China Buffet King

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2009 – in the shops now or buy online.

These bustling, bright eateries hit the spot with families, students and office workers looking to fill up on a budget. On offer is a wide range of familiar favourites, salads, fruit and delightfully childish desserts. Some options survive the buffet set-up better than others, however, and the canny diner is ready to swoop on fresh dishes as they arrive. Starters include a full-flavoured chicken noodle soup with decent-sized chunks of meat and mushroom, and salt and chilli chicken wings, moist and flavoursome inside their crisp, lip-numbingly salty jackets. Sesame prawn toasts, however, fare less well under the heat lamps. Among the mains, battered chicken with a tangy sweet and sour sauce and punchy garlic and chilli chicken sit alongside juicy chunks of burgundy-skinned peking duck, grilled salmon fillet and vegetables with black bean sauce. Accompaniments include fluffy egg-fried and several noodle variants. Those with room to spare can round off their meal with jelly, ice-cream and cake. The smart and efficient staff keep tables free of used dishes, allowing diners to revisit the buffet as often as they like without reproach.

• High point: Sample a little, or a lot, of what you fancy
• Low point: Definite canteen ambience