Smokin Hot Buffet & Grill | Coventry — Restaurant in Coventry

Firstly the entrance and outside looked nice. Then when we got seated they told us how long we can spend which was we get 1 hour and a half hour to eat and then go. Firstly I’d like to say that’s a joke because when you go into a restaurant especially a buffet you shouldn’t have to rush it’s not fair and I’ve been to better places than umami.

I’ve been to wing wah and cosmos and buffets in London and Leicester which are way better and you can actually take your time to eat there and they don’t keep walking around starring at you which I thought was very unprofessional.

Using the same cutlery is disgusting other buffets don’t do that because that’s not very hygienic like what’s going on there we as customers should be able to use cutlery it’s not a good service that was poor very poor.

Second the food is from costcos I can literally go to costcos and get the frozen food from there. The naan was not even fresh you have a section where you can make it but you didn’t make anything so you just got it out of the frozen which is bad. The tepenyaki section is where your supposed to have noodles there too that’s the whole point of having tepenyaki so you get to see the noodles and prawns being made but that wasn’t there.

The chilli and garlic is suppose to be fried other buffet places fry this. your not suppose to serve as you did,it’s incorrect it has to be fried. It was not a good service I mean the Thai rice was hard other buffet places I went to cook this fresh this was not fresh the food was not fresh it’s just been reheated so many times it was really bad.

Towards the end we was rushed which was really bad no other places do this if your going to rush people then don’t open the restaurant the whole idea of going to this place is so you can enjoy relax and eat we didn’t even get to do that because you were rushing everyone and there was this table on the other side of us that didn’t even get to finish their drinks they were ethnic people two girls and they didn’t even get to finish and the police were called that’s actually embarrassing your worker could not even deal with it the police call was not needed at all. They just wanted to finish their drink as it was a rip off anyway atleast you should of let them finished it the whole idea of a restaurant is so you can finish your food in peace honestly the police call was unnecessary and that was just racist because there ethnic. It did not need the police at all your workers are just racist and I don’t think you should be open.

I do not see umami going further as none of the food was fresh the only part that was the tepenyaki section that’s about it. I do not recommend anyone going here as they rush you constantly they just want you to rush and eat and then leave which is unprofessional and there’s better places out there.

It’s not even worth the money because they just reheat it so many times which you could get ill from. I found the place racist especially to ethnic people especially what me and my family witnessed. If you want budget all you can eat buffet I would recommend wing wah atleast you get authentic Chinese cooked meals as well as other Asian meals and your not rushed.

They deleted my review so I’m...

Smokin’ Hot Buffet & Grill offers a vast selection of dishes from around the world. There’s sushi, tacos and curries. Pizza, grilled meats, seafood. There’s a section which I liked to called “beige English comfort food” with chips, onion rings, fishfingers and chicken nuggets. And a mesmerising cheese fountain at the nacho station.

We parked at the nearby Belgrade Plaza NCP, just a few minutes walk from the restaurant. Despite a nondescript facade on the fringes of West Orchards Shopping Centre, we enter to an instantly Instagrammable lobby with a twinkling umbrella canopy and cherry blossom decor. Upstairs we confirm our booking at the desk and we’re seated straight away in a booth. We peruse the drinks menu. I opt for a reasonably priced cocktail, Mr Fletche goes for a beer.

Our lovely host Neha gives us a tour of the buffet stations. She’s keen to explain the concept behind Smokin’ Hot Buffet & Grill, and their commitment to providing authentic, quality dishes to all. Each dish is carefully labelled with allergens, and Neha advises that all of the meat, save one or two pork dishes, is halal-certified. Despite being meat-heavy, there are plenty of options to satisfy vegetarians too.

Tour over, photos snapped, it’s time to get down to business. We focus on small plates so we can sample a variety of the cuisines available. Unlike some of the diners, who carry plates overflowing with food. We have sushi to start, accompanied by wasabi, edamame beans and a crisp fresh salad.

