Do you get your money's worth at AYCE Chinese Buffets?
James
Remember you might end up with big medical bills.
There are some who pile on what they think are the most expensive
dishes. I've seen Hispanics fill their plates with a pound or more of
fried shrimps at a time. I don't care for them because they are small,
with shell, and a little greasy. If they were crisp, I'd probably eat
my share.
Yesterday I saw RichAsianKid with Ira's wife at the seafood with veges
tray. As soon as it was refilled, they ran up and both grabbed a
serving spoon. They dug though the whole tray taking all the shrimps
and leaving all the broccalli. Once I was second in line after an
oversea African. The tray had been just refilled but the SOB filled
his plate to the brim taking every single shrimp. I've seen several
Africans do this but not African Americans. I don't think these people
know that shrimps from China and SE Asia are pretty cheap these days.
Some times I think it's a better bargin just to order a la carte.
J.Venning
> Or any style buffets? Do you try to stuff yourself to the gills?
> Some times I think it's a better bargin just to order a la carte.
>
J.
seeri...@yahoo.com
I treat myself to a couple of the more authentic Chinese buffets here
in No. California; the price is reasonable and during dinner service
there are more exotic offerings. Personally I can't stand the
Americanized "Chinese" chains like Panda Express or in town here, Wongs
Islander. I love shrimp but I don't fill my plate up with the pepper
fried, maybe 8-10 pieces. I also like the rice noodles and the green
beans. I note your original message seems to be somewhat racist, but
that's just my observation. I could also stereotype my own experience
working in a fish/fastfood I used to manage. At the beginning of the
month a certain ethnicity would ALWAYS order "chicken peglegs" and
"swump" (aka shrimp) along with a large Tab. Note I didn't say which
ethnicity it was because it doesn't matter. We're all humans.
peacenjoy
doing his cleaning job at MST? WOW!
rst0...@yahoo.com
peacenjoy wrote:
> WHAT? You actually saw RAK and Ira's "wife"? Together? While Ira was
> doing his cleaning job at MST? WOW!
That can't be true as RAT lives in Australia, and ira is in NYC.
MJ
>
>
> Some times I think it's a better bargin just to order a la carte.
>
When I was younger, buffets had some appeal, but now I prefer to have a
smaller quantity of higher quality items - often times at a similar or
lower price.
We just returned from Vegas and avoided the pig-out $15-20 buffets. We
felt much better not being stuffed (too much temptation to over eat) and
instead, enjoyed some excellent ala cart meals. The few times I've gone
buffer in recent years, I've always walked away saying never again.
It's been about a year since my last one & will likely never go to
another. A big incentive has been seeing the size of the typical buffet
customers.
Chloe
I can get a nice variety of the items I like best and I usually get several
meals and/or snacks for what I'd pay for the price of one eat-in buffet. Per
pound price is usually cheaper at lunchtime, although I often don't eat the
food till dinnertime. By not eating in I save the cost of beverage and tip,
too.
Marie Braden
>Or any style buffets? Do you try to stuff yourself to the gills?
>Remember you might end up with big medical bills.
>
>There are some who pile on what they think are the most expensive
>dishes. I've seen Hispanics fill their plates with a pound or more of
>fried shrimps at a time. I don't care for them because they are small,
>with shell, and a little greasy. If they were crisp, I'd probably eat
>my share.
>
>Some times I think it's a better bargin just to order a la carte.
I go to the Chinese buffet all the time, but I always get a to-go box,
which, frankly, I fill to the brim (roughly a pound and a half of
food, primarily protein items). So, for about $9, I wind up with
enough food for four meals and 2 or 3 snacks (As a gastric bypass
patient, I don't eat a whole lot--the amount I load the box with is
about the same amount as a "normal" individual eats while there--which
is not necessarily a good thing, but I don't want to get up on a
soapbox).
I admit, the main reason I do this is twofold--convenience (precooked
is a good thing in a studio apartment) and also variety. I do choose
the most "dense" items (roast chicken versus sweet and sour, surimi
w/cheese versus crab legs, broiled fish versus egg rolls). But, for
me, it works as a bi-weekly indulgence.
Marie Braden
>When I was younger, buffets had some appeal, but now I prefer to have a
> smaller quantity of higher quality items - often times at a similar or
>lower price.
