restaurants

View Docklands Restaurant

Previously known as the IGG International Buffet and Bar, View Docklands is situated in a quiet corner of Docklands, a glance away from the harbour if you look through their floor to ceiling windows. They feature a weekend seafood buffet, as well as a la carte options of classic Chinese dishes, including a special Peking Duck menu. Overall, the buffet was quiet standard for the price of $45 – with the made to order wagyu station a unique highlight for this relatively affordable, Melbourne buffet. The good fat: There was a fresh array of seafood, including oysters, salmon sashimi, prawns and crab – epitomising the standard features of a seafood buffet. Special highlights were the thin slices of wagyu available to order at the bar, along with the juicy Xiao Long Bao in their dim sum section. The dessert table is always a must for me at a buffet, and I was quiet surprised with how tasty some of them were – in particular, the matcha chocolate cake! They were the perfect portion size to try a fair few without feeling too guilty! The bad fat: I found the variety of the hot dishes quite scarce, with only a fair few Asian options, such as fried rice and BBQ beef. The ambiance was a little dry, and not at all vibrant. Being a cold Wintry Melbourne evening, the heater didn’t seem to be on so we were forced to eat dinner wearing huge down jackets which made the entire experience a little unappealing. The sushi bar, whilst presented nicely, consisted of rather dry sushi rolls. SHOULD YOU GET FAT HERE? Depends on your taste – Definitely on the cheaper side compared to other Melbourne buffets, and quite worthwhile if you enjoy your seafood and the classic Chinese dishes. FAT-O-METER: 3.5/5