snowy11480's Profile
Diversity Buffet in Exton?
I've been here several times now - not because i'm choosing it - but because my husband loves, repeat loves, chinese buffets. i'm not a fan - i mean i can usually find something but - its just not by thing. so - saying that - i've been to china grill a lot and king buffet a good bit.
things i like about diversity -
1 - great price. i mean, the lunch price, you just can't beat considering the amount of food. we went for dinner once but since we don't care about the crab legs, just go at lunch now for the exact same food (minus a few things) for an even cheaper price.
2 - great service. we are promptly seated, drinks constantly are refilled, and staff are all over, readily available.
3 - its clean. yea, the fish tank in the lobby is gross from sitting in the sun and gathering algae. but inside the actual buffet area, the booths, the high chairs, floor, etc - all very clean. bathroom is too. this is huge to me. the other two in the area don't seem as clean to me. so this one wins in that area. plus its newer, that has a lot to do with the 'feeling' and 'looking' clean i'm sure.
4 - the grilled to order area. the other two do not have this and i think it gives this place an edge on them. its fresh and done right in front of you. very good.
5 - the sushi is done right there in front of you - and tastes fresh. i've eaten sushi at the other two - decent for a buffet. but the sushi here tastes more fresh to me and its a big plus i can see the guy putting it together behind the line. bonus points.
6 - who doesn't love a chocolate fountain?? ! !
a few issues i have with it -
1 - you can't ask the staff questions. i mean you could haha but you'd just get some head nodding and yes yes. i have yet to encounter one staff person here that is fluent in english. yes, this is an issue at all of them but i think at the other two the hosts are all very fluent and are able to come over if assistance is needed. here - no.
2 - largest buffet? i agree with xtownj that it doesn't seem to be the largest to me - i doubt it. i mean it really just seems the same size. nothing massive so don't get your hopes up for endless row upon row.
3 - diverse? like leepinleemur said, its a chinese buffet. the american part i can see - they have a few things like french fries, some steamed veggies, mac n cheese, some horrible looking mashed potatoes, etc. and a salad bar. but italian - i saw nothing that resembled italian food in anyway whatsoever.
4 - the fried donuts - i know this may not be huge to most folks but i love htese darn things and here - not so much. why? they are kept with the desserts here - which makes sense BUT - then they're cold. hello? these babies are meant to be eaten warm and should be kept under the warmers like the other foods. sigh. i didn't waste the calories eating it cold.
overall, i liked it good enough (for a chinese buffet). me? i prefer the indian buffet at taste of india right next door to it. now THAT is a good buffet! its been too long since i've been there. so next time thats where we're headed!!!!
Historic Restaurant/Building for bday dinner
Yea, i've heard many mixed reviews about the general warren inn... and looks like your experience was nothing except a big disappointment, unfortunately. I'll make sure you don't ever waste our time there. and if we end up checking out the william penn inn, i'll let you know. on a more casual note, next to the marshalton inn there is the four dogs tavern - in an old barn i think - that we are thinking of trying sometime soon. more affordable and more casual, still an older historic spot i believe. have you been there? worth it or no? if not, i'll update you if/when we go there as well. and if you find anything in the meantime, let me know too:)
as for dobbin house, we've done lunch and dinner there - both were great. lunch is served downstairs in the springhouse tavern - all candlelit, ambiance is awesome! and even their lunch tastes great! so even if you can only go for lunch, its worth it. don't miss out!
Eats around Waynesburg, PA
Rohana's Golf Course in Waynesburg PA has a good dinner! I've had the crab cakes multiple times - they're really good. Otherwise - hmmm i seriously can't think of anything great. A cute pub type place in town called Groovy's has decent food, nice atmosphere. (don't get wings tho - ugh, they were awful).
Boone NC and Surrounding Area
Also for those in this area but willing to take a drive, go across the state line into TN. There is a restaurant called Suba's in Mountain City TN thats excellent. Its right on the main highway as you come into the town, on the left. Just past the golf course. Great food. Great service. Phenominal desserts!!
Thanksgiving in Boone/Banner Elk, NC
I wouldn't really describe daniel boone inn as a hole in the wall hot spot haha but it is good food and lots of it!! More hole in the wallish is Coyote Kitchen and Tupelo Cafe. Coyote is near Walmart and Tupelo is on main street.
Mountain City TN
Subas is an excellent restaurant and i've never had a bad meal at this place either, and excellent friendly service. I go down (from Philadelphia) to visit my folks who live near there and we usually go to dinner there one night, or even lunch. For dinner, i love the tuna steak, cooked to order. Delicious. My husband gets the ranchero chicken or the trout, both are excellent. the best part is the desserts - they are all homemade, by the chef's wife (co-owner) and are incredible. we always split one because they are so rich and heavy but you MUST save room for dessert. I definitely wouldn't call this place hilbilly!
