For the Love of...: ...Banff Springs Hotel Brunch Buffet

Overall - 8/10
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Food - 8/10
Service - 8/10
Ambiance - 9/10

The past two years we seem to have started a traditional post-Christmas trip out to Banff to escape the hustle and bustle of the holiday season for some skiing and good eats. This year we decided to check out the brunch buffet at the Bow Valley Grill at Banff Springs hotel. Thankfully we made reservations in advance as the place was packed with vacation goers escaping the city like us. In order to get some decent photos of the food we really had to control our impulse to fill our plates to the brim which was really hard considering the delicious spread that was set out!

Photo courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

First off was what I call the breakfast plate. Starting from the bottom and going clockwise is the eggs benedict; an egg, bean and cheese breakfast bake; corned beef hash; orange roasted duck; beef rib eye; and farmers sausage. Perhaps the best thing on this plate was the eggs benedict which had a perfectly poached egg with runny yolk and delicious hollandaise sauce.  

Next up was the cold plate that included grilled veggies with aged balsamic; smoked mackerel; smoked salmon; lemon pepper grilled shrimp; and hot smoked salmon. In addition to this chilled seafood there was a huge array of leafy green, pasta and vegetable salads to choose from. The fish on this plate were expertly smoked and cured highlighting the delicate seafood flavours.

The seafood dishes were also a highlight of the buffet and included clams in a cream sauce; swordfish in a orange butter sauce; shrimp and salmon in a cream sauce; braised red cabbage; and roasted tomato penne. The fish was very fresh and well cooked which was a surprise as fish at a buffet can easily overcook sitting under the heat lamps. The orange butter sauce on the swordfish was really unique and lent a great sweetness to the fish. 

True to Albertan values, the meat section of the largest of all the sections of the buffet. My excitement got the best of me this trip and I may have overloaded my plate just a touch. In any case starting from the bottom is a roasted pork loin; goat cheese mashed potatoes; beef tenderloin in a Saskatoon berry sauce, chicken in a cream sauce; and roasted lamb. The lamb was some of the best I've ever had, perfectly cooked and tender to boot.

Unfortunately the photos above are only a small fraction of what was available that day. Thankfully the dishes seem to stay the same over our last few visits so even if you're full you can always go back to sample what you didn't get a chance to the first time around.  The buffet was priced at $45 per person and was a bit pricey, but considering the great views and huge selection of high quality dishes it was a nice treat after a busy holiday season.