Ned Weatherby wrote:I was wondering what the forum thought of buffets in general and whether it makes any sense for local eateries
Mixed opinions here, but I went ahead and voted "yes" just to be contrary.
Seriously? I think a buffet can be fun and enjoyable, but it requires a real commitment on the restaurateur's point to keep the pans in good shape, keep them filled and don't give them time to congeal or get nasty.
Since a buffet is a great deal for the restaurant, too many places use them to save money and, seemingly, figure that the gluttons who like them won't care what kind of cr@p they put out.
But it can be done, and when it is done well, it's a good deal for the restaurant and the hungry consumer. The old New Orleans House has already been mentioned, but I'd note that most of the region's quality breakfast buffets are decent. The Chinese buffets range from okay to horrible - I think the cost-cutting decision plays strongly there. But the Indian buffets aren't bad - I've never been disappointed in India Palace, although Shalimar's can get pretty nasty toward the end of lunch; they're not good about keeping the selections in good shape after the crowd starts to thin. Thai Taste on Brownsboro does an excellent job ... they put out only a little at a time but keep tabs on it and bring out refills when necessary to keep everything fresh. Ditto Sari Sari for its Filipino buffet, where they keep the selection small and keep an eye on things. Pizza? Scott does an outstanding job with a lunch pizza buffet out at Fast Break, and no complaints about Tony Impellizzeri's lunch buffet. But Pizza Hut? Ehhhh ...
So really, like just about everything else in the restaurant world, buffets can be great or they can be lousy, and much depends on management's commitment to quality.