Buffet Beauty
New Grand Buffet
34-45 48th St., Long Island City
(718) 278-8889
CUISINE: Chinese, Buffet
DELIVERY: Yes
CREDIT CARD: Yes, All Major
The beauty of a buffet, as any good American knows, is choice. Walk into a great buffet, like New Grand Buffet in Long Island City, and you are presented with a wide array of food options never dreamed of before. That is the American way.
Some buffets fail because they undercook food or provide too few options for experienced diners to enjoy. The mini-pizza is stale, the ribs are lukewarm and the dessert is unexciting. But New Grand Buffet, a Chinese food buffet with many American offerings, falls prey to none of these problems.
To start off, we packed our plates with as much food as physics and decorum permits. Buffets mean overeating, and good buffets mean overeating in style. We loaded up on chicken teriyaki, white rice, broccoli, fried shrimp and miniature pizza. Buffets are all about pacing yourself and ensuring that when the race to gluttony is finished, the stomach is not destroyed beyond repair.
Among the delectable highlights were the baked stuffed clams. Filled to the breadcrumb-covered brim, these little treats were filled with chicken, shrimp and vegetables. Bursting with a variety of flavors, the clams could almost make up a meal on their own. But the seafood bonanza didn't stop there. The fried shrimp were tasty bite-sized bits that never felt too fried or too undercooked. Every piece was just right.
Let's say you've had your fill of fried food, or even cooked food for that matter. New Grand Buffet has got you covered there as well. A mouth-watering display of sushi was available for the picking, including fan favorites like California rolls and shrimp and rice. While sushi is usually a nice snack, we were free to pile on as much as we'd like, trying the many different types they had to offer.
Just when we thought we couldn't handle any more of the entrees, we discovered the dessert table. The cakes, cookies and pastries were all scrumptiously sweet. We finished the meal off with some soft-serve ice cream we poured ourselves into mini-cones.
Given its short distance from not one, but two shopping centers, New Grand Buffet is an excellent pick for any shoppers who want to grab a satisfyingly filling lunch or dinner. Even if you are not shopping in the area, you might just want to head over and see what delicious options await you.
- Ross Barkan and Joe Marvilli