Buffets

[Fyre]

I love buffets. Sure, not the highest quality dining experience, but I like variety and plenty of it. I like being able to eat a lot of different things for a good price, and for me, not every dining experience has to be a four star formal dining affair. I sometimes like to go where I get a lot of bang for a little buck.

The buffets I frequent are:

Minado's Japanese seafood buffet: I've eaten here probably twenty five times or more. I LOVE sushi, especially eating different varieties. I think their sushi is particularly fresh although once in the past few dining experiences, on a particularly crazy busy Saturday night, i found things to be a little off and things tasted substandard for their usual quality. But, all in all, I like the sushi there a lot. I don't know if they truly use fresh crab or not in their sushi, but at the very least they finely chop either real crab or the imitation stuff but it gives it a MUCH fresher better taste and consistency than the usual whole piece of imitation crab bit most places use. The California rolls are superb and are as good as any Japanese regular restaurant that I've eaten at. I love their terryaki salmon and it is one of the only salmon dishes I will eat anywhere as it does not taste in the least bit fishy. They also a have great cod dish that is in a crispy batter with a yummy sauce. I like their noodles with vegetables; they are quite tasty and better than lo mein anywhere. They offer shrimp cocktail already peeled for you- something I have yet to see in any buffet restaurant. They have very large fried shrimp that is tasty as well as shrimp and vegetable tempura. Delicious salads like cold asparagus in creamy sauce and cucumbers in a biting sesame dressing also provide lots of variety. They have jumbo crab legs, but they are cold and I only personally enjoy hot ones. My companion though said they are very fresh and delicious. Occassionally, you might be able to snatch a piece of lobster, but it involves waiting for 15 minutes or so and being the first there when they bring the tray out and they are instantaneously snatched up. So, I don't hold my breath for one and believe that they purposely hardly bring any out even though they are quick to advertise that you get lobster. Plenty of other things to choose from. I usually can't get to try everything I intend because I get too full as there is so much to eat and choose from.

Anyway, I love this place.

I like the Grand Buffet on Rt 17 S in Ramsey. I think they have the best quality of food on a Chinese buffet of all the places I've eaten. It is extremely consistent. I have eaten there myriads of times so I am a little tired of their selection. They also have the best crab legs on any buffet - extremely large and meaty. I've ordered crab legs in a restaurant for more than this whole buffet costs and the ones on the Grand Buffet were of better quality and had far more meat. The sushi is nothing to speak of, most of the time with the exception of a piece of eel sashimi I don't even take any. Salad bar is ok, also nothing to write home about, but ok if you want a basic salad and of course shrimp cocktail. They have excellent general tso's, pepper steak, boneless spare ribs and sometimes spare ribs on the bone that are awesome, tasty wonton soup, their beef or chicken with brocoli is one of the bests I've had anywhere, chicken with garlic sauce has giant pieces of chicken with large strips of vegetables in a tangy sweet and spicy sauce, the duck that appears sometimes is good and not too greasy and the plum sauce on the side is delicious - I am a sauce FREAK; my boyfriend says I have a sauce fetish- Most meat dishes I enjoy have some kind of sauce and the more interesting and tasty the sauce, the more enjoyable the meat is to me. I used to eat at this place on an average of once a week, but now I only get take-out (they weigh and charge per pound) on the way to work once in a while. I need something different and different selections.

