East Buffet Gets Three Stars

Much like its variety of food offerings, East Buffet’s clientele is certainly diverse. College students, suits and retirees alike filled the dining room. We think the $6 lunch price might have something to do with it, although drinks cost extra.

The buffet was complete with a salad bar, dessert bar, sushi bar, and two hot bars. For the un-adventurous, offerings also include pepperoni pizza, macaroni & cheese, stuffed potatoes and some kind of apple pastry.

Someone tipped us off about the made-to-order stir-fry, a.k.a. Mongolian grill, so after we loaded our plates up with our familiar deep-fried favorites, we headed straight for that station. We had our choice of chicken, pork or beef and veggies such as bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, peppers, onions, zucchini, carrots and broccoli. One diner chose the ginger sauce to top off his chicken mix and the other opted for the garlic sauce on her pork.

We watched our veggies sizzle on a huge circular flat grill to which the chef would add water and stir our concoctions at rapid speed.

As for the other selections, the female in the group picked up some green beans, a chicken veggie dish, noodles, sweet and sour chicken, crab Rangoon and corn nuggets. They were great but didn’t compare to the stir-fry. She brought back egg foo yong on her second trip and was particularly impressed with the pancake-like egg and veggie dish that tasted great with soy sauce.

The male, who is not typically a fan of Asian fare, enjoyed two large helpings of the sesame chicken, which reminded him of a college favorite. He said the honey chicken, which is breaded and deep fried as well, was the best fast-food Chinese he’s had in town.

Though most of the buffet food is mediocre, East Buffet stands out from other all-you-can-eats because of the extras, like fresh shrimp, kiwi and the made-to-order grill. We’d head back for supper when we’ve heard that crawfish and crab make an appearance on the table, but we’re still full.