Golden Orient Buffet Restaurant, Stafford

...that led us to the Golden Orient was to try new foods and to spend more quality time with my family. So last night we went out for a meal and an evening with my daughter and her partner, hence killing two birds with one stone, and we had a lovely night out.

==~~ Our Evening Out ~~==

We travelled to my daughter’s house which is in a small village not far from Stafford where the Golden Orient is situated. We arrived at ...
...hotel, car showroom and The Golden Orient, the business park is still being developed so the scenery will change over the coming months. The very small car park was full and people were parking on the road side and it was only 6.30pm on a Saturday night. They did have a couple of disabled parking spaces near to the door but these were full as well.

We struck lucky and found a space in the small car park and believe me that was lucky ... more

GOLDEN ORIENT BUFFET RESTAURANT

Since losing my mother last October I made some New Year Resolutions, some have been easier to keep that others, but over all I am still on track, although weight loss is only small it is still helping to getting me better; but that’s another story, the resolution that led us to the Golden Orient was to try new foods and to spend more quality time with my family. So last night we went out for a meal and an evening with my daughter and her partner, hence killing two birds with one stone, and we had a lovely night out.

~~ Our Evening Out ~~

We travelled to my daughter’s house which is in a small village not far from Stafford where the Golden Orient is situated. We arrived at what I can only describe as a business park where there are 3 pubs, a hotel, car showroom and The Golden Orient, the business park is still being developed so the scenery will change over the coming months. The very small car park was full and people were parking on the road side and it was only 6.30pm on a Saturday night. They did have a couple of disabled parking spaces near to the door but these were full as well.

We struck lucky and found a space in the small car park and believe me that was lucky looking at the amount of cars that were parked along the roadside. The outside was a very modern looking building with lots of windows and looks very opulent. We entered the building and I was totally awestruck at how busy it was, everywhere you looked there were people walking to and from the buffet bar carrying plates of food, tables everywhere, and the hum of the amount of people talking really hit you; but in saying that once you have been there a while this all slips into the background and you don’t really notice it anymore.

Within seconds of us entering the restaurant we were greeted by friendly staff who asked us to sit and wait as they were currently full, they did also advise us to book in future as it is there busiest time. We were only waiting for 17 minutes (for some reason my husband timed this) and during that time we must have had 3 or more members of the senior staff come to us and apologise for the wait and ask if we were ok. They informed us that they were waiting for a couple of tables to leave as they had been there for over an hour now. Well just after saying that a large group of people started leaving and settled their bill, so I can only assume that they may have said something.

We were led to our table and they took our drink orders whilst we settled around the table. We went straight to the buffet table for the starters and when we returned to the table they were bringing our drinks to us, perfect timing and I even got my large jug of iced water that I requested. My daughter went for a ‘designer’ beer called corona which had a small piece of lime shoved inside the bottle and the lads had a couple of tiger beers around three bottles in all, this part of the bill came to around 14.00.

Anyway away from the beer and onto the food, I was so impressed by this buffet, the room had started to quieten down by the time we were placed at our table and the buffet bar was virtually empty when we went up, so I had time to ponder and choice what I wanted to eat, so much to choose from.

Starters – they usually offer a couple of soups we noticed they had Chicken and sweet corn soup on offer; sorry I didn’t get to see what the other one was.

You really are spoiled for choice, there is a little salad counter which you can add to your main course or your starters.

Chicken nuggets, Deep fried Wontons, Vegetable Samosa, Vegetable spring roll (mini), Chips (look like McCann’s over chips), Chicken toast (very much like the prawn toast), Minced deep fried crab claws, Prawn crackers, southern fried chicken, lemon chicken, satay chicken, deep fried spare ribs with salt and pepper, onion rings. There was also four sauces to dip your little appetisers into, satay sauce which was extremely nice, thick and creamy; sweet ‘n’ sour sauce, Thai sweet chilli sauce (I really loved this one, had to go back for more with my main course); and a lemon sauce.

