Where Are All The Buffets (Non-Asian food)?

[arakboss]

"Having disdain for low quality food isn't elitist or snobby"

It sure can come across that way. Lots of comments describe the lay out, types of customers or amounts people eat at buffets versus just a quality comparison. I have had much better "quality" fried chicken at buffets compared to Safeway or Freddys fried chicken and the value was much greater at the buffet.

 

[slimmer13]

It sure can come across that way. Lots of comments describe the lay out, types of customers or amounts people eat at buffets versus just a quality comparison. I have had much better "quality" fried chicken at buffets compared to Safeway or Freddys fried chicken and the value was much greater at the buffet.

Well it's a stereotype and stereotypes usually have some truth.

I like to cook, so I make fried chicken in an air fryer when I have the urge. A little buttermilk and flour and some Johnny's.

 

[BrentN]

You can grill up an amazing burger or piece of chicken or fish for probably less than you'd pay at a buffet. Having disdain for low quality food isn't elitist or snobby.

Definitely my preference is to cook my own, but not always so easy to do for the fam.

 

[CLT65]

It's been years since I've been to a buffet. We actually liked Sweet Tomatoes, stopped there as a little family tradition every three months on the way back from my son's quarterly visit to the specialist in Portland. Sad to see they closed down.

The last time we took the family to Izzy's, it cost a small fortune and the food wasn't very good. Sad to see them gone but probably wouldn't have been eating there anyhow. We recently went to our long-time favorite Mongolian grill and were disappointed. They must have changed something with the ingredients; it just wasn't as good, and it was well over $100 for the family.

I remember King's Table. It was a real special treat to go there when I was a kid. We probably only did it a couple times a year, and it was a big deal. We used to go to Sizzler's and get the salad bar, made for a pretty good meal. We stopped by one recently and saw the menu on the wall as we waited in line, and how much the salad bar had increased. We turned around and left.

We don't go out to eat much at all anymore. We're not broke but there's not a lot in the budget for that sort of thing anymore, as expensive as it is now.

We all have different perspectives, different tastes and expectations, definitely different budgets. I was talking to a coworker recently, and mentioned somewhere I'd taken the family for dinner. His reaction was one of disdain, disgust. He tried to be polite but couldn't hide his reaction quick enough. He went on to talk about how he and his wife only go to good restaurants, and a $200 check is not unusual. I doubt he even realizes what a snob he's become. His wife makes good money and they don't have kids, so they have money to burn. I don't. To each their own and all that, but I figure when you turn up your nose in disgust at something someone else likes and enjoys, that kind of makes you a snob.

That said, I'm probably a bit of a snob about certain things myself. I just try hard to keep those snobbish opinions to myself.

 

[Alexx1401]

Sounds about right. I have noticed all my go to foods at diners and restaraunts are up about 30%. Not talking the fancy places. 4 of us go out for a meal, I just expect it to be around 100 bucks. Funny thing is, lines are as long as ever.

Yep. Wife and I were out so we stopped at an I Hop. Food was fine, price was shocking anymore. This is what people voted for so the rest of us just have to live with it.

 

[arakboss]

It's been years since I've been to a buffet. We actually liked Sweet Tomatoes, stopped there as a little family tradition every three months on the way back from my son's quarterly visit to the specialist in Portland. Sad to see they closed down.

The last time we took the family to Izzy's, it cost a small fortune and the food wasn't very good. Sad to see them gone but probably wouldn't have been eating there anyhow. We recently went to our long-time favorite Mongolian grill and were disappointed. They must have changed something with the ingredients; it just wasn't as good, and it was well over $100 for the family.

I remember King's Table. It was a real special treat to go there when I was a kid. We probably only did it a couple times a year, and it was a big deal. We used to go to Sizzler's and get the salad bar, made for a pretty good meal. We stopped by one recently and saw the menu on the wall as we waited in line, and how much the salad bar had increased. We turned around and left.

We don't go out to eat much at all anymore. We're not broke but there's not a lot in the budget for that sort of thing anymore, as expensive as it is now.

