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Buffet o' Goodness

Afishnado
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Afishnado

Afishnado

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Posted

Yes, I know... In a health-conscious, weight-watching, Atkins-eating society it's pert near a faux pas to extoll the virtues of buffets. Fact is, many of them are crap. I'd set my tongue on fire before I'd step into an Old Country Buffet. But there's a whole breed of restaurants out there competing for your gustatorial greediness, and some of them are pretty good!

Here's a forum for comments re your flavorite buffet(s); a place to pay homage to the never-ending plate. If you can add links & talk about which items you like/dislike most, please do.

I'll start:

Favorite Indian Buffet: Spirit of India, (website unknown) 307 NE 3rd St, Renton. I love their Lamb Korma (nuts, dried fruits, delectable!) and that they bring fresh hot naan to your table. It's also the only "halal" (Islamic Kosher) Indian restaurant on the Eastside as far as I know.

Tag, you're it...

Afishnado

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kiliki

kiliki

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I love buffets, but there don't seem to be any good ones in the Seattle area besides Indian.

An exception is The Diamond Club at Safeco Field. Problem is, you somehow have to score the very expensive behind home plate seats that allow you access to the Club. If you do, however, a very nice buffet (piles of cocktail prawns, prime rib, salmon, that kind of thing) AND all you can drink liquor is included with your ticket. You are not even supposed to tip.

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Schielke

Schielke

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The buffet at Sahib in Redmond is not too shabby and I recall somebody recently extolling the virtues of the buffet at the Indian place near Chuck-E-Cheese and 148th in Bellevue. I need to check that one out.

Also if anybody says Todai, I am going to explode. :wacko:

Ben

Gimme what cha got for a pork chop!

-Freakmaster

I have two words for America... Meat Crust.

-Mario

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bbqer

bbqer

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Posted
The buffet at Sahib in Redmond is not too shabby and I recall somebody recently extolling the virtues of the buffet at the Indian place near Chuck-E-Cheese and 148th in Bellevue. I need to check that one out.

Also if anybody says Todai, I am going to explode. :wacko:

Ben

Sahib in Edmonds (near the train tracks next to the ferry landing) is the predecessor to Sahib in Redmond and has always had very good Indian food and luncheon buffets. Their lamb biryani has always been a favorite of mine. Nice location as well, practically right on the water.

Sacred cows make the best hamburger.

- Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

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tighe

tighe

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Hunan Garden in White Center has a good all-you-can eat buffet. I'm not saying this is exquisite Chinese cuisine, but it is well above the normal Chinese buffet quality standard, is very cheap and the food stays fresh because of how busy they are.

Most women don't seem to know how much flour to use so it gets so thick you have to chop it off the plate with a knife and it tastes like wallpaper paste....Just why cream sauce is bitched up so often is an all-time mytery to me, because it's so easy to make and can be used as the basis for such a variety of really delicious food.

- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, 1946

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girl chow

girl chow

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Tighe, despite my protests, my father dragged me to Hunan Garden in White Center and I have to say I was not unimpressed. I think you're right.. their high turnover means fresh food is constantly being brought out (fine with me).

I haven't tried Spirit of India yet (I will now), but I do know that there is another halal Indian restaurant on the Eastside, which also has a decent buffet. It's called Kabab Palace. The owner also owns India Gate (although I'm not sure that location is halal). Kabab Palace gets their halal meat from a company that imports meat from New Zealand.

Kabab Palace: 15230 N.E. 24th St., Redmond, 425-401-6899.

A palate, like a mind, works better with exposure and education and is a product of its environment.

-- Frank Bruni

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tighe

tighe

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Tighe, despite my protests, my father dragged me to Hunan Garden in White Center and I have to say I was not unimpressed. I think you're right.. their high turnover means fresh food is constantly being brought out (fine with me).

Your double-negatives confuse and frighten me...I'm just a simple caveman...

I will say that there is wild variation in the quality of individual offerings at Hunan Garden, but once you learn your way around the steam-table, it can bee a good thing. Heavily sauced things aren't their forte; vegetables on the other are usually very good. The woman who owns the place is so nice that I always feel guilty if its been a long time since I've been. Maybe I'll go tonight.....

Most women don't seem to know how much flour to use so it gets so thick you have to chop it off the plate with a knife and it tastes like wallpaper paste....Just why cream sauce is bitched up so often is an all-time mytery to me, because it's so easy to make and can be used as the basis for such a variety of really delicious food.

- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, 1946

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SeaGal

SeaGal

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The buffet at Sahib in Redmond is not too shabby and I recall somebody recently extolling the virtues of the buffet at the Indian place near Chuck-E-Cheese and 148th in Bellevue.  I need to check that one out.