There are probably a couple of ones I have missed out, we wrote what we remembered down on a napkin at the end of our meal, between us I think we tried most of the starters and I have to say I enjoyed everything I ate, I would have gone for another plate but I had to leave room for my main course and dessert. One of our tables with hollow legs did manage to get an extra plate full before going onto the main course. We weren’t rushed by the staff at all, but once you plate is empty they do come and take it away pretty quick, you are advised to keep hold of your cutlery as they will take that too if you leave it on the plate, but I admit I ate my starters with my fingers. My future son in law just got a clean plate for his top up, which is not an issue at all with the staff, you can go up as many times as you like and change plates as many times you like, so no need to over fill your plate and waste lots of food.

Main courses - We took a short breather between courses where we just chatted and then went up to look at the main courses, I was like a kid in a sweet shop and wanted to try a bit of most things I did draw the line on some of the dishes as they just did not look at all appetising to me, but they might do to someone else.

As with the starters it is all laid out on the hot plates, actually the area is done in an oblong shape with desserts at each of the narrow ends and the starters on one side and the mains on the other, there is a lot to choose from catering for vegetarians, vegans and the meat eaters. I personally loved the choices, although I did not fancy trying some of the vegetarian dishes. Between us we tried a bit of all theses, Singapore Rice (which was very tasty, it’s like an egg fried rice with tiny prawns and other things thrown in), Egg fried rice, Singapore Noodles, plain noodles, boiled rice, chicken curry, Cantonese beef, sweet ‘n’ sour chicken, beef hoi sin, beef in black bean sauce, crispy duck (with pancakes available), mushroom egg foo young, mushrooms in oyster sauce, prawn and celery in a creamy sauce. These are just the ones we could remember; we all really enjoyed everything we ate and possibly ate a little too much with our eyes being too big for our bellies. Three of us went up to the buffet bar twice to try more items.

I found this really good for trying new foods and seeing what you like, on my first visit up to the buffet I tried a tiny bit of everything to see what I liked and I loved everything I put on my plate. None of it was dry which can sometimes happen when food is being kept warm, there was always plenty to choice from the staff came up and replenished it when it was needed, but I never saw anything run out. If I went to the local Chinese take a way I would only ever have chicken curry as that’s the only thing I know I like, this restaurant opened my taste buds to other flavours that I really enjoyed.

Desserts – Even though we were all stuffed to the gills after a little rest we all found room for a bit of pudding and like the buffet there was a lot to choice from there were a variety of gateaux, cakes, jellies and trifles to choice from all on display in a long chilled cabinet, also there must have been at least 10 choices of fruit, either fresh or tinned variety to choose from; you could add cream (squirty) or ice-cream to your desserts. The ice-cream was the soft variety and you just went to the machine and helped yourself, there was strawberry or vanilla available, with strawberry or chocolate sauce to drizzle over them.

If all that is not enough then at the other end of the buffet bar is the chocolate fountain with loads of things to dip into the chocolate like fresh fruit, marshmallows, mini doughnuts, profiteroles etc; you are totally spoiled for choice

We had all this for £14.95 per head as it was a Saturday night. As I have mentioned the price now, I may as well say that prices do vary over the week with lunch time prices and evening prices. Also they have infant prices for the under 3’s and children’s prices which they do by height under 1.4m, and finally adult prices.
Under 3’s prices for buffet are - £1.95 which ever sitting they are there on.
Children priced buffets are - £4.95 for lunch Mon – Thurs
£5.95 for lunch at the weekend
£6.95 evenings including Sunday
£7.95 for Friday and Saturday nights.

