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Blame it on being road-weary. Blame it on not having any good ideas. Heck. Blame it on the rain, yeah-yeah... You gotta blame it on something! After a not-so-impressive meal at Mizuki Buffet the night before, you'd think we were all buffet'd-out... No, not us... As we were driving back up to Vancouver from Seattle, we stopped at an ol' friend, being the Eagles Buffet at the Tulalip Casino Resort. Sure, it isn't going to bring back memories of Vegas, but for the money (especially lunch), it sure beats eating at the mediocre options in and around the Seattle Premium Outlet.
Seemingly stuck in a time-warp, the food selection hasn't changed much since I last blogged about the place. Starting on the right side of the buffet, there was a substantial offering of "Chinese Food". Yes, it is your typical sweet n' sour stir fried stuff not found at any actual Chinese restaurants. With that being said, I still found it mediocre even for Americanized fare. For instance, the Mongolian Beef was not subjected to much tenderization, hence it was rather chewy while completely oversauced. In fact, all the dishes, excluding the pork fried rice were wet. Probably a direct result of either weak wok heat and/or overuse of moisture in the cooking process.
Next door, there was a substantial selection of Breakfast Items including link sausage, sausage patties, bacon, prime rib hash, spicy scallop potatoes with ham and scrambled eggs. Pretty standard stuff here and to be honest, with so many other options, I tend to leave these items for the kiddies (in particular, my son). But wait, it didn't end there... In addition to the big pot of oatmeal, there was French toast, pancakes and 3 types of egg scrambles. Naturally, my son went for the pancakes to my dismay... I guess the Chinese tradition of eating the meats and most worthwhile items at a buffet ends with him
(at least our family lineage). But I didn't give him a hard time because I dug into the biscuits and gravy with a side of country fried steak. And this was to Viv's chagrin... I never learn because country gravy goes with my stomach as well as a shootout and Roberto Luongo.
Now onto the main event, we found the same dishes offered in the last 10 years since its inception. Generally, I find buffets do fried chicken decently and this was no different as each piece was fried golden brown and crunchy. The batter was nicely spiced being peppery and a touch salty. Although the chicken was exactly juicy, it wasn't dry either. Yet another staple at this buffet, the pot roast was relatively moist and fork tender. However, much like always, I found it far to salty. Something different was the Hollandaise BBQ cod which was terrible. The cod was super dry and hard while the sauce 
resembled more like a salty cream sauce than an actual Hollandaise. Dressed in gravy, the roast turkey was somewhat moist while the meatballs were not dry and completely swimming in a sweet sauce. In between these 2 stations was the carving table that featured prime rib, ham and salmon. Surprisingly, the rib roast was nicely medium and succulent. Naturally, the salmon was somewhat dry being overcooked.
One thing I know that will usually turn out properly in terms of freshness and execution is the Mongolian Grill station. The one at Eagles Buffet is simple with only 3 meats, some veggies and noodles. Sauce selection is limited to only 6, but really, there is no need for more. This time around, I loaded up with more noodles (and I give my son a hard time with the carbs...) and it came out more or less how I wanted it. There was carmelization of the ingredients, but it could've been a bit more so, yet it tasted okay and the veggies were still crisp while the meat was only a touch chewy. Not shown in this picture is the station directly to the left where there was a selection of pizza.
Of course there was a salad bar (which I avoided like the plague), fresh fruit and soup bar, but I only had a bowl of the clam chowder (also to Viv's chagrin... darn those tasty creamy foods!). Completing the impressive selection of food was a large Dessert section that featured hard ice cream, pastries and cake. It was nice to see some sugar-free options as well. Again, nothing to write home about, but okay nonetheless. That pretty much sums up the Eagles Buffet as it is generally a means to fill you up for a reasonable price (better at lunch than at dinner with much of the same stuff). There is nothing really that fancy about the buffet, unless you go for their seafood nights. But if you aren't too picky, then it does the job.
The Good:
- Large selection of eats
- Generally well-priced (especially for lunch)
- Decent service
The Bad:
- Generally mediocre with a few highlights
- Salty
- Quite smoky inside
Congratulations to Donna C for winning the $100 GC! Please contact me directly at admin@shermansfoodadventures.com.
As much as I prefer to eat something new each time I am in another city, there are reasons for a revisit. This time around, we had just traveled back from LA to Seattle and had just checked into our hotel. Seeing how the kiddies were tired and the fact Costanza was still a bit under-the-weather, everything pointed to convenience as the main determining factor in our restaurant selection. To keep things simple, we headed over to nearby Mizuki Buffet, where they would be a little of everything for everyone.
