Avoid the "Seoulful Flavors" Buffet at Graze Kitchen (Hilton Colombo) – Massive Disappointment & Misleading Marketing
Hey everyone, just wanted to share my experience with the ongoing Korean buffet at Hilton Colombo’s Graze Kitchen so you don't waste your money and time.
We all know the Korean wave is massive trend in Sri Lanka right now so most businesses are trying to follow this. Sadly, our hospitality standard is tanking while tourist numbers grow. Colombo hotels have been deteriorating for years. I have had few bad experiences with Hilton but this turn out to be the worst.
I was hopeful because this promotion advertised guest chefs Jeong Hun Han and Young Hun Hwang from Conrad Seoul. On opening night (May 14th), they had a decent spread and the guest chefs were actually cooking. Fast forward to yesterday, and it was a complete joke.
Here is what went wrong:
●False Advertising: Over half of the food items from opening night were not available. The highlighted food items in the flyer was not present anywhere in the buffet except for one pancake lying on a plate. Example, they highlight Kimchi Fried Rice. They only had plain white rice and garlic rice. The live station chef had no idea where the Kimchi fried rice was or they were supposed to serve that.
●The Dessert Disaster: The flyer promises Korean Shaved Ice (Bingsu). When I asked for it, the staff repeatedly pointed me toward Hwachae (Korean fruit punch) 🤦♀️. When I told them that wasn't it, they disappeared into the kitchen for half an hour. They finally returned to my table holding a massive plate full of Korean jelly, proudly asking, "Isn't this what you want?"
● Missing Highlights: They marketed Korean BBQ heavily. There was absolutely nothing Korean about the grill station. The only thing available from the flyer was a single pancake station but the local chef who was present there was not actually making it and they just kept bringing plates from kitchen. On the day of the opening they had several different pancakes but now they have only one.
● Ghost Chefs : The two guest chefs were nowhere to be found unless someone wanted a photo op. They weren't managing the quality at all. Even if guests had an issue with the food or a concern or questions, a local chef would pop up but didn't know a thing about the dishes but would say that they are new and they would check on it and disappear.
●The Final Kick in the Teeth: The buffet runs until dinner on May 23rd. However, I was told that the Korean chefs are flying out on the 23rd noon! If you book for the final night, you are paying Rs. 10,888 nett for zero guest chefs and a kitchen run entirely by local staff who don't know the cuisine.
When I complained, management's solution was to ask me to come back another day so the chefs could prepare something special. Why would I spend another Rs. 10,888 nett to go back? Honestly, do we not have marketing laws against misleading advertisements in Sri Lanka? Save your money and just go to Kang's Kitchen. The food there at least tastes better, and you get what you pay for...