Charming Red Heart Christmas Buffet Dinner @ Alva House
December has arrived, a month brimming with festive cheer! Now that I'm older, I can't go out partying all night like I used to, but delicious food still holds a special allure for me. I think the best Christmas feast is definitely a buffet.
That night, I went to the Grand Hyatt Sha Tin with a large group of friends. Stepping inside, we were immediately greeted by a riot of Christmas decorations, creating a wonderful atmosphere.
We were at Alva House for a delightful red heart-shaped Christmas buffet dinner! Let's soak up the Christmas spirit early!
Right at the restaurant entrance was the dessert display case! Inside were coconut water chestnut cake, mango Napoleon, Lotus espresso cups, 70% Valrhona chocolate mousse, Tiramisu, Basque cheesecake, pear and osmanthus cake, and apple and hawthorn cake.
Around the corner, inside the dessert display case, were my favorite durian desserts! The selection includes durian serradura mochi cake, durian heart cake, durian pandan cake, Uji matcha double cheesecake, and caramel milk chocolate mousse cake.
Of course, you can't miss their homemade Italian ice cream! This includes peach apple sorbet, mango passion fruit sorbet, durian ice cream, and a limited-time Uji matcha ice cream with white tokachi red beans.
With Christmas approaching, there are plenty of Christmas desserts, such as Christmas fruit buns.
Then there's passion fruit Earl Grey tea beer cake, strawberry almond tart, strawberries, Italian cheese lemon cream, and Portuguese egg tarts.
Fresh fruit options include sliced cantaloupe, whole apples, pears, grapes, and mandarins.
Häagen-Dazs ice cream has eight flavors! With so many choices, any ice cream enthusiast should definitely come and indulge.
For drinks, besides self-service hot and cold tea, there's a juicer for self-service! I was so happy to find my favorite pineapple juice. Canned beer is also available for unlimited consumption, and for an extra fee, you can enjoy unlimited red and white wines, sparkling wines, and sake.
The appetizer section starts with Caesar salad, along with a large selection of fresh salad dressings and sauces.
I especially love the ready-made salads! The selection includes green apple, quinoa, and persimmon salad; beetroot salad; potato salad; chestnut and pumpkin salad with duck breast; Japanese okra salad; and my absolute favorite, lobster, avocado, and mixed fruit salad.
The frozen meat section is filled with a variety of exquisite and delicious frozen meats and cheeses, which make for a more satisfying experience when paired with the salads.
The chilled seafood section is also quite impressive! It includes jade snails, prawns, mussels, Garfield crabs, brown crabs, snow crab legs, and lobster.
There are also freshly shucked oysters, which you can take two at a time. The Japanese sashimi selection includes Argentine red shrimp, octopus, sea bream, tuna, salmon, and scallops, along with a variety of fresh sushi and rolls.
The Japanese cuisine also features a variety of tempura, robatayaki, and okonomiyaki.
The teppanyaki grill will rotate between pan-fried dried duck and Wagyu beef.
Following this are tender grilled beef, Christmas turkey, Italian herb pork belly rolls, and slow-cooked short ribs.
Asian cuisine includes Indian flatbread, crispy crackers, chicken cutlets, and lemongrass tuna.
The Western-style bread rolls are fragrant and offer a wide selection.
The Western soup is carrot cream soup, while the Chinese option is winter melon soup.
The noodle stall is serving a nourishing chicken soup with matsutake mushrooms and tea tree mushrooms.
The large steamer contains steamed oysters with chili and garlic and steamed grouper.
Continuing on, we saw dishes like garlic cucumber, Peking duck, braised platter, Hainanese chicken, and braised duck feet with fish maw and oyster sauce.
Next came baked whole salmon fillets, Teochew-style crab balls, roasted lamb rack, and chili garlic spaghetti.
Finally, the first dish was a refreshing and appetizing appetizer! The lobster, avocado, and mixed fruit salad was so delicious it became the MVP.
Then came the fresh sashimi! My top recommendation was the Argentine red shrimp—sweet, tender, and incredibly delicious.
The freshly shucked oysters were so fresh, you should definitely try a couple more!
The chilled seafood was of excellent quality! The crab legs were bursting with the freshness of the sea, the lobster meat was springy and sweet, especially the lobster claws—super delicious! The mussels were tender and flavorful, and the shrimp was also refreshing and delightful.
The pan-fried duck liver, bursting with rich, oily flavor, was an indulgent choice.
This Chinese platter was also very appealing! The duck feet, fish maw, and shiitake mushrooms were incredibly flavorful, and the braised pork belly in the assorted braised dishes, while tempting, was also surprisingly delicious.
If you're a fan of Peking duck, don't miss this! All-you-can-eat is pure bliss.
For those who love savory flavors, don't miss the tempura! My personal favorite is the okra tempura; the batter isn't too thick, and the texture is excellent.
The robatayaki selection is plentiful! Corn, prawns, salmon, chicken wings, abalone, sweet potatoes, and okra are all available. My favorite is the sweet potato with its sweet and savory drizzle.
For Christmas, turkey is a must—it's not too dry and quite tasty. However, I prefer the Italian herb-stuffed pork belly roll with skin and meat on—it's satisfying and incredibly meaty.
Finally, one last encore of my favorite dishes! My savory stomach is perfectly satisfied; it's time for dessert.
Just then, the bell rang! The limited-time Uji matcha ice cream with Shiratama Tokachi red bean paste is about to make its debut!
The matcha ice cream has a smooth and sweet flavor that's incredibly delicious! Paired with chewy and soft Shiratama dumplings and sweet red bean paste, it's simply delightful.
My sweet tooth was especially happy that day because of the durian ice cream and desserts! I specially got a durian platter to share with my friends, and the aroma of durian filled the air – every item was so delicious and satisfying!
The charming red heart Christmas buffet dinner is available from now until January 1, 2026, starting at $788 per adult and $468 per child. Reservations and deposits made in December will enjoy discounts of up to 30% off (excluding December 24-26 and 31; limited availability, first come, first served).