Colonial's portions great for gorging

Chris Ledermuller

Sometimes an ordinary dinner does not hit the spot. Gorging is the best and only way to calm a ferocious appetite. Portions are as big – and as plentiful – as you want them to be.

Meals such as these can be found at Colonial Buffet, the best and most affordable all-you-can-eat value in downtown Long Beach, at only $7.99 per person for dinner. This includes soup, salad, meat, vegetables, potatoes, breads, desserts, drinks and virtually anything in the dining room fit for human consumption.

Designed to resemble a shop in colonial Williamsburg, Va. – or the more familiar boutiques along Main Street in Disneyland – the buffet has a very cheery, comforting setting. Chandeliers illuminate the dining room. All booths and chairs are roomy enough so that people will not be stuck in their seats if they eat too much, so there is no need to worry about ax-wielding firemen or butter-wielding kitchen help coming to the rescue.

Unlike buffet chains such as Hometown, which serves the same country-style cuisine every day, Colonial rotates the menu. Italian food is served on Mondays, German food on Wednesdays, Mexican food on Fridays and Chinese food on weekends.

Entrees and some side dishes vary according to the day they are served, but what generally stays the same is the salad bar, which is one of Colonial's strongest areas. Just how could a salad bar be strong when it is simply an arrangement of lettuce, vegetables and dressing? Well, besides the traditional lettuce-based fare, the buffet also has other delicious creations. Try the cole slaw with refreshingly sweet bits of apple, the carrot-raisin salad, the different pasta salads and the gelatin with a layer of cream cheese. All are delicious.

For soup lovers, two flavors are served everyday. Soups include vegetable beef, clam chowder, chicken noodle and spicy seafood gumbo. The soups do not necessarily tie in with the cuisine theme of the day, but are still tasty on their own.

Colonial's other strong area is breads and pastries. Not only is Colonial a buffet, all baked goods are prepared in house. Colonial also has its own bakery shop located next door to the restaurant, but it is only open until the early afternoon. Do not worry if it is closed. Delectable rolls, breads and muffins are abundant in the buffet.

As for the entrees, quality varies greatly. Comparing enchiladas, teriyaki chicken and baked chicken is difficult because of the different preparation methods and tastes. Often, eating the same dish weeks apart can taste very different. For example, the fried chicken can be meaty and tender one night, then gamy and oily a week later.

Consistency is one of Colonial's shortcomings, as items can range from superb to mediocre.

This inconsistency is most evident in the dessert bar, where the dichotomy is much wider, from the sublime to the sub-par. The cobblers, bread puddings and brownie puddings are the best way to top off a meal. Across the counter are Froot Loops marshmallow treats and cut-up pastries from the bakery. Avoid them.

Colonial also has soft-serve ice cream machines, but they are out of service half the time. Even the chances of finishing dinner with a cool vanilla-chocolate swirl sundae topped with butterscotch or hot fudge seem 50-50.

Despite the unpredictability, Colonial's fare is good overall. By emphasizing quantity over quality, buffets tend to have lower quality food than other restaurants. Yet Colonial's cooks manage to make tastier and livelier food than most other buffets, in or out of the all-you-can-eat capital of the world, Las Vegas.

For $7.99 for dinner or $6.39 for lunch, Colonial is a session of face-stuffing and tummy-filling at a price just right for starving college students. Moderation is optional.

Chris Ledermuller is a print journalism major at Cal State Long Beach.

RESTAURANT INFO

Colonial Buffet
355 East First St.
Long Beach

Brunch served on Saturday and Sunday mornings at $7.99 per person

Beer and wine served

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover accepted

Rating is a 4 out of 5