NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 17:20:44 GMT Distribution: world Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 17:20:44 GMT Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu triangle.dining:5271 I ate there last night (Labor Day) at 5 pm, and I was impressed with = both the variety and the service. Granted, the place wasn't hopping = when I got in, but it was starting to get pretty busy by the time I was = leaving. My dishes were cleaned off the table every time I went back to = the buffet, my water was constantly filled, the check was delivered as = soon as I started on dessert, and (my biggest gripe) the credit card = receipt returned promptly for a signature. No fault in the service = whatsoever, and the gentleman who served me was very pleasant. I don't = usually leave more than a 10% tip for service at a buffet (since I = "serve" myself), but last night he got a full 15%. The thing that caught me pleasantly by surprise was the number of = apparently (I'm no judge, but I'd never seen many of these) authentic = Chinese dishes, and everything on the steam table was hot and fresh. = Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for their standard fried pork = dumplings...they were room temperature (next to the steam table, but not = kept warm) and the wrappers were rubbery in texture. The pork and beef = dumplings on the steam table, though, more than made up for them. = Delicious! However, there's a dish on the steam table called chicken = fingers. I wasn't sure what to expect...what I *didn't* expect was = cooked chicken feet (okay, call me naive). I'm pretty adventurous, = culinary-wise, but I just wasn't feeling quite that adventurous last = night... <g> I did have the mussels in sauce...very tasty. At the end = of the steam table, you'll find "tempura shrimp"...it's shrimp dipped in = batter and then the batter is formed to create a spider web-like = formation and fried like that. It's bizarre to try to eat, but it's = delicious. Their crab rangoons are marvelous, as were the stuffed = mushroom caps and chicken meatballs. I'll applaud any restaurant which can tear me away from a book in order = to concentrate on sampling their different types of fare. For those with more, shall we say, continental tastes (and children), = there are items like onion rings and a few different types of roasted = meats, as well as a very well stocked salad bar, but the ethnic dishes = are a refreshing break from the usual chow mein/egg foo young/beef with = broccoli type offerings. =20 At $9.50, it's certainly not a "once a week" restaurant, at least not = for me, being a little more pricey than others of its ilk, like Ten-Ten, = but I may make it a point to hit it once a month or so. robin n a s k a r m a @ h o t m a i l . c o m (reply address spamproofed...) Dave C. wrote: > >We ate there about two weeks ago. > >The food was pretty good, although the service was lacking (drinks >went unfilled).
Raleigh-Durham, NC
New Chinese Buffet
On Tue, 07 Sep 1999 17:20:44 GMT, "rl belyea" Someone wrote: >I ate there last night (Labor Day) at 5 pm, and I was impressed with = >both the variety and the service. Granted, the place wasn't hopping = >when I got in, but it was starting to get pretty busy by the time I was = >leaving. My dishes were cleaned off the table every time I went back to = >the buffet, my water was constantly filled, the check was delivered as = >soon as I started on dessert, and (my biggest gripe) the credit card = >receipt returned promptly for a signature. No fault in the service = >whatsoever, and the gentleman who served me was very pleasant. I don't = >usually leave more than a 10% tip for service at a buffet (since I = >"serve" myself), but last night he got a full 15%. > >The thing that caught me pleasantly by surprise was the number of = >apparently (I'm no judge, but I'd never seen many of these) authentic = >Chinese dishes, and everything on the steam table was hot and fresh. = >Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for their standard fried pork = >dumplings...they were room temperature (next to the steam table, but not = >kept warm) and the wrappers were rubbery in texture. The pork and beef = >dumplings on the steam table, though, more than made up for them. = >Delicious! However, there's a dish on the steam table called chicken = >fingers. I wasn't sure what to expect...what I *didn't* expect was = >cooked chicken feet (okay, call me naive). I'm pretty adventurous, = >culinary-wise, but I just wasn't feeling quite that adventurous last = >night... <g> I did have the mussels in sauce...very tasty. At the end = >of the steam table, you'll find "tempura shrimp"...it's shrimp dipped in = >batter and then the batter is formed to create a spider web-like = >formation and fried like that. It's bizarre to try to eat, but it's = >delicious. Their crab rangoons are marvelous, as were the stuffed = >mushroom caps and chicken meatballs. > >I'll applaud any restaurant which can tear me away from a book in order = >to concentrate on sampling their different types of fare. > >For those with more, shall we say, continental tastes (and children), = >there are items like onion rings and a few different types of roasted = >meats, as well as a very well stocked salad bar, but the ethnic dishes = >are a refreshing break from the usual chow mein/egg foo young/beef with = >broccoli type offerings. =20 > >At $9.50, it's certainly not a "once a week" restaurant, at least not = >for me, being a little more pricey than others of its ilk, like Ten-Ten, = >but I may make it a point to hit it once a month or so. > > >robin >n a s k a r m a @ h o t m a i l . c o m >(reply address spamproofed...) > > >Dave C. wrote: >> >>We ate there about two weeks ago. >> >>The food was pretty good, although the service was lacking (drinks >>went unfilled). > > Which buffet are you referring to? We ate the Chinese Buffet at Panda Inn Saturday night; it was pretty dreadful. We've eaten several times at the Eastern Buffet on Strickland. It's pretty good. Neither one was $9.50 tho so I wondered where else had a buffet... Jeny
Robin wrote:
>FYI: there's also a Chinese buffet at New Hope Church and Capital,
Crystal Palace.>
My husband and I had dinner there a few weeks ago, and I was *amazed* at the variety of things they had on the buffet (each side had different items).
Admittedly, I have not tried that many Chinese buffets, but I'll definitely go back to Crystal Palace.
Anne Lurie
NE RaleighNNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 21:44:50 GMT Distribution: world Date: Tue, 07 Sep 1999 21:44:50 GMT Lines: 22 Xref: alexander.INS.CWRU.Edu triangle.dining:5275 On Tue, 07 Sep 1999 20:57:50 GMT, [email protected] (JwalkerH) wrote: >Which buffet are you referring to? We ate the Chinese Buffet at Panda >Inn Saturday night; it was pretty dreadful. We've eaten several times >at the Eastern Buffet on Strickland. It's pretty good. Neither one >was $9.50 tho so I wondered where else had a buffet... This thread started with a couple of posts remarking about the new Chinese buffet restaurant at Millbrook and Atlantic in North Raleigh, Royal China Buffet. FYI: there's also a Chinese buffet at New Hope Church and Capital, Crystal Palace. Haven't tried it yet, but my officemates and I can be found every couple of weeks at Ten Ten on Western Blvd., which is quite good and has an excellent variety and good service, even when they're swamped during lunch rush. robin n a s k a r m a @ h o t m a i l . c o m (reply address spamproofed...)