Testing the Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet on Rügen

Last year during my time on Rügen I went in search of Chinese “all-you-can-eat” type buffets and found that although there were a number of Chinese restaurants on the island, the only one that I could find offering a buffet was the “China Garten” in the Dammstraße in Bergen auf Rügen.

China Garten in Bergen auf Ruegen

China Garten in Bergen auf Ruegen

But due to lack of time I did not actually go in and try it. So this year, I decided it was time to go and found out just how good the buffet and the restaurant are.

I commented last year on the problem of parking. As it turned out there were plenty of spaces just down the road available, even with a festival going on in the centre of the town, so that was not a problem. [Read more…]

Chinese Buffet – All You Can Eat – on Rügen?

China Garten Restaurant in Bergen auf RügenAfter my first visit to the island of Rügen last year I received a question asking if there was a Chinese restaurant on the island offering a buffet, known also as “all you can eat”.

Admittedly I had not eaten at a Chinese restaurant while I had been there, and considering the fresh fish available in many places I did wonder why you would want to.  Of course, I myself went to a restaurant called Riff in Ralswiek, but when I returned to the island this summer I decided to answer the question and find out firstly how many Chinese restaurants I could find and then if any of them offered a buffet service.

In the end I found [Read more…]

Chinese buffets ask you to avoid waste

A pair of scales with rice and coins - ©Can Stock Photo Inc. / pisuIt must be a sign of the times, that Chinese buffets have started asking their customers not to waste food.

In case you are not familiar with the concept: Chinese restaurants in Germany offer you a buffet for a set price, from which you can eat as much or as little as you like.  The only thing you usually have to pay extra for are the drinks.

You might think of it as an “all-you-can-eat” type of offer.

Except that some customers take more than they can manage, meaning that food gets left on the plate and thrown away.

This is, of course, a waste and it must be something that is on the increase, as I have now seen two restaurants that have signs up about it.

The first one had a large sign over the buffet asking you politely not to take too much, but to come back as often as you liked.

The second one took a more draconian approach by way of a sign on the door, informing the patrons that they would be charged an extra 2 Euros per 100g of food left over.

Whilst I can understand the principle, I think this may be taking things a bit too far.  Perhaps a quiet word from the waiter might be better?  Or a polite sign at the buffet as in the first restaurant?  Although it is a shame that they even have to resort to such measures at all.

But considering the speed at which some Chinese restaurants clear the plates during the midday rush (resulting in the diners using multiple plates from the buffet), I can see discussions ensuing along the lines of “I was going to eat it, but you took the plate away before I could” to avoid paying the fine.

So whilst I would never myself consider intentionally putting too much food from the buffet onto my plate, I might invest in a pair of pocket scales.  Just in case.

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