| rev:text
| - Now under new ownership and so far things are looking a bit better!
Here are a few observations upon my initial visit during their Grand Opening. The inside looks the same however, the fried rice and noodles are prepared a bit differently and are a bit better tasting. The Egg Foo Young is different and is now edible, although it is still too much dough based for my liking, making it less egg omelet like, however there is still brown gravy to cover it, if you so desire. A couple of items are a bit spicier and more flavorful such as the Pepper Beef and Broccoli Beef as well as the Kung Pao Chicken.
The overall food quality is a tick better then before although the Fried Chicken might have taken a step back - the appearance of a very pale coating and unidentifiable shapes kept me from even putting it on my plate, perhaps bravery will become me and I will indulge on a future trip. Also, the soup is lacking flavor, even with soy sauce and won ton chips added. Now making an odd appearance: Tamales. I inquired about their contents and was met with, "I'm not sure what meat is in them; chicken, I believe." Thus, I left them wrapped in cellophane on the buffet for someone else to discover. On the plus side, the fountain drinks are now less expensive.
Overall, Tao Yuan has improved in more ways than not, albeit small improvements and probably not really noticeable to repeat diners unless you saw the grand opening banner hanging out front. The dining experience is now much quieter than before as there is less kitchen noise. Perhaps it is because mom and family are not in back cooking and talking among the dishwashing, radio playing and pot banging. Either way, low volume music playing in the dining area would benefit all if it were added, at least to mask the mastication and plate scraping of other diners and would make everyone feel a bit more comfortable while eating.
The restaurant feels a bit cleaner but with less energy from the staff; it is as if things are on 3/4 time - no big rush to do things or a sense of urgency. The checkout is now next to the buffet and not next to the door. This makes a bit more sense, although, I did notice what seemed like one of the owners texting or playing games on their phone behind the register rather than tending to drink refills and removal of plates from the tables.
What still remains is the nearly identical décor, painted windows, red buffet signs and the orange tabletops with wood grain booths and dark brown stacking chairs, all desperately crying out for a makeover. Therefore, my rating has not changed much, up a few stars in some areas, lowered in others . . . Either way, Tao Yuan is still a decent value for a smaller buffet at $6.15 for Lunch and $6.85 for Dinner.
If you just want to put the feedbag on and get your buffet fix without battling the crowds at the larger 30+ entrée buffets, then this is your place. Here is hoping for additional improvements in food and a facelift or interior makeover in the days to come.
Overall Rating: 3.2 Stars
Food: 3.5 Stars
Service: 2.8 Stars
Cleanliness: 3.2 Stars
Atmosphere: 2.6 Stars
Price/Value: 4 Stars
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