Claim Jumper

*This location is closed*

If you've ever seen my profile picture on Urbanspoon, you can make out a big plate of food which I'm gawking at. That, my friends is the Appetizer Platter at Claim Jumper. For those who are unfamiliar with the place, it is a chain restaurant primarily in the Western United States. It specializes in classic American food, from comfort to steaks and BBQ. But its real "claim" to fame are their absolutely ridiculous portions. Imagine a place where chicken strips really mean 7 whole fried pieces of chicken breast. How about a slice of Chocolate Motherlode Cake that boasts 7 sinful layers? Or better yet, how about a plate of ribs that are so big, the sides need to arrive on a separate plate? Yes, if you're hungry, Claim Jumper is your restaurant.

I was initially introduced to the place back in 2004 by Mother Goose. We were passing by Bellevue on our way back from California and decided to pay her a visit. Upon entering the cabin/lodge-type decorated restaurant, we were greeted with a lineup. Yes folks, when you have big portions at reasonable prices, there will be a lineup. That is where I foolishly ordered the Appetizer Platter which could feed a whole family. Nothing like a plate of fried goodness to satisfy my fat and cholesterol limit for the month. Okay, I think you're getting the picture. Quantity over quality here. That is partially true. Although the food will never win any culinary awards, it is acceptable. Basically, it's a chain restaurant that is family friendly. Yah, you know the type, so don't expect anything else. Let's just say that when we were in Phoenix a few years ago, we opted for Claim Jumper over PF Chang's. Yah, that's an easy decision on our part since my son was with us. There is no grilled cheese or mac 'n cheese at PF Chang's. Oh yeah, there isn't any Asian food there either...

Tonight, we met up with Nikita and Bluebeard since they happened to be in Seattle for a few days as well. We were early enough (before 6:00pm) that we got a table immediately. However, there was a steady lineup after that. One thing that'll catch your attention while looking at the menu is the vast selection. There are so many different things you could order, it takes quite a awhile just to get to the last page. Bluebeard finally settled on the Original Tri-Tip Dip (beef dip), which is staple at family-type restaurants. However, this version had a few tweeks, such as gouda cheese and caramelized onions. Hey, it's a decent beef dip. The beef is both plentiful and tender. With the addition of the cheese and onions, there was no deficit of flavour either.

Viv had the Chicken Pot Pie and it was very large as expected. What can I say... It was a very large pot pie with lots of tender white meat, carrots and potatoes. Nothing out of the ordinary. For my main, I ordered something I've had in the past - Beef Ribs. If you look at the picture, it doesn't do it justice. The thing is so huge, it barely fits on a large plate. It's so large, the veggies, baked potato and garlic cheese bread arrived on separate plates. Size is one thing; but execution is another. I've had this 3 times and although the bones are quite meaty and flavourful, I find the meat quite chewy and stringy. Obviously it's not slow-cooked the authentic Southern way. With that being said, I'm not sure why I order it each time. Possibly I do it for the shock value... Being a family restaurant, there's the good ol' Mac 'n Cheese for my son and even that is quite large. Served with 2 sides (we got mandarin oranges and frozen grapes... for my daughter, my son won't eat that), this is an ample portion for a child. Oh, and the mac 'n cheese was actually quite good too. Cheesy, creamy and almost al dente noodles.

Nikita wasn't too hungry and had the Clam Chowder, which curiously arrived last and much later than everything else. I didn't get a chance to sample it; but she seemed to like it and it looked good. Now we were all pretty stuffed at the end and didn't get a chance to share a slice of the Motherlode Cake. We normally do and honestly, it's amazing how anyone can finish a slice all by themselves. I know of one friend who did it and ate nothing else. It's actually quite a decent "slice" of chocolate cake since it is not too sweet (other than the icing) and not too dense. At $9.95, it's actually reasonably priced too. There are people who are going to point out that Claim Jumper merely represents massive quantities of food that may not necessarily be all that good. I can see that. The food is definitely hit and miss. However, it is more than acceptable for people with large appetites and families who have growing kids.