Also if anybody says Todai, I am going to explode.  :wacko:

Ben

I had a really good lunch buffet at the Sahib in Redmond Town Center the other day. I was far away from my stomping grounds (Seattle) and in need of major sustenance. As I wandered around checking out what was available, I noticed that a mango lassi comes with the buffet. Who could pass that up? :raz:

It was early, so the lunch rush hadn't started yet and I was promptly seated and offered drinks (Mango lassi--yes, please!). I went up to get salads/appetizers (the salads were actually quite good--a marinated cucumber and a bean salad stood out) and returned to a full basket of warm, buttery naan--all for me! The hot foods were all quite nice (a variety of meats and vegetables) and there was an especially good, very hot green chile chutney (or relish) that I couldn't stop eating. This was the best Indian buffet I've been to--too bad it's all the way over there....oh, well, you Eastsiders deserve good grub too, I guess. :wink:

(Oh, don't get me started on Todai (or is ToDie?)

Jan

*edited to correct silly, but crucial typo

Edited by SeaGal (log)

Jan

Seattle, WA

"But there's tacos, Randy. You know how I feel about tacos. It's the only food shaped like a smile....A beef smile."

--Earl (Jason Lee), from "My Name is Earl", Episode: South of the Border Part Uno, Season 2

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Bruce Burger

Bruce Burger

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I've consistently loved the South Indian lunch buffet at Udupi Palace in Crossroads Mall in Redmond. South Indian food has no meat but features lots of goodies not normally found on Indian menus in the US. Udupi Palace is actually a chain, though it doesn't seem to be very big or to emphasize its chain-ness. The service tends to be disaffected but the food is excellent.

Bruce

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Afishnado

Afishnado

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"I recall somebody recently extolling the virtues of the buffet at the Indian place near Chuck-E-Cheese and 148th in Bellevue. I need to check that one out."

Schielke, that Indian buffet on 148th is right behind Wherehouse Records, in the same parking lot but just north of Fred Meyer. But I can't remember the name of it - something cafe...

I gotta say that, despite my love of Spirit of India in Renton, the above buffet is truly the king of Indian buffets. I say this from the experience of maybe 10 or more Indian buffets in Seattle (& surrounding). They've got like 50 items, many good. The lamb's done 2 ways, & they've even got soups. Unlike the typical $5.95 most places charge, the above is a little pricier at like $7.95 for lunch, but it's truly the best one around.

Afishnado

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rockdoggydog

rockdoggydog

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Bucking the trend of Indian buffets here, I am kind of partial to the buffet at Cocina y Cantina on Broadway, really good roasted chicken and guacamole, everything else is pretty standard. Also the China Star buffet in Ballard is my idea of bad chinese food heaven, because in addition to the good bad chinese food, they also serve real items like ears, trip, and pig intestines. Sorry, I have a soft spot for offal meats, except liver. :biggrin:

rocky

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kieran

kieran

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"I recall somebody recently extolling the virtues of the buffet at the Indian place near Chuck-E-Cheese and 148th in Bellevue. I need to check that one out."

Schielke, that Indian buffet on 148th is right behind Wherehouse Records, in the same parking lot but just north of Fred Meyer. But I can't remember the name of it - something cafe...

I gotta say that, despite my love of Spirit of India in Renton, the above buffet is truly the king of Indian buffets. I say this from the experience of maybe 10 or more Indian buffets in Seattle (& surrounding). They've got like 50 items, many good. The lamb's done 2 ways, & they've even got soups. Unlike the typical $5.95 most places charge, the above is a little pricier at like $7.95 for lunch, but it's truly the best one around.

Afishnado

The place you're thinking of is called The Savoy, and it really is good.

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Schielke

Schielke

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Tried out Savoy this weekend for lunch with a buddy. We had a very nice time and I ate too much Indian food. There were roughly 12 to 15 hot dishes and a salad/cold bar available. Most dishes were quite nice for buffet fare. The naan was mediocre as were the vegetable pakora. I remember liking the lamb stew as well as some kind of a good dal dish.

Overall, it was one of the better indian buffets I have been to. Good Rec!

My buddy, who works in the area told me of another indian place nearby that consistently has lines out the door. I need to press him further for info!

Ben

Gimme what cha got for a pork chop!

-Freakmaster

I have two words for America... Meat Crust.

-Mario

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kieran

kieran

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Posted
Tried out Savoy this weekend for lunch with a buddy. We had a very nice time and I ate too much Indian food. There were roughly 12 to 15 hot dishes and a salad/cold bar available. Most dishes were quite nice for buffet fare. The naan was mediocre as were the vegetable pakora. I remember liking the lamb stew as well as some kind of a good dal dish.

Overall, it was one of the better indian buffets I have been to. Good Rec!

My buddy, who works in the area told me of another indian place nearby that consistently has lines out the door. I need to press him further for info!

Ben

I'm glad you liked it. I think the Savoy is very good for a buffet. Of course, at the end of the day, a buffet is still a buffet, and if what you're after is truly exquisite Indian food there are better ways to get it. But sometimes a good Indian buffet really hits the spot!

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