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| - I have been going to Mandarin about once or twice a year since 1989. As a child, this was the best place to eat - when food was about quantity instead of quality.
The reason they have succeeded in my opinion is that they are consistent. When you go to Mandarin, you know what you're going to get. Decent service and lots of food choices for you to gorge on.
Mandarin is a westernized Chinese buffet restaurant. They have a selection of the western Chinese food classics - pork ribs, chicken balls, fried rice, spicy green beans, crispy chicken wings. They have western foods during dinner - roast beef, mashed potatoes, frozen pizza, steamed carrots, grilled steakettes, chicken and sausage. They also have a few desserts: a decent selection of ice cream, cakes, strawberry. Salads and soups etc! Lots!
Lunch runs you about $15 a person while dinner is about $30 with taxes. The $15 difference is noticeable ie. all the expensive and good stuff (crab legs, prime rib, chocolate strawberries, sushi-ish) is available only for dinner.
When I was young, I'd eat anything and everything.
But now - I'm about maximizing value when I go there. This is essentially what I eat when I'm there (dinner):
Plate #1: 10 steamed crab legs, 6 breaded shrimp sushi roll pieces and 6 Philadelphia cream cheese roll pieces and smoked salmon sushi pieces.
Plate #2: see plate 1
Plate #3: see plate 1 - I might add a slice of roast beef and/or grilled chicken
Plate #4 - 3 steamed crab legs.
Plate #5 - dessert - 3 chocolate covered strawberries and a waffle quarter with a scoop of ice cream.
The wait staff clear our each of your finished plates quickly, and keep the glasses of water filled.
It isn't fine dining - it doesn't claim to be. It's plenty, quick and fairly tasty - consistently so. It's this consistent quality that has kept me coming back.
RS
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