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| - Ensconced in a plaza at Dixie and Dundas, nestled between Value Village and Talize, Imperial Buffet has a slightly surreal exterior and looks incongruously new (alas, it was too dark to get a decent photo). The service was decent, but given that it was buffet, there wasn't much required of it.
Selection wasn't bad--it felt like there was a lot of desserts and fewer main courses than most buffets, but this might just have had to do with the floor plan, because when I think about it, there was actually quite a selection of dishes available.
There were the usual preparations--lots of rices, breaded and fried foods, breaded foods in sauce, and then old standards like beef in black bean and fish dishes. The veggies--broccolli, snow peas and mushrooms were tasty. A small assortment of passable sushi (nothing to boast about), including a few unusual preparations. The other meats were yum, though--roasted fish, lemon chicken, and beef in black bean were all tender and nicely prepared. I'd pass on the garlic and cheese oyster, however--mediocre and somewhat oily. There was also roast beef and mash potatoes, crab legs and pizza, though I didn't try any of those. Others seemed to be making short work of the crab legs, so I can only assume they were delicious for those who like such things.
Desserts were various, from fresh waffles and mango mousse to sesame balls and sugar pie (a regional Quebec specialty--the chain is widespread in Quebec as "The Mandarin")--among many others. The selection was wider than usual. There was also the usual salad, fruit and soups, including a pleasant enough crab and lobster bisque (though I didn't actually notice nor taste either the crab or the lobster, but the soup was still nice).
In all, pretty good for a buffet place. I'm not the biggest fan of the buffet (AYCE, fresh, made to order sushi is another story, though). In general, I feel as though the buffet's main virtue is that you can try a variety of foods, rather than committing to one dish for a meal--but otherwise, I find the food is often a little greasier than need be, in order to keep things from drying out.
Still, if you like buffets, this one is worth checking out--as buffets go, it's a good one! Not the best ever, but definitely decent!
Tips:
Apparently, it's free on your birthday (small print is that there has to be at least two other people accompanying the birthday person, I believe).
BUT, for that, and for any coupons or specials, you have to pay cash. They don't have Interac--just an independent, service-charging bank machine in their foyer that conjures visions of interac fraud and bank card theft. I expect it's fine, given that it's in their foyer and a maitre d'/waiter is usually present, but still... Bring cash withdrawn from a trusted bank machine, to be safe. You can never be too careful.
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