The Good:
- Large portions
- Reasonably-priced
- Decent chain restaurant food (not the fancy kind)

The Bad:
- Gotta admit it's still quantity over quality
- Not the healthiest way to eat

Red Mill Burgers

Our original plan was to visit the Woodland Zoo on our second day in Seattle; but cold and wet weather put that on hold. According to weather reports, our best bet was to try on the Saturday, which also happened to be the day we head home. Yah, that would make things slightly hectic. Alas, we did the good parent thing and sucked it up, for the kiddies. Hey, someday they're gonna thank us right? LOL... Despite being sunny, it was still quite chilly, so we bundled up the family for an outdoor day at the zoo. After 3 hours of looking at snakes, goats, ducks, kangaroos, emus and the sort, I was getting quite hungry. Maybe because I've eaten most of the aforementioned animals before...

Whatever the case, I wasn't going to be subjected to the cafeteria-type food offered at the zoo. When we finished, I was outta there and punching our next destination into the GPS. Ah yes, just up the road is Red Mill Burgers. Yes, burgers again. After my non-event at Dick's, I really needed a good burger. Well, that and the fact they have grilled cheese on the menu. Guess who I'm catering to? Now as we were rolling up to the place, to our horror, there was a lineup out the door extending into the parking lot. I'm not joking. At first, I would've gladly left and ate somewhere else; but Viv convinced me to stay since we were there already. Fine, although I really hate lineups. The food better be good!

So we were reserved to the fact we'd be eating in the car again, such was the case with Ezell's. Ugh. Greasy food in the car again... Reluctantly, I made my way into the lineup. OMG, I must've waited for over 40 minutes to get my food. As I was waiting, I was able to snap a photo of the food prep area and you have to be impressed with the mound of cooked bacon. Look at it! If that is not heaven, I'm not sure what is. Now to what we ordered. For Viv, I knew she was not really in the mood for burgers after Dick's (that sounds plain wrong...). Thus, I got her a Chicken Verde Burger. If you look at the picture, it is one fine looking chicken burger, don't you think? The chicken breast was grilled to perfection with nice charring while still be moist and tender. Underneath, there are freshly roasted green peppers, onion, tomato and lettuce. Completing the package was the "Mill" sauce. As stated on the menu board, it is not Thousand Islands dressing. Rather, it is a house-made mayo with a hints of smoke and spice. It's not overwhelming; but it really gives the burgers an extra kick of flavour. With everything packaged in a kaiser bun, Viv really enjoyed her burger.

For myself, I went for the Bleu Cheese 'n Bacon Burger. It consisted of a 1/4 pound fresh beef patty with pepper bacon, crumbled blue cheese, tomato, lettuce and mill sauce. Although the patty itself was not particularly juicy, the rest of the ingredients really made the burger. The peppery, crispy bacon combined with the pungent blue cheese kicked up the flavour quotient. Not the best burger I've ever had; but pretty darn good nonetheless. The freshness and quality of the ingredients really make a difference. While in line, I noticed that their Onion Rings looked pretty good and of course I got an order. The breading on these large suckers was fantastic. Crunchy and a bit spicy (looks like they added cayenne to the batter), these rings didn't even need condiments. However, I don't have much to say about their Fries. Although not bad, they were just like any other French fry you can get at a concession stand.

Dick's For our daughter, we got her a Cheeseburger. For some odd reason, I found the beef patty in this burger to be more moist than mine. I found that the sesame bun was softer than the kaiser bun used for my burger. And behold! The Grilled Cheese made with Tillamook cheddar on whole wheat bread. What can I say? A solid grilled cheese that my son was willing to eat! The question is: was it worth the wait? Well, not exactly. We did enjoy our burgers very much and the onion rings were really good. Yet, all of this comes at a price. Although I took a swipe at earlier, there is no comparison. While the deluxe burger at Dick's comes out to $2.40, our gourmet burgers were a whopping $6.50 each. Of course we're talking about apples and oranges here. Ulitmately, Red Mill is not exactly cheap. A comparable place would be Fatburger; however, I much prefer Red Mill. Bottom line is if you're willing to lineup and fork over the cash, the burgers at Red Mill are pretty darn good.