There is a mexican place there now - but it gets mixed reviews. some like it. some say its awful and bland. i can't say myself b/c i haven't been. For lunch theres a place called Craigs Cafe - decent lunch type food, homemade soups, etc. Lastly, several friends of mine rave about Thai Food - i think the place is called Monsoon Thai Food maybe... but they say its awesome. small sitting area though.
Personally though the only NICE place (and great food for sure) is subas. But be aware of their closing times - if you arrive at closing, they will NOT seat you, no exceptions it seems.
Good eats near Blowing Rock, NC
Amandabell made some great recommendations - so i won't go back over those - except i must second Coyote Kitchen - love this place!! I've been several times. Often get the salmon salad (but i sub tempeh) with their homemade lemon tahini salad dressing - its HUGE and so tasty. also have had the tilapia tacos which were great. and last trip there, i had one of their boats which are also massive and downright delicious:) can't remember which one. husband has had their jerk chicken sandwich which he likes a lot (with fries). The place is really affordable too - which is why its a hot spot for us. Mellow Mushroom is a great pizza joint with plenty of sandwich options - also very affordable and casual. My last recommendation in Boone is my favorite of all - Tupelo Cafe on Main St. Everything i have ever had from this place rocks. Last time i just had a sandwich (the blackened tofu sandwich) and it was AWESOME. i've tried all their soups and many of their salad options. never disappointed. nice place that supports local produce, many organic options, etc. If i only go out once while in town, this is where i go. its casual dress but a little nicer than coyote kitchen/mellow mushroom.
My only recommendation for Blowing Rock (i don't tend to make it anywhere besides tupelo and coyote in boone when i go down for a visit haha) is the Story Street Grill. I dont' think they take reservations which is a real downer because i hate standing around waiting... but the food is great. its the nicest out of all the places i've mentioned. not sure about their support of local foods per say but still - great place for a nice more upscale dinner.
Now I have plans to go to Melanies for breakfast next time i'm in town after the description above. Sounds like its TO die for !!! yum...
Hope this was helpful to you.
Boone NC and Surrounding Area
I realize this post is dead and the trip mentioned above was over long ago. I just wanted to second the great compliments about Coyote Kitchen. They have so many great vegan/vegetarian/and meat eater options with a focus on good local fresh foods. LOVED this place. and loved the price too. very affordable, lunch or dinner.
Also had dinner a few other places that i thought were awesome. but plan to start a fresh post for those just to inform everyone:) happy chow!
Historic Restaurant/Building for bday dinner
Ditto!! we have the SAME problem. There are many great historic places/buildings that happen to have a restaurant. But we want some great food too! its tough to find. Our next place locally that we'll give a try is the Wiliiam Penn Inn as suggested above. Its beautiful so lets just hope their food is worth it. we've only tried ONE place that was a historic building that had incredible food and its in gettysburg!! But well worth the trip! Its the Dobbin House Tavern. We loved everything we had, the ambiance was awesome, and overall was money well spent for a nice evening out with great food. their website is www.dobbinhouse.com if you want to check it out. and for this area, well just have to keep looking! and trying!
Historic Restaurant/Building for bday dinner
Okay, I'm so embaressed - i thought i had replied about where we ended up eating - LAST MAY! YIKES - but maybe i replied to the wrong post? anyway, we ate dinner at the Marshalton Inn in West Chester - actually in the historic little village of Marshalton. Such a cute town!! and the ambiance of the restaurant was awesome!! We ordered the highly praised mac n cheese that folks rave about - and it was all we expected and more. SO delicious:) unfortunately, we were greatly disappointed with out entree - which we chose the fondue dinner for two. Honestly, and i feel bad to criticize, but it was a joke - portion wise! the cheese dip was very smooth, flavorful, and tasty, the bread for dipping was just as good. but we got a couple of the following (seriously, a couple): fingerling potatoes, beef tips, pickles, and then a raw egg. one, to crack into the cheese once we were finished. we were done with this portion of our meal in about 2 minutes?? then for dessert husband had the tiramisu which he said was great! i guess we just ordered the wrong entree. sadly, we left disappointed and still hungry! i do feel we should give it a second try since the dessert and mac n cheese were good. but at their prices, we've been hesitant to venture back. Anyone else have an experience there they would like to share?
looking for non-chain restaurants in/near King of Prussia
I was excited to try Royal India as husband and i both love taste of india (wayne and exton!) and also gateway to india. the food at RI was okay, and i love that they bring fresh naan right to the table - very nice - but we did not feel like the place was clean. at all. my husband said he would never go back. we plan to stick with our fave - Taste of India.
