The Buffet at Mystic Lake Casino - Prior Lake, MN

CLOSED March 18(?), 2020

2400 Mystic Lake Blvd

Visited June 25, 2009

The Twin Cities lacks the flash and glitz making it less flashy of a tourist destination as Las Vegas but Mystic Lake Buffet's proximity to the urbane cities necessitates a polish above the standard buffet and offers options that make it the best buffet in the area.  Best is subjective so it may be more objectively said The Buffet is one of the biggest buffets in the TC metro and commensurately offer the most variety in the TC that I am aware of.

In no particular order, the foods I nibbled on include:

• Roast beef - about the same as found at the competition.
• Broccoli rabe - a nice kick.
• Sea bass - it was so good I went back for thirds.
• Grouper - it too was so good I went back for thirds.
• Coquille St. Jacques Au Gratin - the scallops were huge, plentiful, and cooked to perfection, thirds also.
• Smoked/grilled salmon - too dry, overcooked
• Mahi-mahi - rough and flavorless
• Chinese spare ribs - cloying sauce and with the flavor only on the surface.
• Vietnamese meatball - meh
• Vegetarian lo-mein - unexpected and surprisingly flavorful
•  Pork spring/egg roll - decent, comparable to what's usually offered in the TC
• Wild rice soup - I still think Panera's serves the best but this was just about as good
• Curry chicken wild rice salad - very enjoyable, if I hadn't eaten so much by this point, I would have had more.
• Artichoke hearts - good and not so tart
• Wood fired buffalo pizza
• Rigatoni Alla Norma - very nice flavor
• Pork loin - dry

Just so you don't think I'm a pig (nothing wrong with that though), I did hold back. This above list is probably about 20% of their offerings.

Lemon mouse cheesecake and chocolate cream roulade. I also tried the seasonal berry and pineapple passion cakes. These were split so we all had little nibbles. Usually I find desserts too sweet. These were all made to perfection in sweetness. The cheesecake wasn't world class but I would glad to be able to make it this good. The roulade was equally excellent, with the right amount of sweetness and cream. I could have had a lot more to eat but at this point I was trying to contain myself. I was content and not overly stuffed.

The worst part of The Buffet: Smokers and a drive to the outskirts.