The Elusive Midnight Buffet

I grew up hearing my parents’ stories about cruises they had taken with fabulous midnight all-you-can-eat shrimp buffets. Their descriptions bordered on the Bacchanalian. As I prepared for my most recent cruise, people commented, “Lucky you! You get the midnight all-you-can-eat shrimp buffet!”

I retorted, “I don’t believe there is such a thing as a midnight all-you-can eat shrimp buffet! It’s an urban legend. I have been on TWO cruises and there was no midnight buffet in sight.”

Well, color me surprised when this cruise actually had a midnight buffet! I walked along the line, silently thinking, “Please let there be shrimp. Please let there be shrimp. Prove me wrong.” There was no shrimp. But there was the next best thing – crazy melon carvings!

And, far better than shrimp — they had lechon! Roasted Filipino suckling pig! I know, the eyes creep me out too. Just don’t look at them. I asked for some cheek and a rib. I know my lechon. The cheek carving got perilously close to the eye, but just don’t think about it. Look away.

The buffet also featured adorable little sandwiches, one with a very creative presentation of melon and prosciutto.

Then there was just everything in the world. (Clockwise from upper right, rib, prosciutto, macaroni salad, pesto caprese sandwich and catfish). It is very hard to make a buffet plate look appetizing. The mish-mash of food is kind of icky. But the catfish was so delicious, I have to show it to you. In the end, it’s all about the catfish, right?