The Good:
- Fresh ingredients
- Meats executed well
- Unique specialty burgers

The Bad:
- With gourmet burgers comes a gourmet price tag
- There could be lineups
- Small dining area

Dick's

Dick's, you gotta love the name. With it's rock bottom prices, freshly made burgers, fries and hand-dipped shakes, it is a Seattle institution. Who wouldn't like to tell all their friends that they got a hand-dipped shake from Dick? Despite my repeated visits to the Emerald City, I have yet to pay a visit to Dick's until now. After spending 2 hours at the Children's Museum at Seattle Center, we were all hungry. Once again, I was not going to eat at the food fair. Although there can be some hidden gems amongst the fast food joints. Of course my son could care less and we attempted to get him a grilled cheese at McD's across the street. No dice. When we asked for a grilled cheese, the cashier gave a look of confusion. A grilled what? Apparently, they don't have it in the states. Even though they have the materials to do so, they couldn't make one for us.

Off we went to Dick's, which was on the other side of Seattle Center, knowing that my son would not eat any of the food (well, possibly the fries). At the front counter, I attempted to ask for a cheeseburger without the meat. The cashier looked at me in confusion. "No, we can't do that, we only do burgers one way here". Arghhh... So I ended up only getting a Deluxe Burger, Fries and a Chocolate Shake to go. Viv still had her half of the Porcetta from Salumi to finish. The burger itself doesn't look like much and it is a tad greasy. Consequently, it's a slightly messy eat despite not being that substantial. I did like the bun, it was soft and held up well to the ingredients. Nothing all that special; yet cheaper than McD's at $2.40.

The fresh cut fries were alright. My order was a bit soggy although they really asserted their potato-ness. Again, it was cheap at $1.40. The shake was creamy in some spots while icy in others. It wasn't exactly that chocolaty being mostly sweet. Once again, I'm not going to complain since it was only $1.90. Although I wasn't all that impressed with the food at Dick's, I must admit is was pretty darn cheap. Nowhere near In-N-Out Burger (none in Washington state anyways), Dick's is a cheap eat which serves as an alternative to McD's, if you're in Seattle that is.

The Good:
- Cheap
- Food is okay
- They keep things simple

The Bad:
- Food is okay
- They keep things simple

Mandarin Buffet & Grill

A trip to Seattle means shopping, eating and meeting up with Goose and Mother Goose. Former residents of Vancouver, now transplanted into Bellevue, they visit every now and then. So it's a bit of a role reversal when we visit them. We decided to go for dinner the first night we were there. Some ideas were floated around such as Cheesecake Factory, Claim Jumper, Red Lobster etc... Yah, they're all chain restaurants - been there, done that. However, they all offer something a little for everyone and are kid-friendly. But Goose wanted to try something else and suggested a nearby Asian buffet. Alright, when those words rolled off his tongue, I immediately went into "I'm not going to eat at an Asian buffet in Bellevue" mode. 

Yah, we're from Vancouver, where Asian food is pretty darn good for North American standards. So let me see, you want me to eat Asian food in Bellevue and it's going to be in a buffet format. Are you nuts??? I seriously was wondering if Goose had lost his marbles. Images of Dragon Inn and their infamous smorgasbord started dancing in my head. That's right, dancing spring rolls, chop suey and fried chicken balls were frighteningly appearing in my sights. I wanted to run, run all the way back to Vancouver. But wait. Goose has a good hold of Asian food. He did say that some people have told him that it was decent for the money. Oh alright, I'll give it a shot. What's there to lose? My appetite... But there are not many things I won't eat.