A buffet opened up in Saddle Brook last year called Dynasty Buffet that I go to once in a while. They have a very good salad bar. They have real, fresh made sushi by an actual sushi chef- no supermarket fare here, but no exotic crazy rolls either- just the typical california, tuna, vegetable, and eel. The quality of the food on the buffet is better than good but not excellent (on buffet food scale). Most of their Chinese dishes lack the full flavor you might get if you went to a regular Chinese restaurant: I find their pepper steak, for example, to be bland and the sauce is oily and not rich and full. General Tso's was fair, but the chicken tends to be a bit over cooked and the sauce lacks any punch or distinct taste. Egg rolls are fine and they have American food which is also good but not excellent. Ordinary salmon and penne with vodka sauce taste like they could be made in a good hospital cafeteria. Mozarrella sticks are like the kind you buy in a box in the supermarket so I wish they wouldn't bother and would put something better on instead. They do have very delicious boneless spare ribs that are succulent, sweet and juicy. The dumplings and dim sum are very good also. What stands out at this buffet, however, is their grill section. They have excellent chicken terriyaki, sirloin steak, and some kind of absolutely delicious short ribs that I can't get enough of (amazing marinade- see my sauce fetish comment above) that are continuously made on a grill you can see so that everything is freshly made within minutes and replenished constantly. They also have grilled portabello mushrooms that my mother said were outstanding, but I don't eat mushrooms. In addition, they have spare ribs made on the grill and cut for you- again terrifically fresh and it gives a true barbecue flavor. They have prime rib which is never a favorite of mine but my mother said is pretty good, but obviously not like any steakhouse, but really not bad. You also can get real peking duck sliced for you by a chef that you can put in dough puffs with real scallions and a fabooo plum sauce. No cut up bits of dry duck sitting in grease like most buffets. Cut off a roasted duck for you. The peking duck was as good as peking duck that I had at a mid-expensive Chinese restaurant in NY that features Peking duck as a specialty. Well, the duck and sauce and scallion were; their dough puffs are extremely airy, a bit dry and bland, and don't really do it for me like the flat pancakes that are typical which seem to have better flavor, but the ones at Dynasty still are not bad for its purpose. The only problem is that the guy cutting your duck for you is a bit stingy and gives you looks if you ask for more. When I made a second trip for duck, he acted a bit gruff and gave me a very small portion- I don't see how it affects him; I know he is not the owner. Oh well, I sent my mother to get me more as she doesn't eat duck. Dynasty Buffet has a very large selection of desserts including cheesecake that sometimes is a bit frozen, ice cream with select toppings, fresh fruit, bananas in strawberries, cream puffs, chocolate pudding, rice pudding, banana cake, coconut cake, etc. I went many times in a short period of time and also burned out of this place a bit, but I go when I have a craving for terriyaki chicken and marrinated short ribs.

The places I will not eat at again:

Joysac on Rt 46: terrible food, dried out and sitting there forever it seems. I went there twice (what was I thinking?) and both times it was not even close to busy- a bad warning sign. They say they have a mongolian barbecue, but no one was there to make it and there was just some dried up vegetables and a few sauces sitting there anyway. Blech.

I forgot the name but a buffet on Main Street in Clifton: It is the largest buffet I've seen with just an unbelieveable amount of things to choose from. I really haven't seen a place that has 5 buffet tables plus a sushi bar plus a grill. But, everything just tasted so mediocre at best. Like Chinese food gone school cafeteria quality. I'd rather have not an outrageous crazy amount of a selection with food that actually tastes good. My friend got sick literally from their sushi and said it tasted off before he puked. I went there a long time ago before I disovered that I actually like no love sushi so I didn't try the sushi there, but that was probably a good thing. Also gets a blech.

Lodi Buffet on Main St in Lodi: It's ok but just that- ok. Not huge selection at all and always the same old stuff. Haven't been there in ages, but couldn't iamgine eating there again nonetheless compared to Dynasty and Grand. Gets an Ehh.

So, does anyone know of any great chinese (or other) buffet restaurants in Bergen or Passaic county or even in Rockland around the Palisades Mall that are noteworthy that you recommend to a buffet lover that have both good food and a good selection?

[Fat Guy]

Do you consider a rodizio/churrascaria to be a buffet? If so there are several options.

[thereuare]

I like the Grand Buffet on Rt 17 S in Ramsey.

You left out the chicken kabobs on a skewer at this place, which is one of the main foods i go there for!! They taste a like a chicken version of a spare rib!

I agree that this is one of the best buffets around.... and about ~$11/pp, how can you beat it?

[Kim WB]

Fyre,

Welcome to e-gullet. I don't share your enthusiam for buffets, but I am impressed by your thorough review..I am sure some buffet afficianados wil appreciate your comments...

