Grand Buffet

Team SEAMEN kicks off their month-long feeding trough tour March 26th, at the Grand Buffet, located in Tuscaloosa. The team was looking forward to the experience; the prospect of all-you-can-eat anything was appetizing to the hungry Seamen. They were surprised upon arriving that it looked more like a rundown electronic bingo casino than a restaurant. The inside was poorly and cheaply decorated, in a traditional chinese buffet style. The team was immediately struck by the massive amounts of food laid before them. Serving station after serving station filled with everything from traditional chinese food, to steak, fish, sushi, and even seafood. The other patrons in the establishment were, "Dicey, at best." said Reeves. An extremely diverse population within the restaurant, all sharing two common traits, they were poor and fat, enthralled with the possibility of chowing down on a massive feast.

We decided to start by loading our plates with non-chinese food, our thoughts were to postpone MSG intake as late as possible, allowing us to consume more. The American selection was vast, flank stake, porkchops, stuffed chicken, mac and cheese, and many, many more selections. I took a seat and immediately began eating. Neither Jeff or I were impressed with the American selections not really surprised tho. They were made in a cheap way and only to serve as mild substitutes for the real thing. Our expectations for the oriental food were much higher. The chinese dishes were truly below par, beef dishes were acceptable but the chicken dishes were hardly tolerable, the meat, if you can call it that, was disgusting, the texture indescribable. Jeff described the sesame chicken as, "the worst chicken I've had in my life." The hot and sour soup had reduced to the point is was very thick. Crab legs, often considered a delicacy, were far from that at the Grand Buffet. They rested in a pool of soupy, cloudy, water; the taste was not awful but not great. Most of the chinese food is best described as well below average. The American food is pretty much down right awful. The bright spot in the restaurant was certainly the sugar doughnuts. We refused to pay the requested donation and headed out, writing it off as a bad experience.

The Grand Buffet is a feeding trough, it is not good food but it is all-you-can-eat and offers massive variety. It can be moderately enjoyable but only if you are in the mood for it. The requested price is steep at ten dollars and not really worth it.

Grand Buffet

205.752.8998

4126 McFarland Boulevard East

Tuscaloosa, Al 35405

Price: $10 (requested)/person; Free

Value: Not worth paying

Food: D-

Atmosphere: D

Service: B-

Overall: D

Next week in The Daily SEAMEN, check out the team's review of City Buffet