Monday, March 30, 2015

Restaurant Review: Palace BBQ Buffet

Palace BBQ Buffet - dinner on March 27, 2015
I met a friend for dinner last Friday for Korean BBQ, a good way to end the week. We were able to meet early so the restaurant wasn’t crowded at all.  I’d been to Palace BBQ Buffet years ago but typically only for lunch with my coworkers. We didn’t go that often and only when none of us had any afternoon meetings because you literally walked out smelling like Korean BBQ.

There’s a grill at every table and the buffet has both a hot side with food already cooked and a raw side with meats you cook at your table. You can get an unlimited amount since it’s a buffet (although I wouldn’t advise it for the sake of the fit of your clothes). Unlike Beque Korean Grill, there’s no special ventilation system that draws the smoke and cooking smells away from the diners so you’ll pretty much end up smelling like your meal. I think it’s a downside to most Korean BBQ places where you grill at your table. Not a big deal but just something to be aware of. This’ll sound funny but I deliberately didn’t wash my hair that day until after dinner that night because I knew I didn’t want to go to bed smelling like Korean BBQ. And I didn’t want to wash my hair twice in the same day. Yes, I plan ahead on the oddest things.

Anyway, for the most part, the food is pretty decent. The short ribs are the best because of the marinade. The beef is good but not as good as Beque Korean Grill or Jang Su Jang. It just didn’t have the same flavor. But the short ribs do so if you go here, load up on those. The cooked food side didn’t have much to tempt me so I didn’t stock up much from that side other than with steamed rice and a couple of chicken drummettes. The short ribs are where it’s at. Service was fine and we had no complaints.



For someone with my limited taste buds, the main drawback for me is the price – dinner is $30 a person. Back in the heyday of Korean BBQ as a novelty or when I was on a low-carb, high-protein eating plan, that would’ve been fine. But with the other options like Beque that are cheaper, are also all-you-can-eat and taste better, Palace BBQ Buffet isn’t as attractive a choice for dinner. Plus, it’s not high on my list to leave a restaurant smelling like a short rib. I’d probably only come back here when I have a large party as the place is big enough to accommodate a lot of people.



Cooking at the grill at our table

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