Feast from the East

East Buffet

Location: 2875 E. South Blvd. Montgomery, AL 36116

Phone: 334-281-2810

Offers: Buffet 

Cuisine: Americanized Chinese Cuisine

Signature Dishes: Honey Chicken, House Special Chicken, Bourbon Chicken

Year of Establishment: 2009

“East meets West” is a theme that appears in music, art, and food. These three elements are similar in that they don’t have any boundaries, therefore allowing one to flow into another. At East Buffet, you’ll experience a marriage of East and West, which provides patrons with a truly unique dining experience. Located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama; East Buffet is one restaurant that has made a name for itself by bringing fusion to the Montgomery community.

The interior is a mix of classic Chinese and modern Western style. Covering a humungous 7,000 square feet area, the restaurant is fancy without being overly extravagant. Featuring a warm orange color scheme, it is complemented by plants and Chinese landscape paintings. The inspiration for the restaurant design came from the owner, Mr. Jin who has worked diligently to provide a warm and comfortable dining atmosphere for his customers, along with delectable dishes.

Aside from the dazzling combination of both Eastern and Western elements in the décor, the interplay of Chinese style and Western influences is also fully embodied in its large variety of food. East Buffet serves creative Chinese cuisine with an American twist. Its lengthy menu features an extensive selection of authentic Chinese specialties, from soups and fried rice to chicken, beef, pork and seafood dishes. But that’s only the beginning; there are over 100 items on the six buffet bars.

General Tso’s Chicken, Bourbon Chicken, Honey Chicken, and House Special Chicken are some of the dishes that stand out from the other outstanding selections offered on East Buffet’s buffet bars. Due to the locals’ special preference for spicy dishes, some of the buffet’s offerings have been slightly modified to satisfy their palates.

Aside from traditional Chinese cuisine classics, this fine eatery also caters to Western palates. Those seeking more of a Western taste will definitely take pleasure in their pizza and bread selections. Patrons craving an Asian taste will enjoy both raw and cooked sushi selections. Featuring a plethora of seafood favorites such as sushi made using crabmeat, octopus, eel and salmon; the rolls cover everything that customers may hanker for. The crowd pleasers include the classic California Roll, Philadelphia Roll, and Dragon Roll. East Buffet’s artful display of food inspires diners to ask for more, and they won’t regret that they did, especially when they taste the subtle nuances of flavor that have been added to the dishes.

In addition, the menu also sizzles with Japanese favorites, such as freshly prepared hibachi bowls served over steamed rice and grilled vegetables with plenty of mouth-watering sauce. It is a special treat for those who have a hankering for sizzling dishes or those who want to watch the chef’s transform a bland dish into an extraordinary creation.

Owner Mr. Jin also makes a conscious effort to provide guests with a healthy and safe dining adventure. He goes to great lengths to ensure that all of his products are cooked with the least amount of vegetable oil possible. Steaming is one preparation method that Jin likes to use because steamed vegetables retain their flavor and nutritional content without being exposed to an ocean of oil and salt.

“I try to satisfy customers’ requirements and provide as many healthy dishes as possible,” Jin explains.

East Buffet tries to cater to the locals’ palates with their tasty creations and exceptional service. Dedicated to the restaurant’s philosophy of “Customers First, Service Foremost”, the staff is trained to provide the customers with exactly what they want. Jin believes friendly service is not just a plastic smile or half-hearted greeting at the door. It is all in the details. A restaurant can only truly understand those patrons that they treat like friends or family. By understanding them, East Buffet’s wait staff gets to know customer preferences, and then caters to them through attentive care. This is the main reason for why many first-time diners become regulars and why regulars keep coming back again and again.   

Another common theme that East Buffet revolves around is “freshness.” “The food is always fresh,” says Jin, “even though it is quite a challenge to maintain.” The way he adheres to quality is by holding true to his high standards—only buying the freshest food available and preparing just enough to feed the customers in the restaurant at that moment. He keeps a close watch on the buffet bar making sure the food is replenished in time and always fresh. 

The restaurant opened in 2009, at a time when businesses across the nation were battling to stay afloat. Facing the challenge of surviving the economic slowdown, restaurants were forced to go all out not to grow but just to survive. Jin’s 11 years of experience in the industry imbued him with the skills to continue going strong in the face of daunting competition. Having moved from Louisiana to Alabama, Jin realized it was a brand new beginning, he’d have to get to know the people all over again, learn the preferences of customers in Alabama, and also make efforts to involve himself in the community. Now, one year later, his efforts have paid off.

“The customers like how we prepare their favorites so they will drive long distances to dine here,” says Jin.