It has become our family tradition to go for a brunch buffet on Christmas Day. Instead of going downtown this year, we have decided to try the EBO Restaurant in Burnaby.
It seems to me that EBO has established itself as a contender in the dining scene in (Metro) Vancouver. This was my first time eating at the restaurant.
Christmas Brunch Buffet at EBO
Food
For $42 per person, it offered a wide variety of food items. The quality was great and the refill took place quickly. Here are some items on the menu:
Salads
- Traditional Greek Style Salad with Kalmata Olives, Feta, Red Wine and Fresh Oregano Dressing
- Roma Tomato Salad, Basil Pesto Marinated Boconccini
- Marinated Potato Salad with Lemon & Tarragon, Roasted Red Peppers
- Cold Seafood Display with Snow Crab Legs, Poached Prawns, Marinated Mussels and Clams
Cold seafood display
- Organic Fraser Valley Roast Turkey, Sage & Apricot Stuffing, Natural Pan Jus, Cranberry (pre-carved)
- Orzo Pasta with Wild Mushroom Cream, Truffle Essence, Leeks and Preserved Tomatoes
- BBQ Pork (carved to order)
- Carved Prime Rib of Beef with Mustard and Horseradish, Cabernet Jus
Exec Chef Dan Craig at carving station
We also had the opportunity to try the famous John’s Fresh Roti. It was tossed and grilled fresh in front of our eyes. It was available in white and whole wheat, served with a red curry sauce.
John making fresh roti
The dessert selection was also fantastic, including:
- Chocolate Mousse
- Coconut Panna Cotta
- Cheesecakes
- Chocolate Fountain with Fresh Fruit and Marshmallow
Desserts
The most impressive part was the Virtual Ice Cream, which is fresh ice cream made with liquid nitrogen. I saw that a lot on TV but it’s quite cool to see liquid nitrogen at work in person. The ice cream was surprisingly creamy and was one of the highlights of the meal.
Fresh ice cream made using liquid nitrogen
Overall, it was a great selection of food. Not only that, it offered a good balance of Western and Asian style items, and they were all done right. The only complaint, so to speak, that I had was the placement of food stations. It wasn’t the most intuitive way to organize the food, such as placing waffles next to the desserts and cold appetizers, when it might make more sense to be next to the eggs benny at the hot station. The space is also tighter than other buffets that we’ve been to, so some of the stations became hidden and/or hard to find.
Service
Compared to the quality of service we received in previous Christmas buffets at downtown Vancouver hotel, this definitely came on top. Our emptied plates were collected promptly, coffee and juice were refilled regularly, and servers continued to check on us without being annoying. We were happy with the service.
Final Thoughts
For what we paid, I thought this buffet brunch is of excellent value. We received attentive service and tasted delicious, good variety of items. This was a great choice for Christmas Day buffet, and I would recommend you all to give it a try!
EBO Restaurant (at the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre)
4331 Dominion Street, Burnaby
604-453-0788
www.eborestaurant.com
