A few weeks ago, we asked our readers for recommendations on their favorite midday buffets. Surprisingly, their choices did not include a slew of the random (and questionable) all-you-can-eat (AYCE) buffets found in strip malls. Instead, we received a great variety of suggestions ranging from Indian and Italian to Korean and BBQ (though the Indian restaurants seemed to be the most popular), with the bulk of them in Hillsborough County.
Near USF Tampa, Jai Ho (2311 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-631-8923, jaihofoods.com) is a popular Indian buffet that received a few nods, serving up North and South Indian dishes seven days a week. Vegetarian and vegan options a-plenty.
Cilantro Indian Cuisine (11009 N. 56th St., Tampa, 813-983-8220, cilantroindiancuisine.com) in Temple Terrace, bills itself as a "modern Indian" restaurant and is also a hop, skip and a jump from USF Tampa, offering a daily lunch buffet as well. One of our readers commented on the "pretty decor."
Another Indian restaurant near USF that got a shout-out from our readers was A Taste of India (1241 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, 813-865-6696), receiving props for the "fun 'spread-out' buffet out on their patio." The lunch buffet is an ever-changing variety of Indian favorites.
Udipi Cafe (14422 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa, 813-962-7300, udipiusa.net) was yet another Indian buffet recommended by readers. What sets their buffet (and menu) apart from the others is the fact that it's meat-free, serving plenty of veg-friendly South Indian style dishes Tuesday through Sunday.
Fresh Harvest at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (5223 Orient Road, Tampa, 813-627-7609, seminolehardrocktampa.com) has an innovative twist on the typical buffet with its "live action kitchens," where diners can get everything from brick oven pizzas to dim sum to desserts prepared before them. Guests pay by the dish when they're ready to tab out.
Lupton's BBQ (5299 E. Busch Blvd., Tampa, 813-985-6963, luptonscatering.com), another reader pick, serves up barbecue beef, pork, ribs, chicken and more on their lunch buffet, as well as Southern sides and desserts, seven days a week.
One of our readers commented that Ginza Japanese Steakhouse (8104 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 813-806-1551) in Town N' Country "has a fresh and tasty sushi and Korean AYCE set-up at lunchtime."
Another noted that New York Chinese Buffet (8503 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-888-8600) "is a great deal with lots of seafood offerings, but some may consider it a 'trough,' an Asian Golden Corral."
Crazy Buffet (2702 N. Dale Mabry, Tampa, 813-998-9228, gocrazybuffet.com) also made the list, living up to its name because of the mind-boggling amounts of fresh sushi and Asian dishes as well as the crazy number of patrons that come in by the herds.
New World Brewery (1313 E. Eighth Ave., Tampa, 813-248-4969, newworldbrewery.net) isn't just about the pizza and beer anymore. Since offering their popular Wednesday special of smoked chicken and ribs, they now offer pay-by-the-weight-of-the-plate barbecue and Southern food buffet Wednesday through Saturday.
5th Element (3780 Tampa Road, Oldsmar, 813-475-5955, my5thelement.com), a newer Indian restaurant in Oldsmar, "has a delicious lunch buffet," according to one reader. The restaurant specializes in traditional Indian tandoori and curry favorites, as well as Indo-Chinese dishes.
Not to leave off a perfectly good buffet just because it's a bit of a drive, Fred's Southern Kitchen (1401 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, 813-752-7763, fredsmarket.com) received high praise from a few readers, with one stating, "Good Country Cooking. Honest and fresh. Relatively inexpensive. Almost as good as the now defunct Branch Ranch." Another recommends the "killer fried chicken and catfish."
And last but certainly not least, the restaurant whose lunch buffet came with the highest recommendations was The Laughing Cat (1820 N. 15th St., Tampa, 813-241-2998, thelaughingcat.com) in Ybor City. Their $10 all-you-can-eat lunch buffet chock full of classic Italian favorites, plus braised short ribs, soups, salad and even an ice cream bar seems to have really struck a chord with our hungry readers. Stay tuned; rumor has it the Cat will be moving to bigger and better digs very close by its current Ybor home.
This article appears in Jun 16-22, 2011.