12.2.2019

SpaceTime: Tsing Tao, Turku, 12:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Lively but not too busy. Bright and open dining space with oriental details, green plants, big windows, oriental-looking counter, buffet table
Food: Chinese food and sushi buffet
Price: 9.70€

Thoughts: I entered Tsing Tao, lured by a promise of sushi. This place certainly draws in a crowd, being about half-full, despite a large-ish dining space.

I started with the sushi. The buffet table offers a wide variety to choose from, with traditional and more exotic fillings (such as the sausage-avocado one pictured below). The fish toppings were quite thin. The rice was not especially yummy. The soy sauce was served in a tiny bowl barely big enough to house a dipping. The salad was fresh and very typical.

Next, I sampled each of the several meaty sauces. I must say, these I enjoyed much more than the sushi. The meat was very succulent and seasoned nicely. The deep-fried chicken balls were crispy but not hard or dry. Some of the sauces were a bit spicy, but nothing to scare away a mild-food lover like myself.

If I was looking to consume (and enjoy) Chinese buffet food, I would definitely consider this place again. For sushi, I would rather go to Kawaii for a buffet, or Kauppahalli or Hanko Sushi for a more quality sushi experience. All in all, not bad!

6.2.2019

SpaceTime: Chinese Restaurant Tang, Turku, 13:30 lunch
Atmosphere: Dim light, empty, Chinese lanterns with red strings over tables, no music, quiet Chinese conversation from the kitchen
Food: Chinese food buffet
Price: 9.30€

Thoughts: While wandering along the downtown streets, I came upon this place and decided to enter. A kebab joint of sorts had once stood in its place, if my memory serves me correctly.

The small buffet table offered a very typical selection of salad and Chinese food: white rice, seasoned noodles, chicken and beef in sauce with vegetables, deep-fried chicken balls, sweet and sour sauce...

The food was edible, the salad was fresh, the whole clone restaurant idea rattled around in my brain like a coin inside a washer.

For those looking to eat a Chinese-style buffet, not the worst of choices, just very very predictable, in addition to not having an amazingly large selection of foods.

28.1.2019

SpaceTime: Dragon Palace, Puutori, Turku, 1pm lunch
Atmosphere: Somewhat stylish, oriental, dim light, candles on tables, smooth jazz from speaker, constant Chinese chit-chat from the counter
Food: Sushi + chinese food buffet
Price: 9.90€

Thoughts: Dragon Palace seems like your typical Chinese joint. The style of decoration is consistent with my imagined stereotype, with dark wood, gold, decorated chairs, smiling Buddha statues, ceiling mirrors, fake marble etc.

The lunch offering is a sushi and Chinese food buffet, soup, coffee. Half of the offering is sushi and the other half has typical buffet foods such as deep-fried chicken balls, sweet-and-sour sauce, spring rolls, rice and a few sauces with chicken or beef with vegetables.

The food was tasty enough, although nothing I haven't seen in other buffets. The selection of foods was also quite small, and there was no salad buffet to speak of. Some of the choices for the sushi ingredients were also unusual, such as deep-fried onion ring halves, but generally traditional. The sushi was not the prettiest I have seen, but at least the rice was not raw.

I have trouble recommending this place, not because there's something wrong, but because there are several other restaurants offering a bit more for a similar price.

7.1.2019

SpaceTime: Bowler, bowling alley, downtown Turku, 11am lunch
Atmosphere: Busy to the max, lively, dim lights
Food: Buffet table with salad, salmon pasta, pork, sweet potato fries with white sauce, bread, "dessert"
Price: 10.40€
Thoughts: The year 2019 is off to a rocky start with this unlikely buffet. The dimly lit dining room overlooking bowling alley lines is teeming with diners. The kitchen is having trouble keeping up with the demand.

The food itself is a mixed bag. The salad table does not have the most varied selection. The oven eggplant thing is overly salty. The fries have been murdered with salt, in addition to being constantly out-of-stock. The pork is plain but alright. The salmon pasta is greasy and messy, but edible. The "dessert" is what I can only describe as stale or curdled whipped cream in a cup with sour thawed berries, not very appetizing.

I dig the lighting. Other than that, there are several other buffets in close proximity (such as Julinia or Fontana Cafe) with tastier and more high quality foods. Based on this experience, I would rather go with any of them.

30.11.2018

SpaceTime: Juliania, downtown Turku, lunchtime
Atmosphere: Bright, packed with old-timers
Food: Buffet with pulled pork, oven veggies, self-made nuggets with curry mayo, salad, dessert
Price: 10.40€
Thoughts: Juliania offers fine Finnish home-style cooking in buffet form. The price is reasonable, the quality is good. This time around there was a gathering of retirees, so seats were scarce, but beyond that, a solid meal.