This time, we got to the train station only an hour early instead of our usual 2. Progress. Amtrak from Baltimore to Penn Station, LIRR to Murray Hill, Queens, and a short walk brought us to our now regular spot to stay. A short nap and then our thoughts turned to dinner and we were famished.
We had seen YouTube videos reviewing Mizumi and we decided to try it. We took the Q12 bus and enjoyed the sights.
We love buffets. As two people, we feel so limited by the 2 or 3 dishes we can usually order. A buffet lets us get a wide variety of tastes. So even a just okay buffet fills that purpose. And a really good one like Mizumi is an unexpected treat.
First off, I need to shout out to Terrance, our server, and all the staff we interacted with for great, welcoming service. I mean I have never had service this warm and caring in any buffet I have ever been to.
Next up is the food. If I went to a restaurant and ordered some of these dishes and got Mizumi’s level of food, I’d be happy. But getting food this good with this amazingly wide selection simply rocks.
Highlights include LA kalbi, cold shellfish especially the wild shrimp, the whelk, and the various gunman sushi offerings, good soups, Chinese broccoli, and the salads. Also, the soft serve strawberry yogurt was brilliant as was the chocolate chip cookie I dipped into it.
I have not been to any of the famed Las Vegas buffets, but I’d be amazed if they serve better dishes. Or gave better service than Terrence and his coworkers.
I think a key to the quality is small batch cooking. Platters got refilled often and we could see food being freshly cooked.
The bill was about $100 without alcohol and WELL worth it. We got there shortly after opening on a Saturday and got seated immediately by a super friendly host. But when we left, the wait was substantial.
The return bus trip seemed much shorter and when we got back to our room, we went to sleep almost immediately.
Next up: meeting up with @DaveCook for a food festival crawl plus Friendsgiving at Kondo.
