Picture this: You're at a wedding and the appetizer buffet is revealed. You just finished your 10 minute wait in line to get your drink, and now you're down to only one hand and an open buffet. Obediently, you get in line behind the rest of the guests, see the antipasta and get excited. You're halfway down the buffet and your plate is full. Your drink, which you set down on a table both to reserve your seat and to free up a hand (rookie move) has been bussed by the eager high schooler looking to make a good impression on the kitchen. Score: Wedding-2, You-0.
There IS a right way to Run the Buffet. But my way (honed after hundreds of buffets) isn't the only way. I want to hear yours. And your favorite buffets around the country. Common pitfalls. How to know when to lay down and take a nap. How to approach the infamous "Around the World" buffet at a Vegas casino.
So, share your success stories. Tell the world how, where, and why you Run the Buffet...
C'mon in. Dinner's served.
3 comments:
let's talk about the original...the Chinese Buffet. a perfect opportunity to try a few new things and to load up on favorites. Being a Chinese buffet, though, you will fill up quickly so portioning is critical to get the maximum experience.
My strategy definitely starts with the walk, usually in the opposite direction of the buffeteers with their plates in hand. Then I grab a plate and go equal portions meat dish and vegetables. Depending on what's out there I'll try to get something hot, something sweet and something where it's all chopped up together.
Try to lay low on the sauces too...they are overpowering and muddy the tastes. Before heading back to the table I usually pick off a few finger items "for the road".
Run #2 is usually just to get whatever taste I needed on my tongue to wrap up, but I'll put that aside in favor of a bowl of Lo Mein. once the carbs are downed I'll finish up with that last taste plate, and savor it with some of that tea they serve.
SIDE STRATEGY for RUN #2: if something I really wanted earlier was running low I'll pass and come back for it later, when the staff has filled up the tray with fresh, HOT food. And if my timing was completely off I'll use the Lo Mein as a first course but that's only happened once.
notice...no rice. and if I'm there for a lunch buffet there's always room for soft-serve ice cream!
Pasha,
Just imagining that approach makes me hungry.
Highlights:
1. Starting with the walk is clutch. Well done.
2. What do you do when presented with multiple meats? Does it go 25% chicken, 25% pork and 50% veggies? Or do you assign different meats to different runs?
3. For Run #2, do you ever repeat with a flavor you really liked, or do you save that for the "last taste plate"? I really like the concept of the "Last taste plate", I'd like to expand on that more.
4. You are clearly an advanced buffetist, recognizing the additional dynamics of the length of time the food has spent in the chafing dish.
5. No rice. CLUTCH!
WELL DONE! Keep it coming!
for the meat distribution it really depends on what's out there. let's say I have my four favorites: general's chicken, chicken & veggies, beef/broccoli and chicken & cashews (that's one of those chopped up concoctions). the general's chicken would probably go on plate 1 with the chicken & veggies, then I'd save the beef/broccoli and the chicken & cashews for Run 2. this way I have decent sized vegetable portions that come with the proteins, best of all worlds.
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