Aqueduct Buffet at Resorts World New York City

Trying to get information about the new Aqueduct Buffet at Resorts World New York City located at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. in Jamaica, NY was extremely difficult on the opening weekend (October 28-30, 2011) since the website for the casino (http://www.rwnewyork.com/) did not list times or prices and the customer service line (1-888-888-8801) was not operational Saturday or Sunday. As a result, I went to lunch at the Aqueduct Buffet on Sunday, October 30, 2011 to check it out.

I learned the Aqueduct Buffet is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (with all food removed by 11:00 p.m.). For lunch, they charge $16.99 plus tax for adults (raised on February 1, 2012 to $19.99 plus tax). For dinner (which starts at 5:00 p.m.), they charge $19.99 plus tax for adults (raised on February 1, 2012 to $24.99 plus tax Sunday through Thursday and $29.99 plus tax on Fridays, Saturdays and Holidays). Additional food choices are added during the dinner hours.

The buffet is divided into a number of stations, which include, but are not limited to, the following: Asian Station (Chinese & Japanese), Spanish/Middle Eastern Station, Comfort Food Station, Italian Station, Upscale Station, Seafood Station, Salad Station, Soup/Bread Station and a Dessert Station.

An example of the food served for lunch at some of the stations follows:

Asian Station: LoMein w/Bean Sprouts & Scallions, Vegetable Fried Rice, Asian Sesame Chicken, Stir-Fried Shrimp w/Vegetable, Pan Fried Dumplings, Dim Sum, BBQ Pork, Soy Chicken Wings, Seaweed Salad & Spring Roll

Spanish/Middle Eastern Station: Lamb Gyro Wrap, Steak Fajitas, Black Lentils & Tandoori Chicken

Comfort Food Station: BBQ Ribs, Meatloaf, Macaroni & Cheese, Fried Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

Italian Station: Chicken Cacciatore, Sweet Italian Sausage w/Tri-Colored Peppers & Onions, Mussels, Penne in Marinara w/Meat Balls, Rosemary Chicken, Polenta, Flounder, Roasted Potatoes & Asparagus

Upscale Station: Salmon, Pork Chops, New York Sirloin Steak, Corn On The Cob & Kiebasa w/Sausage (with the option to purchase the following a la carte items for $9.99 an item: Sirloin, Tenderloin, Chops or Lobster)

Seafood Station: Shrimp w/Cocktail Sauce

Salad Station: Macaroni Salad, Four Bean Salad, Rice Noodle Salad

Soup/Bread Station: Potato Leek Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup & Tomato Basil Soup

Dessert Station: Fresh Fruit, Rice Pudding, Chocolate Pudding, Fruit Parfait, Chocolate & Vanilla Ice Cream, Bread Pudding, Blueberry Cobbler and many cakes.

Drinks such as soda, coffee, tea, cranberry & orange juice were included in the price of the buffet and are brought to you by a member of the wait staff.

Overall, the food was fresh and the staff friendly. Tours of the buffet were available and there were also roving entertainers. The view of the track from some of the seats in the buffet room (300 seats) was exceptional. I liked the fact there was a rest room you could access from the main buffet room. Parking was free but if they start to charge for parking, I recommended that future buffet customers be able to have their parking tickets validated so they won't need to pay both for parking and the buffet if they are just coming to Resorts World New York City to eat.

As for criticisms, I have a few. First, some of the food was not labeled. Second, a number of food items were left in place too long causing them to dry up. Examples included the New York Sirloin Steak, Lamb Gyro, Steak Fajita and the Corn On The Cob. Eventually these items were replaced and were fresh but it took longer than it should have. Third, the Tandoori Chicken had a curry rub on it and was not prepared in the traditional manner (with the fiery red hue you might be used to). Fourth, the Fruit Parfait had a nasty taste to it (but you might find it to your liking). Finally, the orange juice tasted like it was watered down.

Despite these minor negative observations, I would highly recommend you try the Aqueduct Buffet. I will certainly be returning myself.

If you are gambling in the casino and don't have time to sit down for a full buffet, the following restaurants are also available in the Food Court: Wolfgang Puck Express, Stage Deli, Cups n' Cones, Popeyes, Fiesta, Good Friends and Queens Burger.