>
>
>We just returned from Vegas and avoided the pig-out $15-20 buffets. We
>felt much better not being stuffed (too much temptation to over eat) and
>instead, enjoyed some excellent ala cart meals. The few times I've gone
>buffer in recent years, I've always walked away saying never again.
>It's been about a year since my last one & will likely never go to
>another. A big incentive has been seeing the size of the typical buffet
>customers.
As a gastric bypass patient, I agree with the desire for high-quality,
smaller portion. However, with careful choices of items, my to-go box
winds up actually being cheaper in many instances than me preparing
what I get and is of a better quality than I'd be able to make,
necessarily.
James
Usually I go during busy hours when they are constantly refilling.
Chinese food (specially fried stuff) that's been sitting on the hot
serving trays for over 10 minutes doesn't appeal to me.
Also I usually eat a lot so it's cheaper for me to eat in. It's
probably more healthy if I spread that same amount over the day instead
of an hour and a half.
Mom used to get take out from Chinatown and it was pretty good. Maybe
it just seem good when you're used to Mom's cooking. Never figured out
what she put in the stuff to give me major heartburn.
Has anyone noticed that in Vancouver some ethnics tip for take out?
It's probably something started by the Hong Kong ethnics. I can't
magine local born ethnics out of the blue start tipping for take out.
It's like tipping at McDonald's.
OT The first Whooper I paid for was only 49 cents.
peacenjoy
and 9th Avenue here in NYC that is really great. For $6 you get 5
dishes "to stay" or "to go" to choose from about 30 different dishes.
The portions are served by the women behind the buffet, and are always
"very generous". Although we call it "fast food", the dishes are all
what you normally find in a typical Chinese restaurant, all ready when
the restaurant opens.
J.Venning
> (snip)
> OT The first Whooper I paid for was only 49 cents.
>
J.
Mike T.
> (snip)
> OT The first Whooper I paid for was only 49 cents.
>
Just as a matter of interest, I live and work in Hamlet's Kingdom, and
the price of a Whopper today is the equivalent of US$8.25 (!).
J.
What is the cost of that whopper after you add in a couple of triple-bypass
operations? -Dave
rst0...@yahoo.com
Well, Dave, the thing to do after eating that whopper, is to go out and
walk for a couple of hours to help digestion and burn up some caleries.
J.Venning
>> Just as a matter of interest, I live and work in Hamlet's Kingdom, and
>> the price of a Whopper today is the equivalent of US$8.25 (!).
>>
> operations? -Dave
>
J.
MJ
seeri...@yahoo.com
Just curious how the you and the OP came to the conclusion people were
filling their plates with what they perceive as "expensive" items; did
you hear them say this or just assume that's why they were doing it.
Perhaps they just really like the food they were selecting? I do agree
with you on the convenience of the buffets...and I have also
paid...looked at the quality of the food and turned around asking for
my money back before; I don't want to eat food that's sat for 2 hours
on a steam table.
BimmerBoy
rst0...@yahoo.com wrote:
> peacenjoy wrote:
> > WHAT? You actually saw RAK and Ira's "wife"? Together? While Ira was
> > doing his cleaning job at MST? WOW!
>
> That can't be true as RAT lives in Australia, and ira is in NYC.
>
RichAsianKid replies - first as he's not a subscriber to mcfl his 2nd
nick is selected by google by default. Still RAK = BB just so there is
no confusion.
RichAsianKid agrees with rst0wxyz. With so many people emulating RAK,
there are indeed many knockoffs around. And that shouldn't be
surprising especially in a CHINESE restaurant!! Chinese knockoff
EVERYTHING especially on their own turf!
RichAsianKid's philosophy? Chinese food's like porn: great variety,
cheap, often dirty, addictive to some, best enjoyed private/take out,
and outlets are found in lower
class sleazy neighborhoods.
RichAsianKid's culinary preference as stated before: Japanese.
---
Korean and Chinese cuisine are shamefully cheap and low class compared
to Japanese. A few random thoughts here on mother's day when food is
one of the main staples, even when prepared by your maid. (No in fact I
don't often eat Asian, but just to reveal my bias I like Japanese,
and no I did not eat Asian tonight, have not been snubbed by a Chinese
or Korean restaurant, but just random thoughts here, in no particular
order....)
