"The Sky" Buffet at New Otani, Tokyo?

[marknaustin]

I'm returning to Tokyo later in the month. Looks like I will be staying at the New Otani.

Has anyone been to "The Sky" buffet restaurant at the top of the New Otani? The website makes it look pretty intriguing although I've never been a fan of buffet-style places.

Thanks!

[Uncle Yabai]

Never been, but remember the general rule: "The higher up the restaurant, the worse the food". Add demerit points if it is a buffet. And double demerits if restaurant rotates.

[Silverjay]

I've double checked this calculus and it is accurate.

[Uncle Yabai]

Thinking about this, maybe it could be good for a laugh. True story:

Setting: "The Sky" buffet at the New Otani, circa 1985. [Don't remember if it was called "The Sky" back then, but it was definitely the rotating restaurant at the New Otani, in the Blofeld HQ Tower.]

Mise-en-scene: My extended family and me. About 20-something of us, including my Great Aunt Louisa. We are all standing up and swarming over the food stations like vultures in the desert, except Aunt Louisa, who is patiently sitting down. Restaurant rotates, but food moves along with the tables, so the only thing that changes is the view, but not the relative position of the food and the tables.

Me [to Aunt Louisa]: Aunt Louisa, why don't you get up and get some food from the buffet?
Aunt Louisa: Oh that's OK, I'll just wait here until the food comes closer.

[smking]

I just returned from there last weekend. The night before leaving Tokyo, we were taken there by a friend of a relative. I have never been a big supporter of buffet-style dinners but I'll have to make an exception for this place. Everything was really elegant and the food was very good and fresh. However, I am not a big fan of the Japanese diet and the sirloin steak was not nearly as big as what you would get in the states but I guess beef is at a premium over there so be happy with the size you get.