Walnut Street: home to a variety of Philadelphia establishments such as Le Bec Fin, Rittenhouse Square and Polo. Funny, no one ever seems to mention the Oasis Japanese Buffet situated smack-dab in the middle of this stretch of luxury. Maybe, it's because the restaurant's title includes "buffet," which -- let's face it -- is about as synonymous with "luxury" as "sake" is with "sober."
The ambiance inside this place isn't hard to describe. Imagine a Japanese-themed Vegas hotel, located on the not-so-posh end of the strip (read: Circus Circus). Now, conjure up an image of the casino's all-you-can-eat prime rib buffet ... my sentiments exactly. Two trickling fountains flow from ceiling to floor, decidedly creating more of an "Oh my God I have to pee" sensation as opposed to the desired tranquil effect. The music isn't much better. In the span of an hour, the joint played Sheryl Crow's "Picture" three times, followed by some Phil Collins and what I can only assume was the theme song to a popular Japanese porno.
One thing's for sure: regardless of what kind of cuisine you're craving, this place will have it. For $21, you have full reign over a buffet with more options than there are Penn girls wearing Uggs. Calamari? It may be rock-hard and lukewarm, but hey -- it's here. Cherry tomato, mozzarella and pesto salad? You'll find that right next to the chocolate cake and vanilla pudding (both of which, by the way, are amazing). The sushi bar, needless to say, raised a few eyebrows. Raw fish sitting untouched for hours under heat lamps doesn't exactly excite the culinary palette. Regardless, you're bound to find something edible; between fried dumplings, sliced kiwi and roasted chicken, it's almost impossible not to.
The good news? There's a bar. The better news? After explaining the concept of "sake bombing" to the bartender, those spicy tuna rolls started lookin' a whole lot better ...
