On a chilly but sunny Tuesday afternoon,I arrived at the 38th floor of the JW Marriott Hotel which is located downtown, near People's Square. The restaurant, named Marriott Cafe, has a cosy ambience and serves buffets of a constantly-changing and mixed culinary style, which the hotel itself calls "international cuisine".

Actually, the thing I really came to enjoy was not the food but the beautiful sunshine streaming through the floor-toceiling glass windows - a perfect view of the elevated roads, skyscrapers and old buildings which give the skyline an interesting contrast. The dining hall is bright and large, with a crescent ceiling,and the buffet counters are situated in the center for easy access. The chairs in the Marriott Cafe feel especially casual, and are made of bamboo strips with a warm
golden colour.

Like the normal buffets served in other luxury hotels, the Marriott Cafe has typical Chinese food, such as the Beijing roasted duck, as well as Western courses and desserts. It also offers Indian food,Thai-style dishes and Japanese sushi and seafood.

The salads are especially worthy of recommendation, and all of them looked attractive and tasted good. The Thai chicken salad, which had diced chicken preserved with spices and other seasonings,tasted perfectly sweet and spicy.

The mushroom salad was mild, appetizing and, of course, very good for the health. The Greek salad, made of baby tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese,also had a light flavour but tasted fragrant and refreshing enough to please the taste buds.

The Indian dishes I sampled included Chana Masala, dry vegetables and murg masala, which all featured a strong and rich flavour due to the curry spices. In addition to these three, there was also a special food court on which diners could find an Indianstyle salad, with bread, yogurt and snacks.

One particular dish which impressed me during my meal at the Marriott Cafe was called the herb crust lamb chop with onion rings, which was well seasoned but not too spicy. The lamb chops were cooked medium and tasted very tender.It also brought a pleasant savour of herbs and peppers, which made it even more delectable and appetizing. The chef at the noodle court prepares rice noodles andJapanese udon noodles with a variety of vegetables and seafood right there on the spot, and this is a really a good choice of food to have in winter.

My dining experience at the Marriott Cafe was quite relaxing and comfortable. I had warm winter sunshine, amazing city views, a rich and varied buffet, and a very cosy environment. What more can you ask for from a casual lunch?

Lunch buffet, available from Monday to Saturday at 178 yuan,including one soft drink.

address:38th floor, JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai Tomorrow Square 399 West Nangjing Road Tel: 021-5359-4969 ext 6422