Navio brunch buffet at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay

anybody need a place to take their girlfriend for a nice anniversary brunch? maybe a birthday brunch? i've got the place for you! sunday brunch at the Navio at the Ritz Calrton Half Moon Bay. let me start of by telling you it's about $100/person for a buffet style brunch. and this does not include endless champagne or mimosas or anything like that. this is strictly food, presented very nicely and with high quality ingredients. many of the dishes are served individually so that what you're getting still looks appetizing. how many times have you reached the potato gratin at a buffet only to find that someone's scraped up all of the delectable top portion for themselves (greedy jerks!)? oh, and on a nice sunny day, the location is beautiful. right along the water with nice greenery. yeah, take your girlfriend. she'll thank you and then you'll thank me, mmmkay? and because i don't have a boyfriend, i took Marjie for her birthday this year. 

salmon with parsnips puree

lemon garlic shrimp

beef with potatoes and blue cheese

i loved this...even the potatoes were exceptionally flavorful

pumpkin custard with caramelized apples / fennel gazpacho 

shrimp cocktail and crab claws

three kinds of caviar with all the fixins

ahi tuna tartar

an awesome selection of cured meats, cheeses and breads.

this included duck proscuitto which was yuuuuuum! 

very fresh nigiri. 

they also had sashimi and rolls but there was too much to eat to get that stuff

chocolate mousse with caramel, lemon meringue tart, chocolate raspberry cake, tiramisu

creme brulee and a coffee eclair

various truffles

including rocher, salted caramel, pumpkin, apple, etc.

peanut butter bar

one of my favorite things there! so good! there's a little extra crisp on the bottom that you wouldn't expect. 

i likely only tried about half of the stuff there. there were also the obvious brunch eats like eggs, bacon, waffles, pancakes and eggs benedict. at the seafood section there were also fresh oysters, mussels, smoked salmon, trout, etc. at the hot food section there was a roasted lamb and prime rib as well as polenta and other sides. there was a chinese section with dim sum (though as a Chinese, i couldn't imagine they'd be great so i opted not to eat any of it). and the dessert section is insane! i probably only tried about 1/3 of the desserts, if that. 

oh, and the service here is great. plus, if you tell them it's someone's birthday they send them home with a box of chocolates. if you tell them it's your anniversary they line your table with rose petals. cute, no? i only know the second one because the folks sitting near us were obviously celebrating their love. anyhow, enjoy! and when your girlfriend is ecstatic because her boyfriend found such a nice place to take her, remember that it was my idea!