Final Thoughts: 2.50/5…read more
My parents heard about this place and they wanted to try it. Definitely been a long time since we went to a buffet. This family really does not consume a lot of food, so sometimes going to a buffet really isn't the most idea when you're trying to get your moneys worth with quality and quantity. Location for here is somewhat farther than other places that we usually go to. We did finally get the opportunity for all of us to go, so it happened. Will round to be 3 star for today.
Food:
1. Sushi bar (Simple sushi rolls with imitation crab, salmon, avocado, seaweed salad, ?tofu skin)
Their selections of sushi are quite limited. Honestly, it felt like the same type of roll with just one item differing. Not even really sure if these are actual types of sushi rolls like at other restaurants. They did look slightly haphazardly put together, but overall rolls are fine and nicely plated on the larger plate to get. Heft fillings for most of them, which I appreciate.
2. Seafood Options (stir fried shrimp, braised mushrooms, mussels with cheese, clams)
Most of these items felt like they were frozen and then reheated verses fresh. The assembly of these dishes seem simple enough, so they continuously refilled these. Some were steamed perhaps like the clams, others were baked maybe like the muscles. The texture is a lot more "rubbery" and difficult to remove the meat from the shell. Flavor was just alright for most of these options.
3. Classic food choices (fried rice, chow mein, orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, eggrolls, broccoli beef, French fries, pizza, ribs)
These are items are nostalgic for me if anything. Also feels like something I can cook from a bag or even get at Panda Express. Honey walnut shrimp was alright. It felt super rich and oily with the amount of mayonnaise. Not necessarily a complaint because I really like that dish, but I could only have a few of them. Orange chicken was also quite good and nostalgic for me.
4. Desserts (?Mousse cake, cream puffs, coconut macaron, soft serve, palmiers cookies)
Honestly, I love desserts and sweets, but there was something about these items that weren't enticing at the time. Maybe because I was really full already from the other foods. The cake felt a little bit dry. Seems like something we can get in bulk somewhere and not necessarily freshly made. Soft serve was almost like this sweet water with just a bit of milk in it, which was interesting.
5. Fruits (Cantaloupe, canned lychee, oranges, pineapple)
Very small selection of fruits here. Not too big of a fan of canned fruits, but it was something that they had. The cantaloupe was the only fruit that I could really "enjoy" because it was fresh and better looking than the other options. My parents liked the oranges, as well. Some nice vitamin C for them after the big meal.
Labeling: Nothing Labeled
None of their items are labeled, so just be sure y'all are careful of food allergies or intolerances.
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Quality: As expected for the price
Their quality is ok??? Ish??? It's what I expected for the price. A lot of the foods appear frozen and then reheated or cooked. Sushi was rolled on the spot and refilled. Some foods felt like they were just sitting there under a warmer. For the seafood, definitely felt like from the freezer and not fresh. You can see this in the clams because they were really stuck onto their shell and absolutely would not come out cleanly. Texture is a little more chewy.
Price: Affordable for the Buffet
If you want affordable and all you can eat, this is the place to go. One of the reasons why my parents want to go here is because of the price. This place is in Gilroy, so a little farther away from where we are, but we still wanted to try it. Prices are fully on the rise. For an adult, it will be $18.99 now. There are discounted pries for kiddos between 2 and 11 years of age. Senior citizens of age 65 and older will also get a $1 off discount. Very sweet and totally works for us.
Service: Fast
Not sure how crowded this place gets, but we were seated immediately after coming in. I didn't see how busy it was outside, but most, if not all of the seats were filled at one point. They took our drink order and then we were free to go get food afterwards. There's always a trash plate and they took those away pretty quicky.
Ambiance: Dim lit
Interior was quite dark and dim lit. The area where the foods were was really warm and this might be nicer on a cold winter day versus summer. The space actually looks quite small for something of a buffet style. Perhaps there aren't too many options, but it/s definitely a nice small buffet to go to for a change of taste once in a blue moon.
Location/Parking: Spacious area
This area is very spacious and located where the South Valley Plaza Shopping Center is. It is within kind of the side corner of this plaza. Highly unlikely there will be a concern with parking because of how large the area is.
