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| - This "teaching" restaurant is part of the Culinary Academy. What I've learned from going there is that it's a great place for an inexpensive yet filling lunch.
The staff is friendly and attentive ... almost TOO attentive at times! At many restaurants, I have to wait to get refills on my drinks. At the Westside Bistro, I've often had two waiters ask me if I want a refill while a third is off getting it done.
Although you can order off the menu, why bother? For the same price (under $10), you can go through the buffet, which is small compared to the casino buffets but provides plenty of tasty offerings.
The staff behind the buffet line serves you, but you can go back as many times as you like. There's always a soup or two, a fresh salad, and a few pizzas, but this time (like most) I skipped these and stuck with the entrees and side dishes.
Didn't care for the cold corn salad, but everything else was superb. Coq au vin and lamb shanks were both cooked perfectly, which even the top buffets usually can't pull off. Sides included kalamata mashed potatoes and rice pilaf, which were also executed perfectly. There were a few desserts to choose from, but after two helpings of meats and sides, I was stuffed. I did sample the flan, which was spicy and serviceable, and I had a bite of the brownie, which was pretty much ... a brownie.
Because of the buffet-style dining, I was back to work in less than an hour, so this place is a great option for anyone working in the Spaghetti Bowl area (or even a bit further out). Take a lesson from me, and try the Westside Bistro for lunch. You won't be disappointed.
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