By Jenny Hammond (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-20 10:08

As George Bernard Shaw wrote, "There is no love sincerer than the love of food." Indeed, a buffet restaurant experience is certainly the place to express or promote this passion.

Through a gastronomical tour taking in Shanghai cuisine to a good hearty Tex-Mex feast, the buffet dining experience at The Regent Shanghai is a treat for the eyes and imagination, if nothing else.

Priding itself on a good selection of dishes, quality, fresh food, competent service and competitive prices, the O2on2 restaurant certainly delivers in terms of repletion.

Buffets are always good to unleash the carnivore or glutton within and here, with its scrumptious and enticing line-up of juicy meats roasting on large skewers and plate after plate of mouth- watering dishes, is no exception.

Situated on the second floor alongside an Italian bistro, O2on2 is one of five dining choices in the hotel.

With a dim sum corner, Chinese favorites, seafood and salad bar, carvery, soup alternatives and a wide selection of main dishes, the choice seems endless, and that is before descending upon the inviting desserts table.

Despite its calm, modern atmosphere inside, the restaurant's main draw, by far, is its wide variety of food offerings.

Although the eatery seems to be proud of its view, the vivid green lights designed to illuminate the trees outside were a poor choice directly in front of the restaurant windows. As most colorists would argue green is a color to suppress appetite, although being a buffet perhaps this was the intention.

Each week, the restaurant offers different themes so the dishes constantly change.

With an Italian executive chef, O2on2 boasts a solid pasta section, cooked on the spot to personal preference.

With a strong element of "pick your ingredients and make your own" on the salad, Chinese fare and pasta bar, the restaurant caters to individual tastes, a rare concept in a buffet restaurant.

At 148 yuan (US$19.11) plus 15 percent per head, including one soft drink or a glass of house wine, the price is competitive with other hotels and the seafood table is impressive.

Sharing its wine list with the Italian restaurant next door, it refreshes its selection quarterly and at 50 yuan a glass for the house variety one can hardly complain about the cost.

Then there are the desserts.

With its award-winning pastry chef, all sweets are homemade and are certainly a treat for the eyes with the colorful selection.

It is rather exciting to venture over to the dessert counter to take in the dazzling array of dainty sweets and bite-sized fruit tartlets.

There is also a wide selection from the cheese platter, exotic fruits, ice cream, cakes (the best of which is the cheesecake) and the chocolate fountain. Despite the variety, however, nothing here really inspires gluttony. It looks great but lacks substance.

O2on2
Address: 2/F, 1116 Yan'an Xilu
Tel: 021-61159988