Have you ever gone to an exclusively sushi/sashimi japanese restaurant, and how does it compare to the buffets? It seems like you prefer sushi styled rolls without raw fish...do you like those versions with raw fish as well, and do any of these buffets serve raw fish? I would think that they're turnover would be extensive enough to asure freshness...but at the pp price, what kind of quality do they have? Has anyone ever gone to a sushi buffet?

Edited June 26, 2003 by Kim WB (log)

[Rosie]

Welcome Fyre and thanks for the report. Have you been to the seafood buffet at The Manor?

[Rachel Perlow]

I don't know if she has, but we have. Now that's a buffet! They're not stingy with the lobster either.

[menton1]

Since I prefer smaller portions of complex, interesting dishes, I never go to buffets. However, some friends have told me of a 1 year old Asian Buffet on Main Street just off River Road in New Milford. I don't have a report, but they said some positive things about it, and it is only 1/2 mile from the new Oradell Diner which I know you frequent.

[rozrapp]

Fyre, If you are ever in the south central area on a Thursday evening, Aangan, an Indian restaurant in Freehold, offers a terrific buffet. I don't usually care for buffets, but I make an exception for this one. I believe it's $14.95.

[Rachel Perlow]

Since I prefer smaller portions of complex, interesting dishes, I never go to buffets.  However, some friends have told me of a 1 year old Asian Buffet on Main Street just off River Road in New Milford.  I don't have a report, but they said some positive things about it, and it is only 1/2 mile from the new Oradell Diner which I know you frequent.

We don't usually go to run of the mill Asian buffets. (If by the "you" you were referring to us, menton.) The Manor's buffet is another species.

[kelly]

"However, some friends have told me of a 1 year old Asian Buffet on Main Street just off River Road in New Milford. I don't have a report, but they said some positive things about it, and it is only 1/2 mile from the new Oradell Diner"

I have heard mixed reviews on this place, The problem with it or any buffet , is regarding freshness.

When I drive by, there aren't many cars there... Main street is much quieter on that end-Not much traffic unless you're going to 7-11.

kwim.

[sandra]

The Manor's buffet is another species.

Rachel, where is The Manor?

[Rosie]

The Manor, 111 Prospect Ave. West Orange 973-731-2360

[sandra]

Thank you, I'll send my mother.

[TheMan,TheMyth]

I think you should cherish every buffet experience you have.

It is all about getting your eat on: Buffet Tips

The Man, The Myth

[tommy]

I think you should cherish every buffet experience you have. 

It is all about getting your eat on:    Buffet Tips

The Man, The Myth

i love the first line: "Start off slowly, don't try to be a hero."

[bpsklar]

I am not a buffet goer, but if you want something unusual, try the following two places.

Nagoya 1007 MacArthur Blvd. Mahwah 201-818-9933

All you can eat Sushi with free sake $19.95 per person.

Pastels 119 Franklin Tpke. Mahwah 201-529-1700

Every Thursday during the summer, by reservation only. All the lobster you can eat $39.99. Extended during the 4th of July Fri., Sat & Sun.

[tommy]

Pastels 119 Franklin Tpke. Mahwah 201-529-1700

Every Thursday during the summer, by reservation only. All the lobster you can eat $39.99. Extended during the 4th of July Fri., Sat & Sun.

i don't think i could eat more than about $35 worth of lobster. are the sides included?

[bpsklar]

I think the sides are included. They probably want you to eat a lot of fries and corn, not the lobster.

This a byob place. Bring plenty of beer or a nice light white wine.

When I was a student I went to an all you can eat lobster place and ate 7 one pounders. So did two of my buddies--7 each.

They didn't want to see us again

[Jason Perlow]

Actually, one of the best Chinese lunch buffets is at Look See chinese restaurant in Mahwah. I prefer it to Grand Buffet as its smaller, they only do it during lunch and they get a lot of turnover. Quality of the dishes is pretty darn good for buffet lunch.

[pnapoli]

When I was a student I went to an all you can eat lobster place and ate 7 one pounders. So did two of my buddies--7 each.

They didn't want to see us again

[shugga]

We just went to a graduation party at the Hilton's Brunch Buffet, in Hasbrouck Heights on Terrace Ave. and it was terrific.