World Buffet at Kitchin N1, Kings Cross

I know what you are potentially thinking  - an 'All You Can Eat' World Buffet... not the usual title  from a health and fitness blogger!

 

But, whilst it may not be a 'gluten-free', 'wheat-free', low-fat, low-sugar, vegan/vegertarian, paleo, whatever other diet trend is currently going on, what I love about these types of places is that they really do offer something for everyone.

Lift up the lid and see what takes your fancy!

And, as my friend Pauline and I were about to discover as we visited one Saturday night, this is particularly true for Kitchin N1, central London's top world buffet located just behind Kings Cross Train Station.

The restaurant

With an offering combining the best recipes from China, Thailand, India and Italy, diners can help them selves to as much or as little as they like from each section, all for one set price from £8.99 at lunchtime, or £16.99 at dinner.

Light and spacious

As we entered the spacious restaurant, we were promptly greeted by one of the waiters who kindly showed us to our table and explained the concept, highlighting some of his favourite stations (basically all of them!), before setting us free with our plates!

The offering

I immediately delved into the cold 'starter' section, where I was able to pile my plate from a selection of delicious fresh salads and mixed vegetables, alongside a couple pieces of sushi, fresh mussels and my absolute favourite - shell-on king prawns. As a bit of a vegetable fiend, I guess that I what I like best about these types of places, as you really can overload on the healthy options, but at the same time add small tasters of the more indulgent options....

Starter salads

Prawns - my fav!

My starter dish - fresh, healthy and very tasty!

Which is why I didn't feel so guilty when it came to my plateful of main! So, whilst I would never usually go for a full dish of Pad Thai or Sweet and Sour Chicken, the fact I could have little tasters of each was right up my street! Combined with a few spoonfuls of Seafood Stew, Roasted Vegetables, a Crispy Duck Wrap, Onion Bahji and, of course, some more sushi (because it was just so damn good the first time round!), I certainly put together a mixed plate, but each was so delicious I was glad I didn't have to decide on just one option!

The more indulgent fried options...

My main combi - a bit of everything!

And just when I had finished my last spoonful, out came my meat selection that I had placed at their live tandoori grill.... I had forgotten I'd ordered that one! You see, the great thing about Kitchin N1 is not only do they have a great selection help yourself ready made dishes, but they also cook directly to your requirements right in front you. Sometimes there's nothing better than a simlpy freshly grilled piece of meat, and the succulent chicken and meaty steak I was served at Kitchin N1 certainly didn't disappoint!

Yum!

Pauline, meanwhile, decided to try out the wok station Noodle Bar. With a selection of noodles (egg or udon) and vegetables (spring onion, bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage), she was able to put everything she wanted into a bowl and hand over to the chef. With the option of Chicken or Prawns, and to add mild, medium or strong spices, he combined her desired combination in the pan and prepared it freshly right in front of her, ready to take back to her seat and demolish!

Pick your options and give to the chef....

Let him cook and bring to your seat!

Feeling satisfyingly full, we then went on to have a look at the desert options.... where we all of a sudden managed to find a little more room in our stomachs!

Desert station

With so much to choose from, I decided to try out the carrot cake, brownie and apple crumble (they were small pieces!!), all topped with a swoosh of ice cream from the easy-whip machine. While the carrot cake was slightly disappointing, the brownie more than made up for it and, as for the apple crumble.... wow!

Now, I have to be careful what I say here incase my Grandma is reading - she has an iPhone people, so is quite high tech (even if she does complain she can't use it properly as her fingers are too chubby!!). Grandma, don't fret, yours is still of course my favourite, but whilst all other I have tried have failed to even come close, this one would certainly get second place :-)

I just couldn't resist!

Pauline, meanwhile went for the chocolate combi! Brownie, chocolate cake, marshmallows dipped in the lavish chocolate fountain, and a little piece of carrot cake as she'd never tried it before (I was shocked!!), all topped off with a whip of ice cream. Yum!!

Note - the ice cream comes out fast!

All in all, I would certainly recommend Kitchin N1 as a great easy dining option, particularly when you're not 100% certain which type of food you fancy!! What particularly stood out to Pauline and I was just how friendly all the staff were - from the waiters to the chefs at the cooking stations, every one of them went above and beyond. Helpful, chatty, enthusiastic, and full and banter - a somewhat rarity in central London!

And, whilst 'all you can eat' buffets are notoriously known to be based around fatty, fried dishes that fill you up quickly with low quality foods, Kitchin N1 certainly wasn't this. Whilst there was of course the traditional curries, noodles and deep fried options, there was also the fresh and healthy seafood, grilled meats and nutritious cold salads -  a winning combination!