So off we went to Mandarin Buffet & Grill. Which happened to be right across the freeway from where we were staying. Conveniently located in a strip mall right next to a Safeway, the restaurant is relatively hidden from street traffic. Apparently, there have been about 3 other restaurants that have come and gone at this location. I guess we'll see what happens to the buffet... For a Thursday night, the place was hopping with lots of customers. Alright, that is a good sign. Full house = fast turnover of food. Another good sign was the pricing. At $12.99 for adults Monday thru Thursday and $13.99 on weekends, it seemed quite reasonable. Weekday lunch is probably the best deal at $8.99. 

For kiddies, I like the pricing where they charge by year from ages 3-11. 55 cents for lunch and 65 cents for dinner. After we sat down, I went to take a look at the offerings from their... count >them... 7 stations! I was overwhelmed by the massive quantity and selection of food. In the first section I visited, there was 2 types of fried shrimp, mussels, crab, shortribs, fries, sesame balls, garlic bread and frog legs. The second section consisted of North American Chinese food such as broccoli beef, General Tso's chicken, sweet n sour chicken, pizza, stir fried asparagus, baked mussels, fried rice, fried noodles and a few other stir fries. On the end were a selection of 3 soups. The next section was a mishmash of items such as crayfish, clams, sea snails, fried whole shrimp and a few other stir fries.

Directly in the centre of the place is a Teppanyaki grill doubling as a Mongolian grill. Right next to it is an actual grill for steaks. Yes, you heard me right, in addition to the usual items you'd find at a Mongolian grill, there were full sirloin steaks. They are grilled to your liking right in front of you! The items at this station included beef, chicken, pork, shrimp, sirloin steaks, sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, noodles and snap peas. If this sounds a lot like U-Grill, it is and imagine that, you'd probably spend $13.00 there anyways! Directly behind the grill station is the Japanese themed section with grilled squid, fish and tempura. There is also a selection of rolls and nigiri sushi. 2 more stations consisting of the salad bar and desserts (which were pretty weak except for the cheesecake) are to the side of the Japanese section. Highlights from this area include oysters on the half shell, seaweed, grilled asparagus, lychees (canned, but good) and fresh fruit. Wait, there is more! Last item is the soft-serve ice cream station with sprinkles and nuts. Yah, it's a buffet on steroids that would put the defunct Foodie Goodie to shame.

Okay, now the food wasn't outstanding; but it was more than edible. I came in with real expectations for the price and venue. Of course a buffet is never the right situation to experience great food and honestly, most buffets will never advertise that. Thus, I was only expecting acceptable food. The highlights had to be the grilled to order sirloin steaks and the Mongolian grill. The clams were good and so were the frog legs. I was not impressed with the oysters or crayfish, they didn't seem fresh. Although the sushi rice was pretty much a joke, the fish itself was half-decent. I really liked the seaweed and took lots. The North American Chinese food was pretty much what you'd find at Panda Express; but that is to expected. I did like the freshness of the veggies in all of the stations. It also helped that there was high turnover of the food. So the food wasn't great; yet it was pretty good for what it's worth, especially for the price. I wouldn't recommend it if you wanted quality food; however, if you wanted to get full while having an enormous variety of food, this is your place.

The Good:
- Incredible selection
- Most of the food is fresh and refilled expeditiously
- Many expensive items available

The Bad:
- Definitely quantity over quality here
- Some items were not so good (but that is to be expected)
- Sweet strawberry glaze over bananas? WTH?

Salumi Part II

Last year, I visited Salumi for the first time. For those who unfamiliar with Salumi, it's run by Mario Batali's father, Armandino Batali. Famous for their cured meats, sandwiches and gnocchi made every Friday by his older sister Izzy. I tried 2 of their sandwiches. Both were not very impressive, especially since they were almost $10.00 each. Why? Well, when I was in line, I noticed 2 Rubbermaid storage containers full with pre-made sandwiches in the cooler (refer to the picture). When I ordered my 2 sandwiches, I witnessed them being retrieved from those same storage containers. They were sliced in half and wrapped up for me to go. When I opened the packages up, it revealed very little filling squished between ciabatta buns. The chewy and cold sandwiches tasted alright; but Viv and I really didn't feel they were worth $10.00 each. Furthermore, why would I need to go to a place like Salumi if I wanted pre-packaged sandwiches?

