MARCH 28, 2007
A man from Red Lake Falls, Minn., sat down at the table next to me in the new Golden Corral Buffet and Grill. He had his plate piled high, and he grinned as he said to his wife, “Too bad I couldn’t find anything I liked.”
Since the tables are so close together, we struck up a conversation about the seemingly unending array of food in one of the newest and largest eating establishments in Grand Forks. Like the new Texas Roadhouse across 32nd Avenue South, the Golden Corral has been drawing crowds of people wanting to give any new place a try. One day since it opened in February, there were close to 3,000 people in and out.
The parking lot was almost full when I went in for a late lunch on a Friday. Once inside, I noticed a sign that said, “No checks.” Another sign said, “Please, no sharing.” As you enter the Golden Corral, you are asked what you want to drink. Then you move along and when you pay, your beverage is added to the cost of the buffet.
After paying, I was seated in one of the four large dining areas and given a card saying Jessica would be serving me. She brought me silverware of decent quality, wrapped in a substantial paper napkin, and a serviceable plastic plate, then turned me loose to visit the huge buffet, which is set up as a market.
There are separate areas of picnics and salads, soup, Pagoda Far East, fresh-carved meat, a steak dinner buffet, a Brass Bell bakery and dessert cafe.
The salad bar was the most extensive I have seen for a long time. The food was fresh and inviting, although at the end of a very busy lunch hour, some of it was a tad messy. I was especially impressed by the freshly cut cantaloupe and the pine nuts among the salad offerings. The cottage cheese was exceptional. And the noodles in the chicken soup were thick and homemade.
After a salad course, which should have been enough, I went back and tried some very tasty pulled pork with a couple of Brussels sprouts, done just right. Since I saw so many children enjoying soft-serve, I went back for a taste of that. And then I couldn’t resist tasting some blueberry pie. I think I gained 2 pounds.
It was my good fortune to meet Erin Nagle (EN) in the buffet line. She’s a senior at Red River High School and told me it was her third trip to Golden Corral. She likes the variety and the fact that everything is so fresh. EN goes for the barbecued chicken and the mashed potatoes, which are peeled and cooked and mashed on the premises. She says they taste like the ones her grandmother makes. But “breakfast is the best,” she said.
Breakfast is $7.39, lunch is $6.99 and dinner is $9.79. You can get buffet to go by the bag for $3.99 a pound. There is a 50-cent lunch and $1 dinner discount for seniors. Kids buffet is $3.97 and $4.99. Seniors who show up for the early bird hours of 1:30 to 3:30 P.M. get a free beverage.
Golden Corral no longer operates in Grand Forks.