First there is presentation. When you start deliberately mixing food
together on the table - haha how can you call it an 'art' with
those bibimbap or something, in a charred stone bowl or all that lo
mein on a sizzling plate? One of the hallmarks of haute cuisine is its
emphasis on preparation or presentation technique -not how you
reproduce your stomach contents for public view! In fact in haute
cuisine often different ingredients are cooked separately to the right
degree of 'ripeness' and then mixed together, hence the
extraordinary amount of time needed for preparation. Bento boxes -
and these are considered cheap Japanese - like 'rice boxes' -
nonetheless preserve or at least pretend to preserve this quality.
Koreans and the Chinese do not. Else you may as well go for an infant
diet or a pureed diet for old people. The fact that everyone digs into
a public plate in the case of Chinese - thus sometimes without a pair
of public utensil (i.e. chopstick) is yet another 'low class' sign
- it's probably a residual from an ancient powwow ceremony where
people just feast on a dead carcass after a long day's hunt. Very
very primitive.
Décor of the restaurant is another issue and is peripheral to this
subject of presentation. Even a middle class Japanese restaurant (at
least in North America) is quiet - meaning you can hear what your
neighbors are saying, unlike Chinese or sometimes Korean - and at
times you feel like you've entered a monastery or Shinto temple
inadvertently where you start your life journey and engage in some epic
meditation session. Chinese restaurants - even the so called more
expensive ones are like a flea markets or a public high school
cafeterias where you need to shove your way in and where you are
sometimes given a time limit on when you should finish your food, and
where you have to combat waiters from mixing residual food between
dishes together - just so they get a head start in dish cleaning, if
they do that at all....
The use of ingredients is important. Eggs or bean sprouts may be valid
ingredients but they are very cheap, and are definitely not suitable
for a main course dish at supper, and are certainly no showcase prizes.
No, in fact the use of these materials reflects a sign of historical
economic dearth when you think about it. It's not so common in North
America but I think in mainland China people are so poor they eat
tomatoes, scrambled eggs, and tofu as their main dinner dish day after
day, night after night! Whoa!!
I think 'high class' cuisine often seeks to preserve freshness and
the true, 'original' flavor of the food with a minimal amount of
seasoning. Chinese cuisine often resort to deep frying or stir frying,
and certain provincial Chinese (like Szechuan) use spices or MSG to
mask their flaws. Some Korean dishes encourage the use of hot sauce
(e.g. the bibimbap). Sort of like poor Indians using curry in
everything - thus you can really have a crappy piece of meat (if they
can afford it) but you still won't be able to tell what's in it.
It's like a woman who relies too heavily on makeup. That's why
ground beef is low grade but you'll never mince filet mignon. And why
many Chinese kitchens are so invisible - so secretive and furtive in
their preparation of food that they in fact don't even pass public
health standards!! One report I read demonstrated that it's cleaner
(measured in terms of a lack of bacterial count) to eat off the *floor*
of a university microbiology lab than a food tray at fast foods places
where teens spit on your onion rings (is that true, or is that just
Eminem lyrics) or at Chinese restaurants.
Another sign is quality vs quantity. Chinese buffets now abound in
North America - because they are cheap - and Chinese buffets love
to emphasize quantity at the expense of quality. They are geared
towards 300 lb trailer wives and inner city single moms and new
southeast Asian immigrants probably. In higher class restaurants the
emphasis tends to be more on preparation and not on quantity, and the
end product is presented perhaps as a psychological mechanism as a tiny
fraction of the entire plate surface area.
Also, practically, when was the last time at a quiet, sedate wine
'n' cheese inbred soirees or business meetings that they serve
Korean or Chinese food? Never! Never! Never! These just do not have the
same cachet at upper middle class or upper class/educated functions -
it's like wearing a tracksuit to a wedding. Japanese is however
increasingly served in these functions, and in fact I think it adds a
touch of cosmopolitanism to an otherwise dull mélange of French and
Italian.
And let's not forget also that at the lower middle class level, we
see Chinese and Koreans trying to operate Japanese restaurants, dishing
out ersatz Japanese food. You just don't see things the
other way around.
Here is another practical reason. We now know how beneficial omega-3
acids are to health. These are found in cold-water fish amongst other
food items. Fish - sushi, sashimi - is one of the main staples of
Japanese diet. And the Japanese have one of the world's longest life
expectancy at ~81 years, last time I checked.