Now with my post came passionate, sometimes rude attacks which ranged from dismay to downright unsubstantiated remarks. Now, I have no problem if someone points out that I was wrong about something. For example, I incorrectly identified the schnitzel at Old Bavaria Haus as veal when it was pork. Fine, my bad, I stand corrected. That is a factual error. Now, when people say that I was wrong or I am on drugs to say I personally didn't like Salumi... then some people have truly mistakened opinion over facts. There is no right or wrong when it comes to personal preference. Plain and simple. Just like someone can like a restaurant that I do not like. It's a free world, people can like whatever they want. So I was a bit taken aback when people would just not quit in saying that I was wrong. In fact, one person even implied I was lying since he has never seen pre-made sandwiches for all the times he's went to Salumi. Uh... I have a picture to prove it. Therefore, I really don't understand where some people get their facts. I always report what I personally experience. Some suggested I tried the wrong sandwich, especially since I did not try their signature Porcetta sandwich. Okay, that's fair enough. I was more than game to try it once I made it down to Seattle again. Of course that was not good enough for some, and they continued to exert little jabs whenever they could in the comments section.

Okay, enough of my ranting. So, to fairly assess Salumi, I lined up for a second time in the cold to get at some sandwiches. One thing I immediately noticed was the absence of the Rubbermaid tubs. Second, when I ordered a Porcetta and a Tongue Sandwich, the cold tongue sandwich was made freshly in front of me. When I finally got at Porcetta, I gotta admit, it is one darn fine sandwich. Tender, fatty pork laced with fennel topped with onions, green peppers and fresh mozzarella on herbed olive oil brushed bread danced around in my mouth. Now that is worth the money! The only thing I'd change about this sandwich is the bread. I realize it has to be firm to hold up to the moisture from the pork; but it is a bit too chewy. Every bite only helped destroy the sandwich further. Now, for the tongue sandwich. As you know, I love tongue! The sandwich consisted of ciabatta brushed with herbed olive oil with the same peppers and onions along with thinly sliced tongue. Everything tasted alright; however, I though the tongue was way too salty and took away from everything else. Also, once again, the ciabatta was too hard for my liking. Don't get me wrong, just like the last time, I didn't hate the tongue sandwich. In fact, it was pretty good. But it was not that good and certainly a bit expensive.

So my final thoughts about Salumi this time around? Yes, the Porcetta is one fine sandwich. I totally agree with everyone who has said so. Worth every penny. As for the other 3 sandwiches, they were good; but not outstanding. I would say that the tongue sandwich was better than the Muffo and Prosciutto, Figs & Goat's Cheese that I had last time. If I were to base my thoughts on this visit alone, I would not hesitate to press "I like it" on Urbanspoon. However, based on both visits, I would still categorized my feelings as "indifferent".

The Good:
- Awesome Porcetta sandwich
- Naturally, they're famous for their cured meats
- Quality ingredients

The Bad:
- I personally don't like their bread choices
- Other than their Porcetta, there is not a lot of meat
- Pricey

Ezell's Famous Chicken

It's interesting how we often get sucked into visiting places because a celebrity happens to like it. The fact they are famous doesn't necessarily translate into good taste. After all, food is a very personal thing and just because they like it doesn't mean someone else will like it. Case in point, Guy Fieri seems to like everything he tries on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. However, to me at least, some of the stuff looks plain gross. Is it because he truly likes it or could it be that it would be unbecoming of a Food Network personality to trash someone's food? Have you ever seen Rachel Ray pan something she ate? It's always a "yum-o", not an "ewww". Although, I do give her credit for liking Top Pot Donuts. I personally like them too. Now, when Oprah seems to like something, it turns to pure gold, whether it be books, cars, mittens or food.