We all have different perspectives, different tastes and expectations, definitely different budgets. I was talking to a coworker recently, and mentioned somewhere I'd taken the family for dinner. His reaction was one of disdain, disgust. He tried to be polite but couldn't hide his reaction quick enough. He went on to talk about how he and his wife only go to good restaurants, and a $200 check is not unusual. I doubt he even realizes what a snob he's become. His wife makes good money and they don't have kids, so they have money to burn. I don't. To each their own and all that, but I figure when you turn up your nose in disgust at something someone else likes and enjoys, that kind of makes you a snob.

That said, I'm probably a bit of a snob about certain things myself. I just try hard to keep those snobbish opinions to myself.

I share your sentiments. Most of my buffet visits occured with my two boys and spouse and/or grandma. We all have different things we like and trying to cook all those things at home would cost as much or more. I eat lots of poor peoples food at home and work so no reason I can't be happy with buffet quality foods.

My recently adopted protein heavy diet is already irking me and my wallet. When shopping for home cooked protein, I hate having to pay more than $2 bucks a pound for boneless meat and $1ish a pound for bone in meat. Eggs have not been cheap over the last month or so.

 

[Alexx1401]

I share your sentiments. Most of my buffet visits occured with my two boys and spouse and/or grandma. We all have different things we like and trying to cook all those things at home would cost as much or more. I eat lots of poor peoples food at home and work so no reason I can't be happy with buffet quality foods.

My recently adopted protein heavy diet is already irking me and my wallet. When shopping for home cooked protein, I hate having to pay more than $2 bucks a pound for boneless meat and $1ish a pound for bone in meat. Eggs have not been cheap over the last month or so.

When we go out to eat, like we just did, its all about just getting out and letting someone else do it all. Sure I could whip up a meal just like the ones we just had here at home. FAR from a good cook but I could easily do just as good if not better and it would be a lot less. To us its just nice to now and then go out and eat. Where someone else has to do all the work and clean up the mess

 

[BBQ Guy]

It's been years since I've been to a buffet. We actually liked Sweet Tomatoes, stopped there as a little family tradition every three months on the way back from my son's quarterly visit to the specialist in Portland. Sad to see they closed down.

The last time we took the family to Izzy's, it cost a small fortune and the food wasn't very good. Sad to see them gone but probably wouldn't have been eating there anyhow. We recently went to our long-time favorite Mongolian grill and were disappointed. They must have changed something with the ingredients; it just wasn't as good, and it was well over $100 for the family.

I remember King's Table. It was a real special treat to go there when I was a kid. We probably only did it a couple times a year, and it was a big deal. We used to go to Sizzler's and get the salad bar, made for a pretty good meal. We stopped by one recently and saw the menu on the wall as we waited in line, and how much the salad bar had increased. We turned around and left.

We don't go out to eat much at all anymore. We're not broke but there's not a lot in the budget for that sort of thing anymore, as expensive as it is now.

We all have different perspectives, different tastes and expectations, definitely different budgets. I was talking to a coworker recently, and mentioned somewhere I'd taken the family for dinner. His reaction was one of disdain, disgust. He tried to be polite but couldn't hide his reaction quick enough. He went on to talk about how he and his wife only go to good restaurants, and a $200 check is not unusual. I doubt he even realizes what a snob he's become. His wife makes good money and they don't have kids, so they have money to burn. I don't. To each their own and all that, but I figure when you turn up your nose in disgust at something someone else likes and enjoys, that kind of makes you a snob.

That said, I'm probably a bit of a snob about certain things myself. I just try hard to keep those snobbish opinions to myself.

You sound like a delight.


I cook at home a lot.
I'm sitting here eating gumbo. Right now. Homemade. Chicken and andouille sausage. Shrimp as a side for my family members who enjoy them.
Some of ya'll complain about money issues but talk about eating out. Eating out costs more than a grocery trip and filling your cart with fresh foods, veggies, and fruits.
All that stuff on a buffet is treated with all kinds of nasty stuff to preserve it for the period it sits out.

If a buffet floats your boat. Awesome.
I've eaten some truly horrible food and some great food. Some of the worst has come from buffets.


Life is to short to be eating slop and not enjoying my meal.
If that makes me a snob, I'm happy to wear the moniker. I'll lace that biotch up and walk around with it proudly.

 

[CLT65]

You sound like a delight.

???

The snob thing wasn't aimed at you, or anyone in particular. Even my coworker is a good guy, if he is a bit of a food snob.

 

[No_Regerts]

 

[No_Regerts]

You sound like a delight.