So why is all this important? Food is like sex. Hunger is one of our
natural, human, cardinal urges. It may be a non-topic and neglected
when it's abundant, such as in North America, but since food is
required by everyone to survive, i.e. it drives natural selection,
cultural varations hold a key to understanding something deeper
perhaps. I think what we eat and how we do it - like sexual norms and
mores - reflect and reveal ourselves more than anything else. I've
listed a few suggestions here, as a brute, who visits, occasionally,
Burger King. But if I can see it, I'm sure others can also.
But then as an aside here comes the counterpunch too. Let's compare
food with sex for the moment. Chinese and Korean cuisine - variety
notwithstanding - don't engage in foreplay. Which is why they're
so fun and very satisfying in private, with all those carbs and fat.
It's very to the point -- calories, if not healthy nutrition -- so I
guess that's a real strength of Chinese and to a lesser extent
Korean. See, I'm very objective. I've said before that Chinese food
is very much like porn: (1) best enjoyed private and takeout, (2) good
variety, (3) addictive to some, (4) cheap, (5) often dirty, and (6)
outlets are found in sleazy neighborhoods. That however still doesn't
erase the fact that they're still considered very 'low class'.
Yeah yeah I know, "de gustibus non est disputandum", i.e. taste is
not disputable. But in this mano a mano comparison between Japanese and
Chinese/Korean cuisine, I say the Japanese won hands down.
---
J.Venning
> Mike T. wrote:
>>>(snip)
>>>OT The first Whooper I paid for was only 49 cents.
>> Just as a matter of interest, I live and work in Hamlet's Kingdom, and
>> the price of a Whopper today is the equivalent of US$8.25 (!).
>> operations? -Dave
> and the Zocar, etc
>
J.
J.Venning
>Just curious how the you and the OP came to the conclusion people were
>filling their plates with what they perceive as "expensive" items; did
>you hear them say this or just assume that's why they were doing it.
>Perhaps they just really like the food they were selecting? I do agree
>with you on the convenience of the buffets...and I have also
>paid...looked at the quality of the food and turned around asking for
>my money back before; I don't want to eat food that's sat for 2 hours
>on a steam table.
>
I see you are posting from the West coast. Have you tried any of the new trend of Chinese buffets in SF or LA? These should be much better than the ones you would find in the smaller American cities along the coast, because they cater to a larger clientele, and can afford to offer a larger and fresher variety of dishes.
J.
James
them by really slow refilling. For example I've been to AYCE places
that refill snow crab legs only every half hour. You can't tell me it
takes 1/2 hour to heat up some crab legs because other places keep them
refilled all the time. Also noone picks out only the chicken out of the
chicken with brocalli dish.
I don't have a problem with people taking a lot of shrimp. It's people
who pick through a dish and take only the shrimp. It makes the tray
look full thus it don't get refilled. If they just scoop up everything
and just only eat the shrimp at their tables, the trays will be empty
and be refilled. The fried shrimp tray whichcontains only shrimp is
constantly refilled even though 3 or 4 people can completely empty it
by taking a heaping plateful at a time.
Actually shrimp and fish have become so cheap that most AYCE places
don't lack shrimp. Well prepared, good tasting shrimp is another
matter. Years ago before farmed shrimp, it was expensive. Now it's as
common as beef. Shrimp is near the bottom of my seafood wish list.
Just an observation - I've seen Hispanics take bunches of lemon to go
with raw oyster and clams. It's like white Americans puting catsup on
everything. They must really love that lemon juice. I can only use a
little on my oysters because it's too sour for me.
Wonder what scares the AYCE restauranter more, they guy that look like
a big bag of jello or the skinny guy who out eats him.
J.Venning
I honestly cannot remember seeing any skinny guy out-eating one who looks like a big bag of jello. On a personal note - I once went out to a Burger King with my music friends and saw that my fat colleague (fat, not obese) gulped down 3 (three, no kidding) whoppers with fries and milkshakes to boot. I could hardly finish one with fries. Yes, I am skinny.
J.
James
J.Venning
>A skinny Japanese guy is the world hot dog eating champion.