So with her recommendations, I eagerly made my way to Ezell's Famous Chicken in Lynnwood while we were on our way to Bellevue. Of course, I already had an inkling of what I was in for since Kim had tried it and surprise surprise... didn't like it (LOL). Well, despite his warnings, I had to see for myself at what all the fuss was about. Not really knowing what to expect, we were hoping to eat-in. No dice. This place is purely takeout with absolutely no seating at all. Great. Fried Chicken, eaten in the car with 2 kids. I think we went through an entire pack of wipes for this one meal. Yes, partially because it's fried chicken and more noticeably, the darn chicken was really greasy. I got half regular and half spicy which included 4 freshly made buns.

The positives were that the chicken was crispy and the spicy batter had plenty of flavour. As for the regular, the batter was bland. On that note, the chicken in both versions were very bland. The white meat was particularly dry. I was gnawing on it and not enjoying it. The dark meat was significantly more moist; but definitely not as moist as Lee's or LA Chicken. Honestly, I was not overly impressed. In fact, you could say I was disappointed. However, the fresh buns were pretty good. A bit sweet, nice and soft, we all enjoyed them. For curiosity purposes, I added a small order of Spicy Fried Chicken Livers. Although we liked the crunchy spicy coating, we didn't like that it was even greasier and overcooked. Luckily we only had a small order. I'm not sure how we could've eaten more than 2 pieces each. Now that we were greasy, the kids greasy, the car greasy, my camera greasy and using up all of our wipes, we felt a bit gross. As for Oprah liking the place, she has her opinion. For me, I was indifferent bordering on not liking it. It wasn't cheap either! At the very least, it proves once again that celebrity endorsements mean nothing at all. Hey, look at how Rosie really loved the Pontiac Aztec...

The Good:
- Big pieces of chicken
- They got fried livers and gizzards (gotta give them props for that!)
- Great buns

The Bad:
- Greasy, bland and overcooked chicken
- Expensive
- No where to sit

Royal City Thai

*Restaurant is now closed*

Is it just me or are food bloggers roaming around in packs from restaurant to restaurant? Could it be safer in numbers? Is it a pack mentality? Well, it certainly takes away the awkwardness of taking pictures when you have many more people doing the same thing. So once again, we have a few of us, armed with our DSLRs, meeting for another meal. The destination this time around was thanks to Karl. In the former location of Royal City Cafe comes Royal City Thai. Yah, I know, not very creative with the name; but it gets the point across. Of course New West is not the hot bed of Thai food; yet there can be gems found here and there, such as Lhy Thai in Burnaby. Also joining us were Kim, Jessica & Mark.

I brought my daughter with me this time since Viv was busy. I didn't bother bringing my son because he doesn't even eat hamburgers, let alone Thai food. For a Sunday morning, I struggled mightily to find a parking spot on Columbia. I must've circled quite a few times before I got one right in front. So even before we got down to ordering the food, I did my usual spiel about how good Kim's pictures are. Once and for all, he wanted to stop my endless gibberish about his pictures. So he proposed that we switch cameras for today's meal. Naturally, I was a bit apprehensive since the usual questions bothered me, such as: what if the pictures I take suck? Or what if they are good? Do I even know how to use his camera?

Well, I must add that Kim was at a disadvantage since my camera settings in manual mode are a mess since I don't really fool around with them much. Kim's camera was already setup and all I needed to do was take the picture. Furthermore, he has a much more superior lens. With that out of the way, we all decided to try their all-you-can-eat lunch for $12.95. Looking over the menu, it reminded me of Thai House and their AYCE that they no longer offer. The server asked us what we wanted to order and unanimously we all replied, "Everything!" And one by one, everything arrived. We started with the Tom Kah Gai. This for me was a bit average. It was a bit bland with neither a strong coconut or spice flavour to it. I realize that they do not want to make it too bold since it might alienate some customers. Thus, if you like it spicy, just ask. That's what we did for the second round of food.