Although I am acutely aware that buffets are never the venue for great eats, it does have its place. When one doesn't want to think of what to eat and if the kids will eat it, a buffet affords the opportunity for choice and the fact one will probably never leave hungry. The real draw at Mizuki is the Sashimi & Sushi. On this revisit, nothing changed as the variety and quality were impressive. With surprising options such as uni and hotate, the selection went beyond the usual. Now, I'm not going to say that the sashimi was great, yet for a buffet, it was better-than-average. The only thing I would've liked to see was some ice underneath (even though the turnover was fast).
As you can see in the display and plate, there was the tuna, salmon, amaebi, hamachi, ika, uni, 2 types of seared tuna, tako, aburi salmon, hotate and various marinated sashimi as well as different fish roes. Moving onto the Nigiri and Maki Sushi, we found the usual including salmon tuna, unagi, tako, amaebi, inari and tamago. Most of the maki sushi (picture only represents one of two sections) were California or Dynamite Roll based with a few exceptions. I found the sushi rice to be on the wetter side but not overly mushy. It wasn't particularly well-seasoned being rather bland.
Like last time, the other options were pretty average at best including the overly tough prime rib, overcooked fish and soggy pasta. The Chinese Food was pretty typical of an Asian buffet, however, I found the dishes to be rather wet and lacking in overall flavour. But really, most people bypassed all of this in favour of the Seafood, including clams, shrimp, crab and lobster. As much as the clams were fresh (because there is no alternative), the shrimp, crab and lobster were obviously previously frozen. Hence, the quality of the meat was hit and miss. I found some pieces of crab and lobster that exhibited an okay texture, while some were mushy.
Lastly, the Dessert section consisted of fresh fruit, some baked goods, a chocolate fountain, refrigerated cakes and sweets as well as hard ice cream. Nothing particularly memorable, but a decent selection that impressed the kiddies. At the end, we were pretty stuffed and got our fill of sushi and mediocre seafood. Unlike our first visit, the cost was no longer reasonable. Our weekend buffet was $28.00 for adults and half for the kids. For the quality of the food, sushi and sashimi withstanding, the value is no longer there and we will probably not be returning for a 3rd visit.
The Good:
- Respectable sashimi and sushi section
- Decent selection
- Items refilled regularly
The Bad:
- Prices, especially for the weekend, are no longer a good value
- The rest of the food is mediocre at best
It was the morning of our flight back to Seattle, after 2 weeks in California. Since it was an afternoon flight, we had one more meal to eat in LA. Based on all the crappy overpriced food we had been consuming over the past week, it was time to cleanse ourselves. We needed to dine on something interesting and didn't have the words "critters, pals or $8.95 hot dog combo" on the menu. Meeting up with my cousin (who drove all the way out from Chino Hills, what a great cousin!), it was determined that we would go for brunch at MB Post (as its name suggests, located in Manhattan Beach).
We decided to share everything which was music to my ears. Our meal began with authority as the Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits were placed in front of our salivating and wide-open mouths. These were firmly crispy on the outside while buttery, cheesy and savory on the inside. The bits of bacon were crisp with rendered fat while the herbs really came through. The good eats continued with the Truffle Honey Laced Fried Chicken with kohlrabi slaw. The pieces of chicken were crunchy where the batter stayed adhered to the meat. Inside, the meat was moist and flavorfully brined. The whole thing was tossed in a glaze that was sweet with a slight spice. We found the truffle to be present without being overwhelming.
Next, we had the Benedict with a bacon cheddar biscuit, arugula, La Quercia Tamworth Prosciutto and Hollandaise. As evidenced in the picture, the poached free-range eggs were beautifully runny. Of course the whole thing started off on the right foot with the wonderful cheddar biscuit. Although the prosciutto was salty, the rest of the ingredients, including the substantial biscuit, peppery arugula and poached egg helped even out the flavors. As for the Hollandaise, it was creamy, silky and well-balanced. Continuing with another dish that featured a nicely sunny side up egg, we tried the Corned Beef Cheek Hash which was accented by sherry vinegar and gremolata. The flavorful corned beef was crisped up while the potatoes were soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The dish was only oilier side, but the vinegar and gremolata added a certain brightness and acidity.
Just because it sounded interesting, we took a chance on the Chimichanga with scrambled egg, chipotle chicken, pepperjack, black rice, plantains and salsa verde. Surprisingly, this was one of our favorites as the exterior was appealingly crunchy while the filling featured moist chicken and a wealth of flavors including zesty, spicy, cheesy, sweet and salty. We thought the guacamole on the side was well-executed as it was creamy and bright. For the kiddies, they shared the Breakfast Sausage Sandwich consisting of Calbrian pepper (served on the side in this case), Fontina, tomato and scrambled eggs. Not a whole lot to say other than the fact that the sausage was meaty and peppery while the egg was airy and not overdone.
