Super Buffet

Across the street from Kroll's Kitchen - a Fargo hotspot for "Shakey Mondays" where patrons can purchase two shakes for the price of one - lies the Super Buffet. A packed parking lot greeted me on my Tuesday lunch visit here. Upon entering the restaurant and reading the specials, I discovered that it was Senior Citizen Day, a Tuesday feature where those 60+  receive $2 off the buffet price of $6.99.

1000 45th St. S,  Fargo, North Dakota

A friendly hostess greeted me and asked my preference of booth or table. Having none she led me to a table in the center of the dining area, a prime location for people watching.

The Senior Citizen special seemed to be a big draw given a majority of the diners looked over the age of 60. Taylor Swift music filled the speakers, a change from the Asian pop music I'd heard at other sushi places.

My server arrived within seconds of being seated, and after a slightly difficult language-barrier conversation, I ordered a water. He pointed to the buffet area, smiled, and said, "Go." I took that as my cue to begin my first sushi dining adventure at a buffet restaurant.

No sushi chef in sight :(

Prominent signs displayed the "Sushi," "Hot Food," "Mongolian Grill," and "Dessert," stations. The sushi station was unattended, a disappointment since I was hoping to visit with one. California, tuna, salmon, and shrimp rolls appeared before me in addition to edamame, wasabi, and ginger. Filling my plate with a variety , I grabbed chopsticks, and headed towards my table. 

Sushi, edamame, and ginger

A telephone call with owner, Henry Guo, eliminated most of my food safety fears regarding buffet sushi. He said fresh fish is delivered at least once a week to the restaurant. "Our sushi is replenished every 1-2 hours since it is a buffet, but for city regulations any unused pieces have to be thrown after 4 hours," he added. His two sushi chefs have both received food service manager training in addition to their previous sushi preparing experience.

The sushi had a nice flavor, but it lacked the freshness that sushi prepared at a sushi bar generally has. Not wanting more sushi, I explored the other food stations.

The other food was nothing I'd brag to friends about - a lukewarm egg roll and unremarkable beef and broccoli. Feeling slightly disappointed I thought dessert would cheer me up. A free-standing cooler with ice cream sat beside the dessert station, so I filled a dish with strawberry and chocolate ice cream.

Three older men seated at the table next to me seemed curious by picture taking, so I asked if I could join them for a bit. Filling them in on my assignment, they said Super Buffet was their favorite Tuesday lunch place. Price, quality of food, and atmosphere, were the reasons they kept coming back.

Oh, and the dessert.  "I like the desserts because my wife won't let me have dessert at home," stated the oldest looking member of the bunch, "Those little cookies they have are so good. I would pay the whole buffet price just to get those," he added.

While the sushi didn't stand up to my usual expectations, it was an enjoyable dining experience. Maybe if I am still in Fargo when I turn 60, I will become a regular at the Super Buffet on Tuesdays.