Next up was an order of Calamari. This was not bad with soft squid in crispy breading. The dipping sauce was pretty standard sweet chili. In the form of more fried goodness, we go the obligatory Spring Rolls. They were crunchy and filled with veggies and vermicelli. What can I say? They were spring rolls. I wasn't that fond of the diluted sweet and sour sauce. I dipped it in the sweet chili instead. The sweet chili sauce accompanied the Fried Chicken Wings as well. It went well with the crispy wings. The fried appies were decent; but we all know that the main event are the curries and stir fries. The first to arrive was the Chicken Red Curry. It was quite pleasant if one was looking for a mild curry. Let me rephrase that, if one was looking for a coconut sauce. Yah, once again, to appeal to the masses, this tasted watered down without much in the way of spice. Our bad for not asking at the start of the meal. Otherwise, it was alright with chicken, bamboo shoots, peppers, onions and basil.

Next up was the Basil Beef Stirfry. I know this is AYCE; but there was a serious lack of meat in this dish. Try looking for it, it's like "Where is the Beef?" Once again, this was pretty decent with fresh veggies and tender beef. And again, not much spice to speak of. However, in the second round of food, this dish was much spicier which made it ultimately better. On a personal note, I could've eaten spicier. Although that would've put the flavour profile of the dish into an unbalanced state, which some people may not like. That once again explains the blandness of the dish - to not alienate the majority of people who do not eat that spicy.

Next up was the Pork Yellow Curry. It was slightly more spicy than the red curry. Furthermore, I felt that the meatiness of the pork added more depth to the dish. Somehow I find chicken to be a bit bland and it really doesn't enhance a dish. On that note, I still like the texture of chicken over pork and beef when it comes to curry. I guess you really can't have the best of both worlds. This curry was predominantly sweet with underlying heat. One particular dish I didn't care about was the Chili Pepper Fried Rice with vegetables. It's partially due to the fact that fried rice was probably the lest interesting dish other than the white rice. It was a tad dry with not a whole lot of flavour. I had to put some curry on it to liven it up. I did like the texture of the veggies, they were still a bit crunchy.

Continuing with more stir fries was the Gai Pad Namman which consisted of snow peas, peppers, pineapple and chicken in a black bean sauce. As expected with this dish, it was not spicy. Not much to really complain about it. The veggies were crisp, chicken was tender and an interesting sweetness provided by the pineapples. As you can see from the picture, the whole dish appeared quite glossy which is from the coating of oil on all of the ingredients. I guess that helps the food slide down your esophagus?

The last curry to arrive was the Beef Green Curry. Somehow, this one had a lot of beef in it. Maybe that's where the beef is? I not sure if my taste buds tricked me or not; but I found this curry to be the mildest of all (which shouldn't be the case). Not really all that spicy nor much coconut flavour, I found this one almost bland. However, I did like the pieces of tender beef and eggplant. It's interesting that the AYCE menu did not have the ever-popular Pad Thai. Rather, there was Pad See Ew available instead. This is nothing remotely close to Pad Thai since the flavouring is predominantly soy sauce rather than tamarind. Furthermore, there are veggies in the form of broccoli, baby corn and carrots in this version. Although we like our rice noodles al dente, this one was bordering on uncooked. But I really didn't seem to mind it that much, much better than mushy. The second time around for this dish, it was significantly spicier and the noodles were a bit softer.

In a nutshell, my initial reaction was that both the menu and food was very similar to Thai House (especially seeing how both AYCE menus are alike). Now, they can either take that as a compliment or an insult. However, it really depends on expectations and the clientele. For people who crave spicy, flavourful Thai food, the normal iterations of each dish are quite conservative (like Thai House). Not necessarily a bad thing considering where it is located and the majority of their customers will not want tongue-burning food.

The Good:
- Food is decent for its location
- Nice decor and wide open seating
- Friendly staff and efficient service

The Bad:
- Food is on the safer side of things, although you can request to have it spicier
- Reminds me of Thai House (can be a compliment if that's what you're looking for)