Any good restaurants near King of Prussia?
Here I am restarting an old post but - wanted to update everyone on LemonGrass Thai in KOP as i know its always getting mixed reviews. I had been about a year ago for lunch but only had soup - which was great. but didn't feel that was an adequate enough of an experience to post about. We went for dinner this weekend (saturday night) and everything was wonderful! Husband got an appetizer of pork dumplings (or something like that) and a seafood dish for his entree. He loved both and he isn't easy to please sometimes! I ordered the fried tofu with sweet/sour dipping sauce for my appetizer (4.95) - awesome and a lot of it!! then for entree got the vegetable/tofu pad thai (10.95) which was incredible! We both left here saying we can't wait to go back. At first the service was a little slow on drink refills (husband sucks down soda like crazy!) but once they noticed he was drinking them down, she was more prompt on refills. They aren't friendly or chatty, thats for sure, but our food was timely and service otherwise good. Only complaint husband had was that he felt his entree portion wasn't big enough, making him especially glad he got an appetizer all to himself. we didn't order dessert - as we planned to go to whole foods for cupcakes on the way home haha... Anyway, we both left there saying we can't wait to go back, maybe this weekend to try their lunch out. Loved it. Oh - also it appears they no longer have a website...
Good lunch spot: Philly Airport to Valley Forge/Collegeville
This is tough b/c you say you don't want to stop in the city yet until you reach the VF area, you are in the city basically. My only recommendation is if you take 95N to 76W as your route to VF/Collegeville area, you go right past the Belmont Ave exit (off 76W). Manayunk is right off of this exit and a cute place to stop for lunch with several spots close together. Heading West, Belmont Ave exit to the Right. Turn Right and then take your first Right. You'll see several options. Manayunk is still considering philadelphia but maybe out from center city just enough that you will give it a shot. I don't have a specific recommendation for a lunch spot but check out the link below to see your options.
More info here: http://www.manayunk.com/
Good bakeries in the burbs?
To specifically talk about donuts, the best cake donuts are at highland orchards out in Chester County. They are called Apple Cider Donuts but to me, they don't taste like apple cider - theres just a slight hint of apple taste and oh i could gobble up sooo many of these! they bake them fresh every morning and you can sample before you buy. I know its a hike for some folks but very worth it. I haven't tried their pies but they look great. Don't miss out on the donuts!!
Highland Orchards
http://www.highlandorchards.net/
1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road
West Chester, PA 19380
Good bakeries in the burbs?
Can't speak for whole foods in jenkintown but the whole foods in devon has a truly incredible buttercream vanilla layer cake. wow is it good!!
Dinner in the Main Line Area
Thanks for pointing out the name change to Thai Pepper in Wayne!! The sign says "Flavor". We had planned to try it out this weekend but upon arriving - i was confused it was the right place or not, especially since they share a sign with a japanese place. Now that i know we'll try again!
Dinner in the Main Line Area
Don't expect good service at The Freehouse in Wayne. Overall, i wouldn't recommend the place. Not so good service and unimpressive food. I must say though, they have an awesome salad dressing called Blueberry Horseradish Vinegarette. I had that on their house salad which was a good price and a decent size. Our entrees were just okay. Took awhile to finally get the server to bring our check...
absolutely AWFUL cuba libre experience
AlissaMichelle - seems as if we've had very similar experiences at Cuba Libre. I had the same hazelnut encrusted french toast that was awesome along with a fresh cuban coffee w/ coconut millk. excellent! The service was nothing to brag about though. I asked for more mango butter (yum) and never got it. Also barely saw the waitress after our food was delivered till check time.
I've also been to dinner there (around 6pm or so) and the crowd appeared to be mostly couples or small groups of folks so i didn't have to endure a noisy bar scene. The dinner was good - appetizers were just average but my entree was great!! And i like the ambiance of the place. My husband though - didn't like his food and wasn't interested in going again. So - i guess it just depends. Our waitress seemed was a complete snob though and this makes for a not so pleasant experience anywhere...
Italian in the Burbs
Allegra is tough to find! I drove by it all the time for years and didn't even know it was there until my husband heard about it from someone. Have clear directions before you head that way. Its barely visable from the main road.
