Gone are the steam-warmed vats of lasagne–and the suspiciously low price: dinner is $20.50 per person. Food is cooked fresh at individual stations, served up on small, stylish plates, and, in some cases, made to order. Dishes like freshly sliced sushi, wood-fired pizza and hearts-of-palm salad are displayed in front of the kitchens–and wood ovens–where they’re prepared. And the decor is elevated, with stylish tabletop flatware and oversize square plates. Says Judy Cooper, who drove an hour with her husband, Frank, from St. George, Utah, just to try Cravings: “I’ve eaten in so many buffets but I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as this.”
Tara Weingarten