Adults buffet meals are - £6.95 for lunch every day except Sunday
£8.95 on a Sunday Lunch
£12.95 Mon – Thurs evening
£14.95 Fri – Sat
£10.95 Sunday

These are the prices that are current as of March 2009

~~ The Restaurant ~~

I described the menu but so far neglected to tell you about the decor, as I mentioned earlier it was very packed and it caters for over 200 people at a time; it is a large open plan area in lots of warm reds, oranges, cream and brown. The reds and oranges are used a lot in restaurants they are known to promote hunger and make you want to eat, which are why a lot of restaurants opt for the colour scheme, with the brown and cream giving you clean looks and a calming influence.

The huge buffet table is the centre piece to the restaurant with a seating area either side of it. There was another seating area really tucked up out of the way, I did feel sorry for people in that area as they had to walk past the bar and through the restaurant to get to the buffet table, I was watching them come and go whilst we waited for our table. I think it was possibly one private party.
As you entered the building there was a Chinese dragon decoration on the wall to greet you and a small seating area with an curved red sofa and square cushion stools to sit on around a long table with magazines and books whilst you wait, for those that have back or leg problems they do offer you a higher chair with a back rest to sit on whilst you wait.

The bar was big clean and spacious and had rows of chandeliers covered in red round lampshades, strange but effective.

The table we had and the chairs were very comfortable and did not cause me any discomfort with my back. My daughter who has visited there on a few occasions informed me that the seating on the other side of the restaurant for the tables of two are a little too close together, but I do find a lot of restaurants especially the really busy ones put couples close to other couples and do not give them much space between the tables.

I used the disabled toilet on the ground floor it was very accessible and clean, it also doubled up as a baby changing room as well. The ‘normal’ toilets are upstairs and they were also extremely clean.

Upstairs there is also a function room available for hire; they even offer you your own personal butler to look after your needs if you book a function with them.

~~ How to get here ~~

Golden Orient Buffet Restaurant
Hurricane Court
Hurricane Close
Creswell
Stafford
ST16 1GZ

01785 248099

www.goldenorient.co.uk

Email: enquiries@goldenorient.co.uk

Directions from M6

Leave M6 at Junction 14 and follow A34 sign posted Stafford, Uttoxeter.
At roundabout take 1st exist to Mustang Dr
At roundabout take 3rd exit onto Shackleton way
Then turn right into Hurricane Close.

They have a link on their web site taking you to Google maps which you can print off if you don’t have sat nav.

~~ Conclusion ~~

We had a wonderful evening out with my daughter and her partner and enjoyed every aspect of our meal. We never once felt rushed and the staff were very busy and very efficient, we never had to wait long for our plates to be cleared or further drinks when we needed them.

They did offer a drinks menu and wine selection which we did not really take up, but it is available for anyone that would like to and further details can be found on their website if required, but saying that the website is a little out of date as it as list of functions available for 2008 and not 2009.

I really do want to visit here again, as I really did enjoy sampling different foods and even more enjoying them as well. I would recommend this to anyone including fussy eaters as you are bound to find something that you would like to eat.

The place is very family friendly as we saw lots of children in there and they were all very well behaved, but being able to go up and down to get something you like to eat is a bonus and keeps busy and wanting more, especially with the chocolate fountain.

They really don’t mind how many times you go to the tables and back as long as you don’t just over fill your plate and then leave it as that is just total waste. I was raving so much about this place to my sister that she would like to go as well, so I will be getting my diary out again to arrange another visit.

I have already mentioned the disabled toilets, there is also a lift available to the upstairs function room for disabled use and pushchairs as this is a very family orientated restaurant, they also have over 20 high chairs available for use as well, which appeared to be of good quality and very clean.

My one and only niggle would be the inadequate parking for the size of the building, but that is not necessarily the restaurants fault, that is how buildings are designed these days with limited space for parking.

The manager mentioned to me that they do vary what they put on the buffet table most days so no two days should be the same if you become a regular visitor. It is really funny I ended up going here as I could have sworn I had read a review on the place and really wanted to visit here, but after searching for it I couldn’t find it, how strange.

If you go I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. My daughter has been there 4 times now, so that’s another recommendation. I could only give this 5 stars for the restaurant.

Thanks for reading

 

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