Masses and masses of food for a set price! Sounds like heaven to me. If someone offered me all the food I could eat for a set price I would definitely take them up on that. Speaking of which, I need some dinner.
(.........Pause for dinner.........)
Leeds City Center already has one 'All You Can Eat' in the form of Red Hot Buffet with another to open up shortly closer to the station. So with this in mind we entered into the newly opened Origin 7.
Origin 7 is located in The Light. Situated on the first floor, sharing space with Vue Cinema and Virgin Active, this all you can eat establishment has a classier look and feel about it. Entering through an arch way you are asked to wait until seated. Once taken to your seat drinks orders are placed and the merriment ensues. One of the friendly staff, who was in this case the same guy that seated us, asked if this was the first time we had been. Knowing we hadn't he proceeded to explain the layout of the building. What we had not realised, and this was just from gazing across from Vue, was that this business was over 3 levels. This not only shocked me but also my company too. The building looks small from the outside.
On the main floor (the entrance level) you will find a selection of Indian, Japanese and Desert options including a self-service ice cream machine. Located on the upper level, along with the toilets, are the Italian and English Carvery stations. And finally located on the lower level are the Szechuan and Chinese stations along with a hyper enthusiastic gentleman trying to get anyone to try Szechuan food with the phrases "Do you like spicy food? You tried Szechuan?"
So what of the food I hear you say. Hold your horses, I am getting there (No horse puns please). As we were seated on the main floor we both opted to head towards the Indian station. Presented in perfectly clean, and covered serving bowls, the food looked highly appetising. Opting for the vegetarian options I tucked in and was immediately brought much delight. The food tasted on par with a good Indian restaurant. It wasn't amazing but it was good. This looked promising.
Skipping over the English and Italian (basically Pizza and Pasta) I headed towards the Szechuan and Chinese. Looking over the Szechuan station I was limited for options. Being vegetarian normally doesn't limit me in Indian/Oriental food but to my dismay I was severely limited. In one hand you have a rock, in the other you have the proverbial hard place and stuck in the middle, like an over squeezed lemon, was me. 1 main vegetarian dish (tofu in chilli) and 5 bland accompaniment dishes lay before me. I tried the recommendations of the enthusiastic server and was severely unimpressed. The highlight from the Chinese section, even though it is a Thai dish, was the Thai Green Curry. Beautifully spiced and flavoured it was a delight to eat. This was a vast comparison to the sweet potato fritter that basically tasted of grease and batter.
Desert time. Limited to say the least. A few mousse like options, 2 soft cakes (rhubarb crumble and cheesecake) both with limp looking and tasting pastry and peanut brittle. Peanut brittle? Why I will never know. What, luckily saved it, was the inclusion on an ice cream machine that churned out the creamiest and softest ice cream I've had in a while. It took me back to my seaside days, 5 years old, trunks and arm bands on, spade in one hand and ice cream in the other.
Overall we paid about £10 including a pint of diet coke and left full, but disappointed. Yes the Indian food was good, but the general standard of the rest of the food not.
The staff are friendly and attentive and the overall place looks good, professional and clean but, and this is a big but...
"I like big butts and I cannot lie..."
MC Hammer!!! Get out of my review, you're not welcome here (Oh I lie, he is always welcome).
Anyway, as I was saying. The overall standard of the food is less than that of Red Hot Buffet. There are no 'Live Cooking Stations', less options in regards to the countries offered and the food quality is generally of a lower quality. Yes Red Hot Buffet is not brilliant, but it is consistent. I do want this place to work but changes need to happen to the quality of the food. read more