Whether you’re a meat lover, a vegetarian, or an Asian/Western food fancier, you’ll have a slew of options at Buffet City – a massive upscale all-you-can-eat restaurant in Columbus, Georgia. According to owner Jerry Han, one of his goals when opening the Buffet City was to be sure to serve enough food to cover everyone’s favorites.

Cavernous Dining Area

A mere 250 seats (including two banquet rooms can altogether host up to 80 patrons) are arranged in a spacious 10,000 square foot area, meaning plenty of leg room at your table or at the bar.

The large dining room is decorated beautifully with a big spotlight. Warm colored lights create a homey atmosphere and really enhance the aesthetics of the space. The main interior attraction is the Chinese fish pond—complete with koi fish --that never fails to amaze guests, especially kids. Koi fish in China symbolize good fortune or luck. In Han’s opinion, a Chinese restaurant, if it is possible, should always have exquisite Chinese decorations. He also believes that an authentic interior can bring good luck to his business.

According to the different table types, the interior of the restaurant is logically divided into four parts: A, B, C, and D. Nine buffet bars, each holding twelve buffet trays, are surrounded by the seating area. There’s a sushi bar and a Teppanyaki grill at each side of the restaurant. Although Buffet City is so large in size, Han didn’t want to pack the space full with tables and chairs. The room is big enough to comfortably fit tables and chairs, the buffet bars, and still leave plenty of open space so customers don’t feel clustered.

Han never forgets to bring his customers fun. The inside of the restaurant is equipped with television sets, a lotto game console, and a gift shop. “Exquisite Chinese souvenirs are displayed in the gift shop especially for those customers who are curious about Chinese culture,” Han said. Thus, customers of any age will never find Buffet City to be stale and dull.

Flavor and Freshness

You may find that Buffet City is much more than a traditional Chinese food hub, it fascinates all visitors with plenty of exotic flavors. If you are in the mood for Japanese, try the Japanese sushi and Teppanyaki. Or, you can try one of the many Italian style dishes. It’s fair to conclude that the fusion of Eastern and Western cuisines and culture harmoniously meets together in Buffet City.

Han originally came from Dongbei Province, located in NE China, where people love strong flavored dishes. “I want to bring some unique Dongbei dishes to my customers,” he said. This variety of Chinese food uses a lot of meat and potatoes in thick and fairly salty sauces.

Inspired by traditional northeast Chinese cuisine, Han caters to an Americanized taste slightly altering the original to meet the needs of the dining populace. After his innovation, the flavors come together uniquely yet perfectly and the sauces are never too salty or too spicy.

Beef w. Stewed Cabbage is a typical offering that Han highly recommends to ARN. Besides well-marinated beef, other ingredients include Chinese cabbage and sweet carrots. Maybe the name of the dish doesn’t seem attractive, however, if you are willing to try, you will not regret! The beef is cooked just the right time which gives it a very tender texture.

Apart from the coveted Chinese selections, some Italian food items are also provided to satisfy comers’ fastidious appetites. “Chicken Shrimp with Alfred Sauce is one of the top Italian items in our buffet bars. The exotic Alfred sauce, which is sticky and very flavorful, is the key part that makes the item special and popular. Almost every diner says they will definitely try it again after the first bite”, explains the owner, “What’s more, the chicken and shrimp are processed with the healthy method—boiling, which is undergoing without oil. It’s absolutely a health-friendly item for customers.”

Another unique Italian style item is the Baked Cheese & Creamy Crabmeat, which is cooked with various ingredients, like the crab meat, chipped onions and carrots and cheese. It tastes even more wonderful with the special Italian sauce. Still unsatisfied? Well, you will discover that there are nine bars, each holding twelve food items varying from Eastern cuisine to Western food, and over one hundred items in total to choose from.  

As for the maintenance of food-freshness, the owner admits that it’s not an easy job. “We need a staff member to supervise and coordinate food items on the bars, to make sure the food in each tray is fresh when served out. The quantity of food prepared is according to the stream of customers and different time. Therefore, when visitors step in, there is always fresh food waiting for them.

Hearty Service

When addressing service, one thing that all large-scale buffet restaurants need to keep an eye on is how to elevate the service quality when facing huge customer streams. Buffet City has done very well on this part. In terms of the owner’s introduction, they have set up some rules and regulation for employees to follow. These rules include the ‘one-area-one-person’ rule, which means each employee has a specific area to take charge of. The responsible member must take good care of the customers, must communicate with diners about their needs, and monitor food taste. “As for service, a smiling face, warm greeting, courteous manner and quick response, are the standard requirements of our employees,” says Han, “And we often discuss the problems and find the solutions together. Customers’ requests are always attended to immediately.”

Although Buffet City has already won honors and recognition with its unbeatable food and quality of service, the owner, who is a perfectionist, still finds space to make improvements. “Aside from refining the existing items, I am also planning to add Thai food and Mexican cuisine in the near future to cater to patrons who come from Thailand and Mexico. By that time, we may consider offering a Special each day to show our appreciation to the locals,” says the owner.

When asked the secret of his success, the humble owner who strictly separates business hours and family time, thinks for a bit before answering. “I don’t think I am already a successful man because there is still a long way to go. But, as the competition gets more and more fierce, I am conscious that we need to work harder, to make much more improvement, to get more suggestions from customers so that we can keep competitive,” replies Han.

In 1991, Jerry Han, together with his parents, moved to America to meet his grandfather who has been running restaurants for several decades in this country. “My grandfather and my father are both restaurant owners; they have done well in promoting Chinese Culinary art. And now, naturally, it is my turn to continue the family business. I have confidence I can build upon their achievements,” says Han.

What’s the owner’s next goal? “Well, Buffet City is still my number one priority; I need to make it better. And with the motivation of being more successful in the restaurant field, perhaps in the next 2 or 3 years, I may consider adding another restaurant,” Han reveals, “Which could feature a fusion of Japanese food and Thai cuisine according to the market trend.

Buffet City