At the end of postprandial assessments (t = 360 min), subjects were presented with an assortment of cold lunch-type buffet foods.
Inelegantly overloading plates, assortments of cold or hot appetizers were generous but as dull as chicken croquette, fried calamari, sautéed mushrooms and potato salad, to mention a few poorly seasoned components.
We opted for the one that cost about $50 a person (expensive for Beijing, especially for a menu that did not include exotica like shark fin, turtle and bird's nest) and began with a far from typical assortment of little cold dishes.
The heat is like a wall here, until we steer into a private resort behind iron gates which sports freshly mowed grass, waterscaping with artificial cascades, cool vapor misting from shade umbrellas, and, inside, air conditioning, cold sodas and a farraginous assortment of foods.
You could easily anchor dinner with choices from an appealing and frequently changing assortment of salads and cold dishes, like asparagus with pistachios and Manchego; orzo with sugar snap peas; roasted carrots; roasted fingerling potatoes scored so that they look like gnocchi; savory tartlets; and a few meat dishes, including lamb burgers and steak.
Dips: Fix an assortment of crudités and cold cuts, maybe adding some bread or crackers, and serve alongside a fresh bean dip or hummus.
For a complete meal choose a few of these small dishes or order an assortment plate of hot or cold appetizers (meze).
Besides the hot and cold buffets, traditional omelet station and wide assortment of fresh fruits, berries, vegetables and baked goods, offerings also include smoked trout and salmon, local cheeses and a daily egg special.
A typical menu might start with an assortment of five hot and cold appetizers like wild spinach croquettes or cinnamon crostini with spicy beet root, followed with a choice of a meat or a fish main dish like a bouillabaisse with saffron, fennel and red onions and end with a dessert of espresso mascarpone with prunes poached in sherry.
For the on-the-go traveler, there is the usual assortment of candy, chips, cigarettes, cold-relief products, Krazy Glue and toothbrushes.
