Grand Buffet among the grandest of Chinese buffets

Terrebonne District 6 school board
September 30, 2010
Fun awaits you Down the Bayou
October 4, 2010
Terrebonne District 6 school board
September 30, 2010
Fun awaits you Down the Bayou
October 4, 2010

Rice has been a staple in Cajun food for generations, and with an abundance of water in south Louisiana, rice has always been readily available. The same is true in many regions of southern China and in Japan.

As a result, many Asian dishes include rice. Perhaps this is one reason why Cajuns have fallen in love with Asian cuisine, and one reason why there are more Chinese restaurants in south Louisiana than any other ethnic variety.


This month, I decided to sample one of the Tri-parish area’s newest Chinese/Japanese restaurants, Grand Buffet. I normally shy away from buffet restaurants because warmers kill good cuisine, but this time I made an exception.


Grand Buffet is situated within a strip center, next to Hobby Lobby. It is distinguished from its other neighbor, VooDoo Barbeque, by two concrete dragons that sit on each side of the entrance.

The restaurant promotes that it offers over 200 items on its buffet. Although I did not count them for accuracy, I can say that there are a great variety of offerings.


The Grand Buffet offers several food bars adequately apart to allow a good flow of hungry patrons. Sushi is offered on the far corner bar, with six different varieties of sushi rolls and even more during dinner and weekends.


The sushi is fresh and the ingredients go and stick together quite nicely. After numerous visits, I notice two sushi rolls that are always available. One is the California roll, and the other is labeled “spicy tuna roll.”

The California roll was as expected, with avocado wedges thankfully void of the blemishes indicative of over ripening. The spicy tuna roll included what appeared to be cooked fish rolled together with cucumber in rice and covered with thin strips of imitation crab and drizzles of a spicy sauce.


I found the roll needing a touch more sauce. So I helped myself to the squeeze bottle of spicy sauce set next to a bottles of eel sauce and soy sauce. I definitely recommend the spicy sauce.


On a previous occasion, I noticed a squid salad set within what appeared to be a soft eggroll pocket, although larger. I attempted to ask our server what the pocket was made of, but I was either unsuccessful in asking the question or could not understand the answer.

I met the same language barrier on my next visit. However, noticing that the dish was not on the sushi bar that day, I asked the waitress for a “squid salad in a pocket” while holding my hand in the shape of a pocket. She surprisingly understood and brought four squid salad pockets to our table. They were delicious.


The other food offerings are indicative of a Chinese buffet, with various versions of chicken, pork and shrimp. As far as buffets go, the food at Grand Buffet is tastier than most. However, no culinary masterpiece can hold up to long stints under heating lamps or in chaffers.

One of my visits was during a slow time and the soggy, chewy sesame chicken and general chicken reminded me of why I stay away from buffets. On a positive note, the general chicken sauce was flavorful, with just enough spice from the Chinese peppers to not overwhelm. Over a large spoonful of rice, the sauce was delicious, and the chaffer had thickened it to just the right consistency.

During a second visit, during a busy Sunday lunch, I found the chicken much fresher but the sauce more watery.

My suggestion, if you visit Grand Buffet, is to stay away from the chicken submerged in sauce during slow times. If you are craving chicken, head toward the sweet and sour bar. There, the chicken is separate from the sweet and sour sauce and remains crispy. You can dish up the crispy chicken and serve it covered in the sweet and sour sauce, or move over to the general chicken and sauce it with the general chicken sauce, leaving the soggy chicken behind.

Another note before moving beyond the chicken: I couldn’t help but notice that all of the chicken dishes I sampled at Grand Buffet contained only dark meat. If you are a white meat chicken fan, this may not be the place for you.

Grand Buffet does have a variety of flavorful seafood and the shrimp dishes. There is a baked fish offering that is also tasty.

If you are in the mood for Mexican food, there is a sampling of such items, but don’t cancel your reservations at the Mexican restaurant.

I found the dinner rolls succulent during busy times and dry during slow times.

There is a dish labeled “coconut cake,” which is hidden among the food items instead of adequately being featured on the dessert bar. It is a mouthwatering coconut cake cupped within a crispy pastry shell and moistened with a coconut flavored solution. It reminded me of a hearty soufflé.

There is another side to Grand Buffet that I have yet to mention. Despite its name, Grand Buffet has an extensive cooked-to-order menu. Although I have yet ordered from this menu, I am encouraged by what I have sampled. Next time I’m in the mood for Chinese, I plan to return and order off the menu.

Overall and despite the shortcomings of buffets, Grand Buffet is among the grandest of Chinese buffets.

Grand Buffet 1779 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Houma, LA 70360 (985) 876-8008 Restaurant Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.