Check it Out: City Buffet

It is a common mistake to assume that Chinese food is Chinese food is Chinese food. Sure, the flavors are always roughly the same, and the dishes offered from menu to menu differ about as much as the seasons in Cali, but when it comes to quality, that is where you see some separation. We've all had bad chinese food. The kind of shopping mall food court abomination that always smells like a great idea, but leaves you feeling bloated and foolish by the time you're half finished. Yes, it does serve its purpose from time to time, but not in a million years would you refer to it as a quality meal. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the great chinese restaurants, ones that use top quality ingredients to great effect, and might actually serve you the kind of (real) Chinese food food one would find were they sitting down for a meal half a world away. City Buffet is by no means the latter of those two, but its closer to that end than the other, and featuring an all you can eat buffet for just under $10 thats all right by me.


Located on 14th Street between L and M, I stumbled across City Buffet a week or two ago on my lunch hour while looking for an Au Bon Pain I had passed a few days earlier. Amused by the incredibly non-descriptive name, I was compelled to take a closer look. The place was packed, and I was hungry enough, so I stepped inside, payed my eight bucks, and set off directly for the buffet. The food looked good, but admittedly, at the time, the prospect of all-you-can-eat anything seemed appealing. In the end it was the selection that ended up being the real deal breaker. I piled my plate high with just about every spring roll, dumpling, chicken dish, and soup that I could have dreamed of, and then set to work.

Having never even heard of the place before, and going in expecting nothing, the food was actually pretty good. Not amazing. But with the only limit being my own appetite, doubtlessly something that I would pay $10 for. Especially when you consider that had I made it to Au Bon Pain that day the same $10 would have gotten me naught but a sandwich.

If you work in the area, and your stomach is growling for a real meal, than check out City Buffet. Rarely in DC does ten dollars go so far.

Local Flavor

In case for some reason you were unaware, the greater DC area is home to almost 20 weekly farmers markets. Wonderful news for anyone with an interest in cooking, as the freshest ingredients are more often than not found in such places, and at prices that make the likes of Whole Foods tremble in their boots. It's not just produce either, many of the area's markets offer a staggering selection of meats, breads, seafood, spices, flowers, etc. as well, so there is no reason not to check them out.


In a recent poll by American Farmland Trust however, a trio of the area's markets took top spots among the nations best, so it appears that when it comes to farmers markets, the district has got not only quantity, but quality as well.

Check it Out: Scion

When I sit down in a restaurant and first look at the menu, I usually feel that I can get a good handle on how much I am going to enjoy my meal but the number of dishes that catch my eye. The more the better. If I am still torturing myself over whether to go with one alluring entree over another right up until the waitstaff forces me to make up my mind, I do so with much greater confidence than if that pre-order period is spent scouring the menu for just one dish that strikes my fancy. That said, when I sat down at Scion a little over a week ago, the staggering number of attractive options boasted by the menu (the lunch menu at that) set my mouth to watering, and in this case, it turned out that looks were not deceiving.

Located at the intersection of 21st and P, Scion had been open for just around two weeks when I went there, but it didn't seem to be falling victim to any of the usual recent-start pitfalls. The food came out quickly, and I was there for an early lunch, so the place wasn't too busy. While the restaurant itself may be new, the restauranteurs certainly aren't novices. Run by the offspring of the folks behind Jenny's Chinese Restaurant, and Jenny's Asian Fusion, Scion's proprietors have a rich background in the biz, and though the cuisine leans towards American, flavors inspired by their Asian roots are woven throughout the menu.

The food was tasty, and for the quality of ingredients you get, rather inexpensive. I had a kobe burger, and my mother (with whom I was dining) had a grilled chicken / asian pear panini for a little over $20. Far, far less than I have paid for similar meals elsewhere. The portions aren't enormous, but I left feeling more than satisfied.


The dining room is simple and tastefully decorated, and there is a large patio area for eating outdoors on days where the weather permits. One other thing that really struck me, though admittedly it has nothing to do with the food, was the music. While most restaurants play it safe, serenading you with innocuous instrumentals or classic standards, at Scion I was entertained instead by the likes of Outkast and Lupe Fiasco. As I said, not really a big deal, but I don't think that I could name a single other place that I have eaten at where I got to hear the music that I would have chosen myself, and needless to say I was impressed.

It's just a short walk from the Dupont metro stop, so next time your stomach is yearning for something a little different Scion might be exactly what you're looking for.