I cook at home a lot.
I'm sitting here eating gumbo. Right now. Homemade. Chicken and andouille sausage. Shrimp as a side for my family members who enjoy them.
Some of ya'll complain about money issues but talk about eating out. Eating out costs more than a grocery trip and filling your cart with fresh foods, veggies, and fruits.
All that stuff on a buffet is treated with all kinds of nasty stuff to preserve it for the period it sits out.

If a buffet floats your boat. Awesome.
I've eaten some truly horrible food and some great food. Some of the worst has come from buffets.


Life is to short to be eating slop and not enjoying my meal.
If that makes me a snob, I'm happy to wear the moniker. I'll lace that biotch up and walk around with it proudly.

There's some irony there. BBQ is the ultimate anti-food snob cuisine. It's the cheapest meat that is otherwise unpalatable by breaking it down to the point of being chewable and covering up the funk with an obnoxious amount of seasoning and/or a half a bottle of diabeetus BBQ sauce.

 

[BBQ Guy]

There's some irony there. BBQ is the ultimate anti-food snob cuisine. It's the cheapest meat that is otherwise unpalatable by breaking it down to the point of being chewable and covering up the funk with an obnoxious amount of seasoning and/or a half a bottle of diabeetus BBQ sauce.

If you gotta cover up smoked meat with a bunch of sauce.
Something is wrong.

 

[No_Regerts]

If you gotta cover up smoked meat with a bunch of sauce.
Something is wrong.

If you have to smoke meat, something is wrong!

 

[BBQ Guy]

If you have to smoke meat, something is wrong!

What a turd of a statement.

 

[No_Regerts]

What a turd of a statement.

Think about it, brisket? Pork shoulder? Some dark boot of a salmon? None of that is particularly good unless you smoke the crap out of it.

500 degrees, three or four minutes per side, should be the most you'd need for a decent piece if meat.

 

[CLT65]

You sound like a delight.

I apologize if I offended. I didn't intend to offend you or anyone else. My coworker mildly offended me with his reaction to my family's choice of dinner (it wasn't even buffet), but that lasted all of about two seconds. I got over it pretty quick; we are friends after all. Like I said, I'm a bit of a snob on some things too. It can't help but slip out from time to time. So we're all different and like different things- so what?

My wife used to cook all the time. In recent years with her health issues, not so much. I've never been much in the kitchen. I suppose I could learn, take up the slack, but it's just something I've never been interested in. There are many times when I come home from a long day at work, do a little housecleaning, and throw something together for dinner for the family, but to be honest I do not enjoy cooking. That's just me; more power to those who do.

 

[BrentN]

Suddenly realizing I am waaaay down near the bottom of the finicky scale. All sounds good to me!

 

[arakboss]

Suddenly realizing I am waaaay down near the bottom of the finicky scale. All sounds good to me!

When my past pull date bologna starts to turn, I can always revive it with a little smoke flavor and bbq sauce.

 

[Alexx1401]

There's some irony there. BBQ is the ultimate anti-food snob cuisine. It's the cheapest meat that is otherwise unpalatable by breaking it down to the point of being chewable and covering up the funk with an obnoxious amount of seasoning and/or a half a bottle of diabeetus BBQ sauce.

Have not had it since moving up north but, reminds me of Chorizo. Mexican sausage. The stuff was to die for when made well. Made the mistake one day of reading the label
All the parts of the pig they could not use were thrown in and ground up. The seasoning was what made it what it was. The old saying about not seeing the sausage being made really came back to me.

 

[Alexx1401]

Think about it, brisket? Pork shoulder? Some dark boot of a salmon? None of that is particularly good unless you smoke the crap out of it.

500 degrees, three or four minutes per side, should be the most you'd need for a decent piece if meat.

First time I went to TX stopped at a VERY high end steak house. Server asked me if I wanted steak sauce?
I declined since I was paying BIG money for the steak and wanted to taste it. I noticed around the room through the locals were slathering theirs with all kinds of stuff. Seemed kind of odd to me to pay that kind of cash for a really nice cut and then do that but, hey their money. Kind of like people who go to a bar, order top shelf liquor and mix it with coke??
I do have to say I LOVE my smoker. Now and then toss a whole chicken in it and the damn stuff is great. Same with bacon. I never would have believed it was possible to make bacon better till Wife put some in the smoker.