Mr Fletche checks out the Chinese and South East Asian section, returning with sauteed vegetables and tender char siu pork (amongst other things) that he’s still raving about days later. I’m tempted by the rich and creamy butter chicken, confidently labelled as “world famous”. If it’s not, then it probably should be. Our final stop is at the world grill section, where I stuff a pitta bread full of the kind of delicious lamb doner meat rarely found at the local chippie. I watch for a while as the chefs knock up fresh grilled meat and fish on request at the live cooking station.

There’s just enough space left for a dollop of Eton mess and a jelly cube or two, although I eye up the vibrantly coloured ice cream freezer with a myriad of sprinkle options.

Mr Fletche and I left Smokin’ Hot Buffet & Grill thoroughly satisfied. There was no compromise on quality despite the vast variety of food on offer. Mr Fletche would have liked to see a dairy-free ice cream option (or sorbet) available as someone who is lactose-sensitive but this was a minor quibble.

Smokin’ Hot Buffet & Grill is perfect for families, date nights, post-work eats or even solo. Make sure you arrive on an empty stomach, and prioritise the quality meats and seafood over the less nutritious fare. A concept like this is an ideal opportunity to try something new without committing to a full meal.

I received a complimentary meal in exchange for an honest review. You can trust that I will always be honest and truthful and being an invited guest will not influence my...

In a few words, the dessert and tappenyaki was the only worthwhile parts.

We booked a table for 2 at pm last Saturday. It was relatively quiet, maybe 20-30% capacity.

The bad: Nothing we tried from the mains made us want to go back for more, udually in an all you can eat buffet there are at least some dishes you find moreish but none here stood out. The noodles were kind of dry, the rice was pretty bland. The sweet and sour chicken tasted like sweet meatballs and marinara sauce somehow.. pancakes for the duck were dry and falling apart even after a top up. The BBQ section... don't bother. The sausage was mush and flavourless, the beef was black and very dry. I didn't try the burger and the carvery section didn't look great (meat looked very dry)

Very few 'saucy' dishes to be found other than the curries so that was a little disappointing.

The good: The few meaty 'bites' they had were good (though not exceptional and certainty did get the craving to go back for seconds). Battered King prawns, chicken wings, and spare ribs were the best of these.

The deserts were actually fantastic. Plenty of flavour, not packed with flavourless jellies, ice cream, popcorn, chocolate fountain, fresh fruit, and lots of yummy cakes. If I had to eat here again I would fill myself on cakes and tappenyaki.. but let's come back to that.

Service was OK, we were seated quickly and informed their policy was payment first (I can see why!..) we ordered two bottomless drinks but after grabbing our first plates had to ask a nearly waiter to get our glasses as somehow we had been forgotten (even though it was not very busy).

Now the weirdest thing.. the tappenyaki. The meat itself was very tasty. I had the steak, some chicken and some king prawns, all cooked well and tasted great. What surprised me was three things. 1.Meat only... you couldn't have fresh noodles, onions, pepeers, beanstalk etc fried up with your meat. You had to grab the tired dry stuff from the buffet. There was no sauces available.. no soy, no garlic, no spicy, no teriyaki. Only lemon + Salt/pepper. I understand running out but no soy?? For real? The heat.. the poor employee working the grill looked like he was going to collapse. The heat was up so high and it didn't look like there was enough air / long enough paddles so he could work without getting roasted alive. Bonus point - the scraping down of the grill was totally inadequate and everything tasted strongly of beef.. luckily I'm a fan of beef so I didn't mind, but my partner not so much and her prawns came out tasting like sirloin steak.

Maybe teething problems... maybe bad luck? I'm not sure. If I had spent £13 / person then I would be satisfied, not blown away. For over £20 / person it's simply not goof enough.

Things I would like to see: More saucy dishes Prawn toast!? A re-worked sweet and sour recipe.. Maybe throw some MSG in the food? Non-meats in the tappenyaki

I may come back again in a year if the review pick up and they take on board others suggestions. If not, I wouldn't...