THE FIRST FLOOR, COWLEY ROAD, OXFORD 01865 200203. Kevin Coulson experiences pan-Asian dining on a whole new level. BUFFET meals remind me of my school dinners – vats of mystery meat floating on a viscid brown swamp, stagnating under heating lights.

Often they had a top layer of skin which precipitated during the lengthy wait and were accompanied by chips drier than the Sahara.

Some buffet restaurants are not much better. Dishes that are too dry, too bland or simply inedible are screened out after the first plate of food.

But just after you establish what your favourite dish is, it gets gobbled up by other people without being replaced.

Then there are the poorly-marked food cauldrons which leave diners half-guessing about what they are about to eat. For clairvoyant customers this is fine, but mere mortals won’t know if the food is too spicy and if they will collapse, rash-ridden in shock, if it contains traces of peanut. So when I was invited to sample new buffet restaurant The First Floor, on Cowley Road, my expectations were as high as they were for Dubya’s final year in power.

WERE YOUR FEARS UNFOUNDED?

Indeed they were. The First Floor, it seems, has thought of everything – it has an open kitchen, where you can watch chefs preparing the food, an extensive menu and crucially, detailed name tags for the nosh.

The cuisine includes Thai, Chinese, Indian and some continental dishes to ensure everyone can find food they like.

There are staple dishes such as Thai curry, chicken fried rice and Mediterranean pasta. But there are also intriguing options like lamb kadai and a delicious chicken kalimeri kebab, all of which are accompanied by fresh naan and pappadums.

Vegetarians will not be disappointed either, with several main meals to choose from including a tasty Thai vegetable dish and an ample salad bar.

All of this can be washed down with wine, beer, spirits, cocktails or coffee.

WHAT DID YOU THINK?

Even though my guest and I arrived an hour into the buffet on a Saturday night, everything still tasted fresh, as staff routinely stirred the dishes if untended.

But the true marker of this restaurant is that much of the food could easily be served as a stand-alone meal.

The only minor quibbles included some chewy squid, a slightly dry rice dish and a narrow dessert menu. But the service was friendly and efficient with waiters swiftly taking away the debris of several return trips to the food bar.

Despite being open since December 4, the restaurant is already popular and the 160-seat venue filled quickly with a range of clientele from groups to couples, and from students to pensioners.

The interior has modern, clinical decor with an Eastern feel to it and, given it is one storey up, feels detached from the bustle of Cowley Road (although if you sit by the window, you can still see the garish glow of Tesco).

VERDICT: The only thing this restaurant is missing is a fleet of wheelbarrows to cart out those who are unable to move after gorging themselves on the tasty grub. THE BILL What we had: Evening buffet £7.95 each Bottle of Santa Serena Sauvignon Blanc £12.95 Medium-sized cappucinos £2.25 each Total (for two people): £33.35 The tariff, as of this month: Pan Asian buffet £7.95 for lunch any day and £15.95 for dinner any day