Lastly, we added a side of Nueske's Bacon with rosemary, brown sugar and chili. Naturally, this was sinfully greasy and sweet from the brown sugar. We found that the rosemary and chili stayed in the background where the kids didn't even mind it. As for the texture, the bacon was beautifully crisp. Now, if you were paying attention, it is quite obvious we enjoyed our meal at MB Post. Loved the atmosphere, loved the food and yes, we loved the service too. What a great finish to our visit to L.A.! It certainly made us forget the mediocre eats during the week...
The Good:
- Well-made eats
- Not lacking in flavor
- We received excellent service
The Bad:
- A bit greasy (but that is the whole point)
- Can get rather busy (good for them)
During this trip, the name of the blog should've been temporarily renamed "Sherman's mediocre chain restaurant adventures". Yup, after a long day at Universal, we didn't travel very far for dinner. In fact, similar to Downtown Disney, we took a walk through Citywalk and ended up eating at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Yup, a whole restaurant chain spawned from the success of Forrest Gump. But at the very least, Viv and I have tried the restaurant before, albeit Ala Moana Center in Honolulu.
And much like the last time I dined at Bubba Gump in Hawaii, I had the Shrimp Heaven featuring tempura shrimp, peel n' eat shrimp and coconut shrimp. Sadly, this was mostly a disaster with raw batter on the tempura shrimp while the coconut shrimp was inconsistent as many of the pieces had not much coconut. The peel n' eat was okay but not with enough coldwater snap texture. Even the fries were kinda soggy. They did offer up a 10% discount for the uncooked batter though. Viv had the Seafood Pasta that featured sautéed shrimp, mussels & clams in Bubba’s favorite garlic butter wine sauce, served on penne pasta, tossed in a homemade marinara sauce. The al dente penne was doused in a spicy tomato sauce which lingered. This was actually not bad with a notable spice and well-prepared seafood. Portion size was large where Viv could not even finish it.
Elaine went for the Dixie Fishwich with
Louisiana special sauce and Pepper Jack cheese. Unfortunately, the batter was undercooked as well. Hence, it was slightly crispy yielding to a mushy doughy interior. The fish was flaky and moist though. With the small amount of sauce, the sandwich lacked zip as well (although the sauce itself was quite good). Costanza went for the Shrimp Scampi with capers and lemon garlic-butter. Faithful to its description, it was very buttery, garlicky and in particular, tart. For me, that was good since it meant plenty of flavor for the al dente pasta and crunchy shrimp. I personally liked it due to the right balance of bold flavors, but he thought it was too acidic for his tastes.
My daughter had a bowl of the Old Fashioned New England Clam Chowder which was only moderately creamy. The flavor profile was dominated by celery and onions rather than the taste of the sea. However, it wasn't a bad soup per se with lots of buttery tender clams. And as you can probably figure out, the size of the bowl was rather large. My daughter couldn't finish it. My son had the kid's Popcorn Shrimp and it was slightly underdone as well. Hence, it wasn't crunchy. Rather, it was a bit crisp with plenty of soggy portions. The shrimp were okay though with a light cold-water snap. And just like the fries in my meal, these were soggy as well.
There was also the kid's Fish n' Chips at the table and I thought it was okay with crunchy batter and flaky fish. For some odd reason, the batter here was cooked all-the-way through unlike the other fried dishes as our table. But then again, the fries were consistent, being soggy. Yet, did we expect any better? Yes and no. I distinctly remember that the food was better the last time I had it, however, that was awhile ago and a 5-hour plane ride away. It was quite apparent that they rushed the preparation of the fried items, which resulted in underdone food. Ultimately, we were fed, but at the prices we paid, we expected a little better execution on all items.
The Good:
- Pastas were surprisingly well-executed
- Lots of choice
The Bad:
- Underdone fried items
- Service was okay, but our server was a bit indifferent after some people didn't order the expensive drinks
Remember how I had to relegate our eating adventures to mediocre, overpriced food of Downtown Disney? Well, it took another dive as we were stuck at Universal Studios for lunch. You see, we only had one day at Universal and it didn't make sense to leave for food. Besides, we wanted to take advantage of our "Front-of-the-Line" pass (so worth it IMO if you got impatient kids or more realistically, impatient dads...). Trying to be a bit more original, Costanza suggested we try out Pink's (serving up hot dogs since 1939).
Viv and I ended up sharing the Chili Dog which was bordering on disgusting. The bun was overly soggy from all the moisture, but worst of all, the chili was not very good. It had a mealy mushy texture rather than meaty (the crunch from the onions did help the cause though). It did taste relatively okay with a noticeable chili powder aftertaste. The snap casing on the wiener was a positive though. Costanza and Elaine tried the Mulholland which featured a spicy liquid nacho cheese sauce. There was too much of it and it wasn't all that appetizing as it reminded us of 7-11. Again, what saved the whole thing was the snap casing on the meaty wiener (and the crispy bacon).
