A Gem of a Find - Ruby Buffet

Interviewed by Jun Wang      Written by Elise Krentzel

In the small town of Pueblo, Colorado lies the simple Ruby Buffet. Entering into the huge 5,000 square foot space tucked away in this remote town feels like you've stepped into a typical American diner. The booths are lined up against the outer portion of the restaurant which on two sides is basically floor to ceiling clear glass. These booths are of a reddish hint while the ceiling, very modern with dropped wave like white structures imitating clouds appears to be floating under the blue sky above. A large central row of tables for two sit atop area rugs which run parallel to the booths. Padding was added to assist the elderly to avoid slippage and accidents. There's still enough space for the buffet bars angled perpendicular to the booths and tables.

Something for Everyone

The restaurant is an amalgamation of styles sure to please even the most finicky eaters. It serves Americanized Chinese with a smattering of Japanese and western dishes. The menu items are encyclopedic, ranging from the oft seen Chinese numbers, such as General Tso's Chicken, Lo Mein and Chow Mein, to beautifully presented sushi. In addition, pizza, salad, ice cream and pudding are all available. There are four buffet bars (2 hot and 2 cold), and around 150 items available. Seafood and meats are not to be missed. There are Prime Rib and Grilled Steak for carnivores and clams, mussels, seafood scampi, blackened salmon, stuffed flounder, beer butter shrimp and shrimp cocktail for the others. On weekends Ruby Buffet gets its shipment of crab legs which can be enormous in size.

The best-sellers are mainstays: Americanized Chinese General Tso’s Chicken and Thai Chicken. Owner Zhuo explains that General Tso’s Chicken is one of the most liked dishes in America. Ruby Buffet's version of this ubiquitous dish is its unique sauce, even though each restaurant has its own take on how to prepare General Tso’s Chicken.

Thai Chicken is a hot and spicy favorite made of diced chicken laced with Jalapeno peppers served with lettuce along side the main course to cool the palate. The locals have a special preference for spicy food.

Apart from these, Ruby Buffet also has created the one and only Ruby Chicken.

White meat of the chicken are cut into stripes then stir fried until golden with a crunchy texture. Afterwards it is sautéed with diced mushroom and celery and at last seasoned with honey and sugar. MSG is not used at all.

Health is Wealth

It's not just young people who are concerned with various health benefits of the food they consume. Here at Ruby Buffet, elderly customers are also health conscious. To satisfy their requests, a plethora of fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, string beans, lettuce and cabbage, broccoli and eggplant are available to create either a mixed noodle or rice dish or just plain vegetables with accompanying sauce. Egg Foo Young is also a hit in the vegetarian department. Any item can be steamed or boiled upon request whereby lowering the oil content.

Fresh Direct to Customers

Ms. Zhuo admits it is really hard to maintain freshness of the dishes. One of the methods of maintaining high quality is to refill the buffet bars frequently. The dishes have to be piping hot, especially the Chinese ones. The Chinese dishes would lose their beautiful color and crunchy texture after being exposed to the air for even a short period. To keep the dishes fresh, choosing the freshest ingredients on the market is key.

She says, “We have a few reliable distribution companies who offer substantial stocks regularly. We have a staff to frequently check if the dishes are still hot and plentiful.”

“Another method used”, adds Zhuo, “is to serve smaller portions while replenishing more frequently. In this way, we can quickly change the vats while controlling freshness.”

She adds that the temperature is controlled within the regulations set forth by the local health bureau.

Customer Satisfaction

Ms. Zhuo continues, “Customers first look at whether the dishes are fresh and beautifully presented. If so they don't care that much about how the food tastes. If we cannot satisfy them, in this way they may go elsewhere. ” 

But that is not what patrons have done. They've remained loyal, so far, since the opening early in 2009. Take-away is a popular option or dining in at this 140 seater. Ms. Zhuo attributes this to the renovation of the interior as well as to the upgrading and wider offerings of various types of Asian and western cuisine. The customer is king philosophy reigns here and a strong staff team is trained to understand just how this plays out. Some are cooking up a storm in the kitchen while the part-time students maintain sanity in the front, serving customers.

USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

Ms. Zhuo was perplexed when asked what her USP was at Ruby Buffet? “I really don’t know what distinguishes the restaurant from others.” It’s a typical buffet restaurant, like any other you may find in your surroundings: ordinary décor, reasonable prices and tasty food. She says it's the best buffet in the area now perhaps due to low price points; her main strategy in luring customers inside.

When asked about her future, Ms. Zhuo told ARN her confidence will allow her to grow into the position of owner, just as she has grown from waitress to manager over the years of working in the restaurant business.  

Ruby Buffet