The main restaurant of the newly opened East hotel is a refreshing addition to the Tai Koo neighbourhood where you'd never expect such a trendy and ambitious concept like this. Immaculately designed by CL3 Architects, you instantly sense high-design theatrics from the restaurant connected to the lobby via a transparent spiralling stairway (styled like a birds nest). Random art installations, like orange butterflies strung across the bar or fluid-like metallic blobs above the buffet counter, punctuate the space with colour and character. But none does a more dramatic job than the huge ceilings with windows looking out to the densely residential neighbourood. The sheer height and stretches of glass make it feel like you're dining in an atrium. Best of all, before being seated, patrons must walk past an enticing semi-buffet on a counter designed like a fashion runway. If you need to impress a client over a business luncheon, here's a grand stage to do so.

The a la carte menu is all over the map ranging from Western (pizza, pasta and steak for example) and Asian offerings (Hainan chicken, laksa, etc). But the a la carte experience pales in comparison to the meals involving the beautifully displayed buffet. Pick one of six main course items, such as pumpkin risotto with baby squid, then indulge on a bottomless spread of starters and desserts, all at HK$188. The semi-buffet is vast and voluminous: foccacia and rustic country breads; half a dozen cold cuts like top quality prosciutto and Serrano ham; and best of all, the antipasti extravaganza of around two dozen loosely Mediterranean bites such as grilled cheese-stuffed tomatoes, marinated feta cubes, pickled aubergines, and more. Don't fill up too much as a dessert corner is equally lovely with choices like classic lemon tart, crème brule and bread and butter pudding to fruit-specked wine jellies and Eton Mess (a lovely British dessert revolving around a whipped cream, berries and meringues all jumbled together). It's a shame then that the main courses became such an anti-climax. My crispy sea bass with creamy leak gratin (HK$138) had the perfectly grilled fish but it was laid on a curly green mess that covered the entire plate evoking university hall food where they just slap it on the tray without a bother. The menu claims truffle is in the gratin but the thick cream base and density of leeks choked out the fungi's delicate aromas. Little did we know that potatoes were also underneath until we weaved through the gloop. Side dishes are meant to be accompaniments rather than overwhelming everything else on this plate. Prepared with equal indifference was my partner's penne beef cheek ragout (HK$128) with tender shreds of meat which was in a dull sauce that needed more seasoning. Far better was the wonderfully juicy grilled veal in a fragrant mushroom-thick sauce with a side of potato rosti grilled from a skillet (HK$168). The portions were generous at Feast so we doggy-bagged our food, which arrived in cute packages similar to the iconic New York-style Chinese takeaway boxes. All in all, this newcomer is more a feast for the eyes than the stomach. Perhaps the food lagged behind as the kitchen has to juggle producing the buffet as well as both western and Asian offerings in big volumes for the high-capacity restaurant. Still, you wouldn't expect such an atmospheric experience in the Tai Koo Shing neighbourhood, which makes Feast a pleasant option that's hard to forget.

Service was respectable with the staff warm and knowledgeable of the menu but sometimes, due to the difficulty in covering the huge venue, an effort to get their attention is needed.