For the kiddies, we got them a simple Bacon Dog and it was probably the best of the bunch. Due to its simplicity, it was not wet nor was it overly salty from radioactive cheese sauce. The wiener on its own was able to do its thing while the meaty bacon didn't hurt things. The sides of Fries were your standard starch-coated variety that ensured its crispiness and plenty of flavour due to the seasoning. However, they ate like crisps more than fries as any starchiness as obliterated by the deep-fry. Okay, I sound pretty harsh in my opinions about a hot dog joint in a theme park. But really, they weren't very good and cost us a pretty penny. If I were you, I'd steer clear of this location.
The Good:
- Convenient
- Kids will eat it
The Bad:
- Expensive
- Food sucks
After enduring LA rush hour traffic and abandoning our original dinner plans, we were left with a bit of extra time to kill. Since we were heading back to our hotel in El Segundo, it wasn't too much of a detour to make our way to an iconic LA landmark. Yes, we're talking about that big donut at the corner of W. Manchester and S. La Sienega. Scratch another off my bucket list as we finally got to visit Randy's Donuts. And to head off the haters at the pass, I realize these are not the greatest donuts on Earth... But the novelty of it all, well, I couldn't resist.
With a lineup at the front and the drive-thru, we weren't the only ones with a donut wish. We sampled the Jelly Glazed Donut first and there was a tonne of strawberry filling. So much so, it couldn't stop squirting out. It wasn't too sweet though which was a good thing due to the glaze on the outside. The donut itself was not overly heavy. As for the cake donuts, in particular, the Sprinkle Chocolate Glaze, it was a bit dry and dense. The glaze was pretty sweet and with the sprinkles, it further amped the sugar quotient. In this case, less was more as the more basic donuts worked better.
Moving onto the Apple Fritter, it was huge and very sweet due to the ample amount of glaze that nestled within all the nooks and crannies. There was a smattering of apple here in there within the firm donut. Interestingly, the Chocolate Crueler was not as sweet as it looked. Naturally, it was eggy and lighter than the other cake donuts. Overall, we didn't mind the donuts, especially for the price. Sure, they ain't gourmet and ultimately weren't super special, but it was cool to try them at least.
The Good:
- Look at that big donut on the roof!
- Cheap
The Bad:
- They're okay, but nothing that special
Originally, we had reservations to try out Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza, but due to being stuck on I10 aka "the parking lot", we had to call the restaurant to cancel. Let's just say the lady at the other end of the phone was not impressed with our cancellation (talk about attitude). Anyways, with the interchange of the I405 approaching, I remembered that we had missed eating at ROC a week ago. So off the freeway onto surface streets we went...
Seeing how many have boasted about their Xiao Long Bao, we got an order to start. These featured a thin, yet firm skin not unlike Din Tai Fung. There was a decent amount of soup which was sweet while not displaying any real distinctive flavours. The meat filling was moist and not overly fatty. Not as good as DTF, but pretty good nonetheless. Next up was the Ox Tail & Beef Noodle Soup. We thought this was pretty good with a spicy soup that was fairly flavourful and wide noodles that were chewy. There was a significant hit of star anise which was probably due to the big ox-tail (residual stewing liquid). As much as the slices of beef were sufficiently tender, the ox-tail was pretty stringy.
We got an order of the Stir-Fried Rice Cake for the kiddies and it was pretty interesting as we've never had it prepared in such a "light" manner. It was as if there was not enough wok heat that the flavours didn't have a chance to caramelize. Furthermore, there was an overabundance of veggies which probably led to the lack of rich flavours. The rice cake itself was soft and chewy though. On the other hand, the 3 Cup Chicken was full of impact, in particular, the level of sweetness. There was some tang and aromatics to go with it though. The chicken itself was a touch dry, but went well with the complimentary bowl of rice.
Lastly, we had the Gai Lan and it was downright terrible. It was older than an 80's one-hit wonder featuring discolored leaves and super chewy dynamics. We were not sure why they even served it as it was pretty clear from the visuals that it was past its prime. But other than that, the food was pretty acceptable and the XLBs offered up respectability. Not the cache as a Mario Batali restaurant, but it served to satisfy our Chinese food cravings while we escaped traffic purgatory (Elaine was still stuck on the I405 after we got back to the hotel!).
The Good:
- Respectable XLBs
- Friendly service
- Okay pricing
The Bad:
- Smallish portions
- What's up with the crappy gai lan?
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