A smiling older woman brought out a warm bowl of the spicy broth that is laden with herbs and chilies, and placed it on a glass stove in the table. A flick of a switch under the table, and the broth began to boil and roll.
The place was hustling and bustling with quick-paced servers.
The all you can eat was ridiculous. The menu was a checklist, displaying everything from lamb cuts to taro root. There’s a wastage fee if leftover food exceeds 500 grams. Was it a challenge? We were feeling hungry and brave.
The wait time was reasonable; after about five minutes the table in front of us hosted a vibrant display of vegetables, meats and fungus. The strategically sliced and chopped foods can be flash-cooked or slow boiled. It’s not difficult to lose a chunk or two of tubers or to over-boil a sliver of seafood in a boat full of broth, but what did get scooped up composed a satisfying full meal. By the end of the meal, we noticed the lack of fruits. After all that savory, we deeply craved something complex and sweet, but none was found on the menu. All the cheap beverages offered for additional cost were as close to fruit as Hershey’s is to chocolate. We inquired further, to learn they have all-fruit smoothies on a cycling menu that features the variable fruit-of-the-day.
In the end, our bill for two, tax included, was about $50. This was by far the most impressive all you can eat menu we’ve seen around here but it’s also proportionally expensive.
