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When I was in college, I was first introduced to the all-you-can-eat Chinese food buffet. From that moment on, I was convinced there was nothing better than a never ending plate of General Tso's chicken. It became a tradition for me and my friends to dine at the restaurant at least once a week, eat until we couldn't move and then plant ourselves on the couch for the rest of the day.
It was the perfect college student meal. Cheap. No wait. Tasty. Eat all you want.
A lot has changed since I graduated from college, however, my affinity for eating good, quickly, and inexpensive hasn't. That's why, when I ventured into the Eastern Restaurant at the West Falls Church Outlet Center, I realized I had found a dining delight.
The establishment itself is non-descript: fairly cozy, small, but not too small, a few rows of tables and chairs, some booths, and a variety of Chinese-style pictures hanging on the wall.
And at the center, the buffet.
Now, usually when you order food at a Chinese restaurant, you're limited to one or two types of dishes. Not so at Eastern, which features over 50 items a day (120 weekly), including all your favorite Szechuan, Hunan, and Cantonese selections. Just some of the items available during my trip were pepper chicken, sweet and sour chicken, crab wanton, Kung Pao, Moo Shu pork, broccoli and chicken, eggrolls, and, oh yes, General Tso's. There's plenty of seafood options too, like the seafood delight, squid, sushi, mussels, and more.
And how about those prices? Yup, it'll remind you of the college years, when pinching pennies was a way of life. Lunch is $5.95 Monday through Friday ($3.75 for kids under 12); dinner is $7.95 ($4.25). Saturday, it's just 30 cents more at $6.25 ($4.25) and all day Sunday is $8.95 ($5.25). And unlike other buffets, the drinks are included.
Don't have time to sit and eat? Getting lunch for the office? Get it to go. The buffet is also available for carryout at $3.69 a pound for lunch and $4.25 for dinner. They also have delivery available for the super busy who can't find the time to get out of the house.
While gas prices soar, you're gonna have to start cutting the corners somewhere. Why not during lunch? At the Eastern Restaurant, you can take the burden off your wallet and put it on your stomach.
Go ahead, your couch will be waiting for you when you're done.