Italian in the Burbs
I definitely plan to give the place a chance, as i hear their food is excellent paired with good prices. I shouldn't have said 'never busy' - i've walked in twice to look at a menu and both times there were only a handful of folks in the restaurant (one was a friday night, the other a sunday). Can't help that this makes me hesitate when I haven't been somewhere. But I definitely appreciate the input from you guys and will post when i give the place a try!
Oh, and waynefoodie - agreed about Bunha Faun, excellent meals there.
Chinese Food in Chester Co???
China Bistro in Exton (whiteland shopping center) does have a new name. Its called Zwei Asian Cuisine and Sushi. Made a note of that this weekend to add to this post:) We have been since the name change though and the food is just as good. Now they have more sushi options, miso soup, etc. Great place to try!! I'm going to have to check out their hot/sour soup now. thanks for the recommendation! i love that kind of soup but its hit or miss whereever you go around here.
Good bakeries in the burbs?
I know this isn't exactly 'the burbs' but its not center city either. Cafe Roma on Ridge Avenue in the Roxborough area of philly is a great little italian bakery. its kinda an old school place, mom/pop joint which makes me like it even more! you can go have a cup of coffee and a muffin for about 1.75 or so. the owners are nice too. To top it off they have the BEST buttercake! wow... its awesome. I haven't found better in this area. Also I bought a german chocolate cake from there once and it was incredible too. But don't go there without picking up one of their butter cakes!! don't miss it! good prices too here...
Moderate Priced dinner for 4 in Philadelphia
I'm really wanting to try this place! Hear that the sunday dinner is the best way to go. Do they offer sushi as one of the course options?
Chinese Food in Chester Co???
I live in downingtown as well. My husband and I have tried out the China Bistro in Exton and felt their chinese food was great! Its located in the Whiteland Towne Center, same shopping plaza as TJ Maxx and Winners Circle/Riverstone (163 West Lincoln Highway).
On our first visit, I had Miso Soup to start which was excellent. Then had the seaweed salad with some sushi and spring rolls for my entree. Husband had general tsao's chicken, egg rolls, and rice. We both loved everything we had. If you check their website it hasn't been updated in quite sometime - it doesn't even list their sushi options. But i definitely think you should check this place out and give it a try.
If you are just wanting take out, you could always go to the chinese buffet located at Main Street Exton but i think that could add up fast b/c its by the pound. plus, their food doesn't compare to the China Bistro IMO.
HELP - Traveling to Philly this weekend and dropped the ball on dining!
If you have the chance to check out Cuba Libre, its a really cool place for dinner or even lunch/brunch. www.cubalibrerestaurant.com - this is in the old city area. i've had dinner there and loved it. also enjoyed their sunday brunch but dinner is more impressive. really cool decor and ambiance as well.
Fun restaurant for dinner with a group?
I agree with you Philly Ray - i think its a great, fun place for groups and great food too!
Just a bit more about Marrakesh - you do have to share from a large platter, like Philly Ray stated, but they provide you with all the flat bread you want. The people with me (10 of us) used the bread to put up our food so i didn't feel like we were just grabbing stuff up with our bare hands like i thought. I thought it might be awkward or gross but actually - not at all! The price is about 30/pp i believe which i thought was good. If you are a group, they will allow you to BYOB if you want. It is cash only though.
4th Street, between Lombard & South: Lunch?
I second recommendations for Alyans as well as Marrakesh. Both are great spots, not to be missed IMO.
Seeking Diverse Philly Food Suggestions!
I love Marrakesh! I hope you were able to hit this place up for dinner with a group of folks! Great food, cool experience. The Baklava is to die for!!
Italian in the Burbs
I must confess that i hear great things about ristorante primavera (wayne)and have gone by twice to glance at a menu. Yet I haven't been able to get up enough interest to actually go eat there. One thing i noticed is the decor is blah, rather outdated. But the real kicker for me is - they are never busy! I know this doesn't necessarily mean bad food or bad anything but, it just makes me hesitate and we have yet to eat there. Same with Bunha Faun in Malvern (french cuisine), which we did try. Great food, great service! But i haven't wanted to go back as it was uncomfortable in the restaurant being us and one other table! Does this make sense?
50 Great Meals Under $50?
I've been to one restaurant in each price range.
Nudy's Cafe - loved it. had the best goat cheese roasted red pepper omelets there!
Nifty Fiftys - blah. didn't hate it but i'm sure not dying to go back. just boring to me.
Devi - its just okay. I definitely prefer Taste of India in Exton way over Devi!
Teresa's Next Door - great place. would recommend.
Bluefin - loved it. great sushi, good prices. worth the trip to Plymouth Meeting!
