab skewers and other meat favourites, cooked on demand and fresh off the grill.
If you fancy a meat-free evening, you can always hit the fish stand or delve into the lobster tank. We heard the lobsters at Fairways were fresh from the States, and were initially rather excited about this. However, one look at them scuttling happily along the bottom of their tank had us steering in the direction of the seafood instead. Here there was nothing alive to pull on our emotional heartstrings, so we piled our plate with fresh oysters, clams, crab legs and a variety of smoked fish. To complement all this, we also helped ourselves at the cheese counter, which was miniature but boasting a good variety of some decent specimens. On the other hand, while the fish seemed fresh enough, like the sushi there was nothing which really stood out. All in all the kebabs were firmly on their way to becoming the star of the evening, but then dessert happened. And aren’t we pleased it did.
In our experience, it’s becoming something of a convention with the Westin food outlets, where the desserts far excel the savoury options. We’ve seen this with Agadir, and now Fairways has educated us in the joys of date cheesecake, white chocolate mousse, crème brûlée and fruit soup. And get this, all of the aforementioned are in miniature, which means you can sample as much as you’re able to, and go back for more of whichever are your favourites.
Is it good value for money though? That’s the main question. In all honesty, we’re not the biggest fans of buffets, but if that’s your scene and you have a sweet tooth the dessert station alone can make it all worthwhile. However, the next time we have Dhs180 to spare on dinner, we’re going to take our extra cash someplace else.
The bill (for two)
Dinner buffet x2 Dhs180
Total (excluding service) Dhs360
