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| - Went there for the first time on a Friday night around 5 pm with my GF. I had been to YC's Mongolian Grill, which I really enjoyed but at YC's I felt like something was lacking. Don't get me wrong, YC's is good stuff, but sometimes I want to have something spicy or more savory and I feel that YC's sauces aren't very thick. I like Pei Wei because of their thick sauces, and yes, none of this food is 'authentic' Chinese food or whatever (I hate those sort of nuts). Enjoy the food for what it is.
The service was good. Nothing stellar, the server brings you water and brings you your food after you have created your delectable and dropped it off to the grill master. You are seated while your food is cooked, and this is a great thing because it takes maybe 5-10 minutes for your food to cook (if you wait it'll cause a huge fart in the line). We did the unlimited to try more stuff, and the server always took out plates and offered us another bowl if we needed. Food was always out promptly. I thought it was hilarious that the guy working on the grill hits the gong when there are a ton of bowls ready.
The buffet line was decent. I'm being a little picky here, but I think if you're going to do a buffet sort of thing, you better keep it stocked with fresh items. There were a few times I went to make a bowl and there was old chicken laying around with chicken juice just marinating the chicken. That's not very appealing. To their defense though, the other items remained stocked pretty well. The cubed beef looked very fresh and lean, not a lot of fat hanging around, just enough to taste good. Vegetables and stuff were stocked pretty well too, sauces area was kept clean and there was plenty of sauce when I went.
The cooking was mediocre. The first bowl I got was cooked well, except the noodles weren't as hot as the rest of the food, which found its way to the bottom. They managed to keep the sauces saucy and mixed it well into the food. I was turned off by the fact that the cooks were throwing tin and stuff into the corner and making a racket. Not professional at all. My GF complained that some of the food was overcooked, and while I somewhat agree, I have a higher range of acceptable cooking ranges. I'll eat rare all the way up to well done, my GF won't. I didn't get any rare, but I got some very well done, with some charring on my steak and chicken.
Great atmosphere, I could definitely go here and have a bowl while watching a game. Seems busy and the crowd is well-mannered, except for these idiot teenagers who were reaching over me in the buffet line. Don't mind them though, they're probably just idiots anyways.
Pricing is kind of an issue. Unlimited for $14 (after student discount) is something that might keep me from going back. I could potentially get just as much food from Pei Wei for less. Yes, its not going to be the same, but the two styles are very similar. If you like Pei Wei you will like this place. If you want Pei Wei, but buffet style sort of you should try this place out. You can get just a bowl for $10, but even that is a little too steep for a college student's pocket. I'd say unlimited + drinks for $12 and just a bowl with drinks for $8.50 is much more fair. I really don't even get drinks usually, but its nice to have it offered with the 'package'.
I'm really torn between giving this place a 3 or a 4. I like to reserve my 4s and 5s for places that I will go to whether I have a craving for it or not. I mean, if I'm hungry but I'm not sure where to go, I can count on a place that will always suffice and be cheap. The meat and toppings were very fresh, the fried rice and noodles option is great, but the pricing is a major issue. If the pricing goes down, I'd love to take my family there, and I'd love to rave about it. Until then, I think a 3 is sufficient.
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