Entries from Serious Eats tagged with 'buffets'

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How-To: Eat All You Can Eat

20070716buffet.jpgSomewhere in cartoonland, Homer Simpson guffaws heartily at the fact that this information is not common knowledge and has to be compiled online. But for the rest of us, here's a guide to getting the most out of an all-you-can-eat buffet. Rules 1 and 2 (there are nine total):

Rule #1: Do a Lap Before you Commit. This one is obvious, but there's nothing worse than getting to the end of the buffet line, and having to balance a nice piece of Fillet Mignon on top of a pile of iceberg lettuce and industrial ranch dressing. Don't feel awkward about cruising the entire layout before you pick up a plate.

Rule #2: Focus on the Expensive Stuff. That's one of the beauties of the buffet, right? It's the same price if you eat only bread or only meat. Have another steak. Try some fish. If you don't eat meat, hover around the cheese or the sweets. Don't be shy.

Behind the Scenes at the World's Largest Buffet

When I think of places to go for buffets, I tend to think "Vegas!" and not really ever "Ohio!"—but the Holmes County Amish Flea Market in Walnut Creek, Ohio, recently claimed the Guinness World Record for World's Largest Buffet. The Cleveland Scene checked out the carnage:

The scrumptious-looking fried chicken is gone by 11:40. Roast beef is history by noon. "This was a helluva long way to come for beans," grumbles one old-timer, as he chisels bits of meat loaf off the bottom of an aluminum pan. Finally, by 3:30—with hundreds of people still in line—carnivores are completely out of luck. To compensate, volunteers begin giving away copies of the event's $15 cookbook; nonetheless, nearly 50 pissed-off diners eventually demand their money back.