THE GULT OF

 

queue up, grab a plate. your nol

Modern smorgasbords feed loads of people mounds of grub,
along with the increasing inclination to stuff their large, facial ori-
fices witha variety of tasty and sometimes not-so-tasty food from
around the world.

Recently, I chose to partake in an oriental-style Sunday
brunch buffet. This particular brunch was on Father’s Day. Situ-
ated in service-oriented, strip-mall Newton - in North Surrey -

 

the Oriental Buffet squats its gastronomic belly across from an-
other line-’em-up-and-shoot-’em-through-the-grub-gate opera-
tion: Uncle Willy's. Having anaversion to whipped potatoes culled
from Poly Filla and ersatz desserts derived from edible oil prod-
uct, I’ve only been there for one distasteful experience. Uncle
Willy’s is where Northern European '
stock can find familiar bland

     
  
 
  
   
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
   

vittles, just like Mum
made, and her mother
before her....

As for the Oriental Buffet, I went there with my partner and our
son on the recommendation of my partner’s father. He told us the
price was good ($6.99; half-price for kids under 12), and it was
better than Foody Goody, that more famous deliverer of Cantonese
cuisine. Upon arrival, we found a full parking lot, and several
other vehicles cruising for a slot. A full restaurant parking lot on
Sunday noon means one of two things: Either this was a popular
place with good food, or church was over. Or both.

The Oriental Buffet’s front entrance was choked with pa-
trons, waiting their turn to stand near the grease-spattered heat
lamps. Marked in large writing on the front of the hostess’ po-
dium was a special mark-up price for Father’s Day: $7.99 a per-
son, a buck more than usual. Ah, Father’s Day. A time for mer-
chants to celebrate fathers everywhere.

After a five minute wait, we were ushered to a table, pass-
ing by small and large Canadian families gathered for a meal.
From our table, a quick scan showed that the majority of pa-
trons were of Asian descent, flattening the stereotype that

suburban Cantonese eateries serve only round-eyes,
(s “™s, out for a taste of “exotic” cuisine.
If you’re hungry, a buffet affords the op-
tion to immediately leap into line, grab

a plate... and heap. I was hungry, but
exercised some control. Looking at
the drink menu, I found a multi-
tude of fruity, South Sea-
esque beverages.

One-third non-alcoholic, thx
hair-of-the-dog juice for thi
around $4.00 a piece, they s¢
non-alcoholic banana concc
already run dry. Now it was

I’ve been to Foody Gc
with all the battered and de
features. But it didn’t have
has crossed over into barb
steaks like two places that ra

A patron can stand at
blackened, smoky surface,
brown in about two minute
they can wait with a plate
red mystery sauce. I did. 1g
serving trays for the perfect
and protein, all the while e)
serts and fruit. While cuisir
plates with others who shar

Heading back to our}
plate laden with fresh as wel
ing about going back for m
waddled back to my favourit
of my newly bulging belly,

Ingredients [writingl: Grant Blac
[graphic conceptl: Darin Clisby, Jas

Igraphic designi: aspartame
TOUTE REO a en

WARNING: The Surgeon-General probably would have conde