>
USA1st
I love the green beans also...I eat a bunch. I think the buffet is
cheaper than ala carte and you get a wider variety, but I don't really
eat enough to get my money's worth. Besides, I eat more vegetables
than anything. I do like the variety though.
rst0...@yahoo.com
Then just go to a supermarket and buy a bag of tossed green salad, and
a bottle of salad dressing. You can't beat the price.
The Real Bev
> I treat myself to a couple of the more authentic Chinese buffets here
> in No. California; the price is reasonable and during dinner service
> there are more exotic offerings. Personally I can't stand the
> Americanized "Chinese" chains like Panda Express or in town here, Wongs
> Islander.
The original Panda (not "Express", the REAL restaurant) is just down the
street.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2006-09-10-entrepreneur-panda-express_x.htm
When it opened up in 1973 it was genuinely excellent Chinese food -- so
adjudged by our Chinese friends. As time passed it was surpassed by
huge numbers of better and cheaper restaurants established in nearby
Monterey Park, but it's still a nice place to eat -- although Fu Shing
about half a mile away is better -- again, according to Chinese friends.
I've never tried the 'Express' variety, and I really should. It's not
like they're hard to find.
SoCal is fortunate to have hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of good
Chinese restaurants, but Flyover Country is not so lucky.
--
Cheers, Bev
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the
American Public." -- H.L. Mencken
J.Venning
> seeri...@yahoo.com wrote:
> When it opened up in 1973 it was genuinely excellent Chinese food -- so
> adjudged by our Chinese friends. As time passed it was surpassed by
> huge numbers of better and cheaper restaurants established in nearby
> Monterey Park, but it's still a nice place to eat -- although Fu Shing
> about half a mile away is better -- again, according to Chinese friends.
> I've never tried the 'Express' variety, and I really should. It's not
> like they're hard to find.
> SoCal is fortunate to have hundreds -- perhaps thousands -- of good
> Chinese restaurants, but Flyover Country is not so lucky.
>
I have patronised Panda Express several times during my regular visits to the United States. I found most of them in mall food courts, although there is one right beside Walgreen's in Tucson. I can't say that their food is marvellous, but then they are very quick in getting you the food you want. I got talking to the manager of one of them, and remarked about the "Westernised" dishes he provides, and laughingly, he replied, "Of course it's Westernised. How many customers do you think we would have if we cook genuine Chinese food here? We know what our customers want, and we give it to them". In a suburban area of Chicago called Orland Park, I came across a Chinese take-away called "The Great Wall Grill Bar", of all names, and went in to order a dinner for 6. The moment they saw that I am Chinese and can speak the language, they asked me straight away, "What would you like to eat? We'll cook it specially for you". All I had to do was tell them what types of meat I wanted - duck, beef, prawns, etc. - and they decided what dish to prepare. None of those dishes were up on the menu board on the wall.
J.
AllEmailDeletedImmediately
snip
> I've never tried the 'Express' variety, and I really should. It's not
> like they're hard to find.
nasty.
seeri...@yahoo.com
James wrote:
> Or any style buffets? Do you try to stuff yourself to the gills?
> Remember you might end up with big medical bills.
>
> There are some who pile on what they think are the most expensive
> dishes. I've seen Hispanics fill their plates with a pound or more of
> fried shrimps at a time. I don't care for them because they are small,
> with shell, and a little greasy. If they were crisp, I'd probably eat
> my share.
>
> Yesterday I saw RichAsianKid with Ira's wife at the seafood with veges
> tray. As soon as it was refilled, they ran up and both grabbed a
> serving spoon. They dug though the whole tray taking all the shrimps
> and leaving all the broccalli. Once I was second in line after an
> oversea African. The tray had been just refilled but the SOB filled
> his plate to the brim taking every single shrimp. I've seen several
> Africans do this but not African Americans. I don't think these people
> know that shrimps from China and SE Asia are pretty cheap these days.
>
> Some times I think it's a better bargin just to order a la carte.
Just an FYI; Saturday I went to one of my used to be favorite AYCE
chinese buffets. Lots of shrimp dishes and some octopus and oysters
but noted they have switched to the fatter "chow mein" noodles instead
of the lighter rice noodles. That's definitely something that annoys
me when the taste changes to fit "american" preferences. Plus keeping
food in the warming trays too long; come on...green beans aren't going
to break the bank! Additionally I expect this one to disappear soon
because the "health department" codes will be up in the windows like
they do in NY. Based on my own observations it won't pass.