Profiled by de Groots MediaMost of us have been there at least once in our lives, even if it was many moons ago. So when you walk into one of Miss Maud’s famous buffet restaurants, it’s almost like reliving your childhood. Swedish wooden horses still decorate the venue and staff are still dressed in traditional outfits. The central buffet remains the focal point of the restaurant, although I could swear it has decreased in size. Perhaps that’s just because it looked so enormously large when I was ten years old. Nonetheless, it was heart-warming to see my old favourites still graced the buffet table, more than two decades on. Cold cuts, fresh salads and a smattering of seafood – all arranged in what can best be described as food origami – are propped up on ice beds, ready for consumption.
As you finish your first plate and return for round two, aromas from the carvery beckon you in for a closer look. A bain-marie lit up like Broadway offers crispy roast potatoes, cauliflower and cheese, pumpkin, steamed beans and other accompaniments to complete the “roast of the day”. Once you’ve picked your vegies, it’s over to the carving station where the chef slices generous chunks of lamb off the bone and straight onto your plate. By now, most have had to loosen their belt buckles in preparation for dessert, which is well worth pushing the boundaries for. A range of fresh fruit, jellies, cakes and the famous green “princess cake” all bring back more childhood memories of Miss Maud. As you slowly rise from your seat to pay the bill, one final familiarity hits you like a ton of bricks – that feeling of being so full you can hardly walk!
Karen Bilsby-Butler, February 2008
