5. Fu Lam Buffet, Wok and Grill

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The Ambiance

The décor at Fu Lam is really quite lovely for a buffet: the space is massive and has soaring 20-foot ceilings, but it's also partitioned into distinct dining areas to reduce ambient noise and make the place a bit cozier. The lighting is warm, the booths tastefully upholstered, and the entrance boasts impressive floor to ceiling cabinets containing sculptures, vases and art, which really add to the visual appeal. Flanked by these cabinets, the take-out area (which doubles as waiting area for in-house diners when they're particularly busy) is huge and lined with a row of comfortable chairs along either side. There are also multiple buffet stations to reduce lineups, a fun wok and grill station, and a fantastic mural in buffet station area which can be seen from the takeout counter.

The Service

Service was fast and polite (though not very warm), and being able to sit while waiting was a definite plus. On the downside, I noticed that food for takeout/delivery was being taken directly from buffet trays rather than made to order in the kitchen. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this: one the one hand, you can't help but wonder how long the food has been sitting there, but on the other hand, turnover is really high, especially during the diner rush, so I suppose it's not that big a deal. All in all, I had to wait about 7 minutes for my soup, which I didn't see being packed up directly from the buffet station, so I imagine it was freshly prepared in the kitchen.

The soup ($1.95 for a small, $5.50 for a large "special")

I ordered a standard small won ton soup, not knowing what to expect from a buffet. As it turns out, the broth was in fact a little bland - the overall flavor was nice, but watered down. Separate bags of scallions and fried wonton pieces were a nice touch and added nice texture, but the wontons themselves were hit and miss. On the one side, they were very large and the wrappers were very think and folded over like an envelope, adding extra bulk. On the other side, the wrappers had a smooth, pleasant texture and a nice subtle flavor. The pork filling also had good flavor, but the texture was tough and chewy, and the meat looks kind of grey rather than pink or white, which makes me question its freshness. Finally, the wrapper-to-filing ratio was inconsistent: some dumplings contained a good amount of filling, but others had none at all.

Rating

Soup: 2.5 out of 5 stars - some good aspects, but needs overall improvement on all aspects

Service: 4 out of 5 stars - fast, friendly and efficient

Ambiance: 4 out of 5 stars - the tables feel cozy despite the restaurant's overall size

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5. Fu Lam Buffet, Wok and Grill

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