A Family-Friendly All-You-Can-Eat BBQ Experience in Burwood East
If your family loves an all-you-can-eat buffet but you want something a little different from the usual Korean BBQ experience, Discovery Fusion BBQ Buffet 炭所 in Burwood East is definitely one to put on the list.
We recently visited as a family of five – two adults and three kids – and what stood out straight away was the huge variety. There was so much more than just meat to throw on the grill, with fresh skewers, seafood, sushi, salads, cooked dishes, vegetables and plenty of desserts to work your way through.
The restaurant describes itself as an Asian fusion BBQ buffet, with a two-hour all-you-can-eat dining experience and a combination of halal-certified meats, seafood, vegetables, ready-to-eat dishes and desserts.
It’s not your typical Korean BBQ
The biggest difference here is the way you cook. Instead of spending the entire meal standing over a hotplate and constantly turning pieces of meat, each table has its own charcoal skewer cooker.
You place your metal skewers over the hot coals and the mechanism automatically rotates them, helping them cook evenly.
We actually loved this with the kids because they could sit there watching their skewers slowly turn over the charcoal. It made dinner feel interactive without us having to constantly flip everything ourselves.
The restaurant also has Korean-style marinated meats that can be cooked on grilling trays, and if there are items you would rather not cook yourself, the venue says you can take your selection to the kitchen servery with your table number and have the chefs prepare it for you. Seafood including prawns, oysters and fish is also part of the buffet selection.
So much choice
This was probably our favourite part of the experience.
The skewers section had an impressive range of meats, including Wagyu beef, lamb and other marinated cuts, along with chicken, seafood and vegetable options. Everything is displayed so you can simply grab the skewers you want and head back to your table.
We thought the quality and variety of the cuts were really good for an all-you-can-eat buffet.
But you definitely don’t have to spend the whole night cooking. There was also a large selection of already-cooked food, which made things much easier when dining with kids. We found noodles, hot dishes, vegetables and other Asian favourites, plus sushi and a fresh salad section.
The official menu describes the buffet as a mix of meats, seafood, vegetables and Asian dishes, while its all-you-can-eat guide also lists cooked meats, salads, noodles, Korean-style BBQ meats and skewered vegetables.
And for anyone wondering about dietary requirements, the restaurant states that its meat selection is halal certified.
Don’t skip dessert!
Make sure you save some room because the dessert area was another huge hit with our kids.
There was ice cream, cakes, fruit and other sweet treats, but the roasted marshmallows were easily one of their favourite parts of the night. There’s something about finishing dinner by toasting your own marshmallows that makes the whole experience even more fun for kids.
It was one of those little extras that turned dinner into an experience rather than simply heading out for a meal.
At the time of our visit, the pricing displayed at the restaurant was:
- Adults / full price: $58
- Children under 1.3 metres: $19.80
- Children under 3: FREE
- 25% off after 9pm Monday–Thursday
The sign also advised of a 1.5% card fee, a 10% public holiday surcharge and an additional charge for excessive food wastage, so it’s worth checking the latest conditions when booking.
The buffet runs for two hours, giving you plenty of time to try the different sections without feeling like you need to rush.
A fun atmosphere for families
Despite being a fairly large restaurant, we found the venue surprisingly cosy. The darker lighting, charcoal grills and warm interior give it a completely different feel to a brightly lit traditional buffet.
There’s entertainment too. The restaurant’s website advertises live music from 6pm, along with a large screen showing music videos, and describes the venue as family-friendly and suited to larger gatherings and celebrations.
It gave the restaurant a lively atmosphere without taking away from the family dining experience.
What we liked most about Discovery Fusion BBQ Buffet was that there really was something for everyone.
The adults could enjoy good-quality Wagyu and lamb skewers cooked over charcoal, while the kids could pick familiar cooked foods, sushi and salads before having fun watching their own skewers rotate over the coals.
And because there are so many foods that are already prepared, you’re not stuck cooking every single thing your family eats – something parents will definitely appreciate.
Between the charcoal rotating skewers, huge buffet selection, seafood, sushi, cooked dishes and dessert bar, it felt more like a foodie experience than your standard all-you-can-eat restaurant.
For families with kids who enjoy interactive dining, we think the rotating skewers are particularly fun – although, of course, the charcoal grills get extremely hot, so younger children will need close supervision.
Discovery Fusion BBQ Buffet is located at F3/172 Burwood Highway, Burwood East VIC 3151. Its official website currently lists opening hours as 5pm–1am, seven days a week, although current business listings show closing at midnight, so checking when booking is worthwhile.
Our tip: arrive hungry, don’t fill up on the cooked dishes too quickly, and definitely leave room for those toasted marshmallows!
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