I think buffets are good if you like seafood and duck...everyone else gets screwed by the average meal cost being brought up by these items.
I don't like seafood, so have decided I'm no longer doing them and m subsidising for someone else to have two dozen oysters (Alvin knows my feel). I usually end up having the roast meats, duck, Indian food, degustation style entrees and desserts. But I think I eat about $50 worth of normal restaurant food in all, cause I guess we forget that even though there's lots of variety, that doesn't mean you have the room to eat it all! And light weight people obviously have to pick up the bill for all the food that's going to be consumed by fatties too.
Melba and Conservatory always have nice foods and everything is very fresh tasting, I guess because they have dedicated chefs at each station cooking it on the spot.
Langham has a nice classic setting but last I went there was a public holiday and fk me it was over 100 a head not including drinks (I think non-alcoholic drinks should be free at this shit). Conservatory is contemporarily beautiful - could just about have a reception there with the all white decor. And their desserts are ridiculous. But yeah, from now on I'll be sticking to set meals and banquets.