new year's brunch at the post hotel, absolutely fabulous

I'm sure I'm not the first one to admit it, but I'm not one who remotely likes a buffet. Not because I don't eat my fair share, but there are just so few times where the quality can be really something spectacular. Let's face it, more often than not, the New Years' Day buffet diner can be faced with an onslaught of double-fried sausages, tasteless and droopy bacon, fake potatoes, and fruit that resembles the flavour of sawdust and texture of slime. Is there anything worse than wreaking havoc on otherwise innocent folks who need to break the fast? However, when it comes to food at the Post Hotel in Lake Louise, in Canada's Banff National Park, is nothing is less than absolutely jaw dropping. Perhaps it doesn't look like much from a distance, but once you get up close and discover the freshness of the food, the sheer quality of ingredients treated with the utmost care, and the pride with which it is served, there isn't one thing that could possibly be wrong with this equation. A few of the highlights were mushroom soup, pretzel buns, milk bread, lobster claws de-clawed, king crab legs opened, elk, caribou, deer, oysters, mussels, gravlax and more gravlax, shrimp and more shrimp, chicken liver mousse, pâtés en croûte, fish terrine(!!), sashimi, sushi, sushi rolls, eggs benedict, seafood stew, chocolate mousse, pastries, fruits tarts, and chocolate covered strawberries in a chocolate basket. Just to mention a few... Pâté en croûte is not an easy feat, and this is about as perfect as it gets. Hans Sauter and his team know their stuff. Now sushi or sashimi at a buffet can be a bit off-putting, somewhat like eggs benedict at most any restaurant, where you just hope that extra care has gone into maintaining proper food safety measures. However, this was some of the freshest and most delicious fish I've had anywhere for quite some time. I was a bit over zealous in my excitement to enjoy the meal, and not quite as thorough as I like to be in the photo department. I just couldn't leave this meal without sharing it, as I just can't tell you how this brunch has blown so many other brunches, especially for a buffet, completely out of the water. Plate number one. Starting on the right, I wanted to try the eggs benedict, not normally a favourite of mine because it is ruined so often. However, after seeing everything else, I had a hunch it was "probably" good, and it certainly was good. The quality of the egg itself was phenomenal, perfectly cooked, and will an equally flavourful hollandaise, all in good balance and proportion. Below that was a pretzel bun, which I enjoyed with some of the chicken liver mousse. The bun was soft a little dense, and not too salty. The mousse was light, but still earthy and utterly divine. It makes my mouth water just thinking of it. Then crab, asparagus, lobster, gravlax, a sushi roll, and tuna sashimi. The best part of these seemingly simple delights are that they were just that; left to be just as beautiful and delicious as the earth meant them to be. Left to their own devices in all the right ways, if you will. Desserts galore. Just in case the pear, apple, peach, or apricot tart were not enough, there were cakes, chocolate mousse, and bowls of mousse, custard, whipped cream, and the much loved chocolate covered strawberries cozied up in a chocolate basket. The chocolate mousse was the best mousse I've ever had in a restaurant. I've always found that they have been left sitting for too long, drying out. No matter the overall quality of the restaurant, they is often a disastrous crust formed on the top. This chocolate mousse was much loved, as it was light, not too sweet, and completely crust-free. Apple tart, strawberries, custard, and an èclair. The custard was of the extreme paradox of very light in texture, but still oh so rich. I don't think many would or even could argue with a fantastic crème caramel. I rushed to tell you about this brunch, because I cannot recommend it enough. Excellent service, and spectacular food. A buffet is hard to pull off, but Executive Chef Hans Sauter and his staff pulled out all the stops, making this brunch extra special. Plain old rubbery omelettes need not apply here. If someone invites you to the Post, run to your car as fast as you can, and go - no on second thought grab the first person you see, or just go solo, and enjoy it as quickly as you can.
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