China Buffet in Ankeny (2100 SE Delaware Avenue, Suite 240) is a reasonably-priced buffet with a decent variety of food. However, the service and the food are both fairly inconsistent, making the $9.91/adult price for dinner less of a value than it would appear.
China Buffet does have its strengths. The restaurant makes a mean Coconut Shrimp. The Seafood Casserole and Peanut Butter Chicken are excellent, and the Honey Chicken, Pork & Mushrooms, and Chicken & Broccoli are also above average.
Unfortunately, the restaurant's buffet has just as many disappointments. Buffet sushi is usually marginal at best, and China Buffet's can only aspire to marginal right now. The restaurant has a hard time keeping their hot food hot, as well. Salmon and rare roast beef really need to be served at a proper temperature. Taste and texture was a problem on many dishes, too. The crab rangoon and cheesy mussels both had bitter tastes to them during recent visits, and the Sesame Chicken was soggy one time and chewy the next.
Service, too, was hit or miss. During one visit the service was about average for buffet-style restaurants. During the other two visits, drinks sat empty for quite some time, and there was a long wait for the check.
China Buffet has also had its share of issues with maintenance and inspections. Leaks, mold, a grease fire, and a few complaints have highlighted a less-than-stellar record with the health department, although at least one of the issues originated from a neighboring business.
Despite a few bright spots, the staff at China Buffet has some work to do. With so many Asian options in Ankeny, and the Des Moines Metro in general, the restaurant will have to kick it up a notch if they want to stay competitive.
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