Chopstix Exchange: Change from a fiver

11th December 2013
There used to be a number of Chinese buffet restaurants with this tag. My favourite was in the Japanese shopping plaza in Colindale, but that is long gone despite its apparent popularity when the plaza was bulldozed. There was also one in Whetstone which was not as good. The one in Whetstone has been resurrected in slightly downmarket North Finchley almost opposite the bus terminus

We are trying out the cheaper end of restaurants In North Finchley, and like other reviewers had previously been patrons of the one in Whetstone, and the original one in the Japanese plaza in Colindale.

If you have a need for cheap food out your domicile and are not too fussy, then this is the place to fill your face with calories. There is the opportunity to eat all you can with no apparent restrictions except they would like you to keep the same plate.

Satay chicken, prawn toast (mainly toast) and spring rolls

sweet and sour chicken and rather dried out pork ribs

More fresh satay chicken, mixed noodle, mushroom with onion

There are several catches: replenishment of the tureens is too slow and they are left deplete for long periods, and apart from chicken, the only meat available on the night we went was rather dried out pork spare ribs. You have to be prepared to jump when one of the containers is replenished which was not very often.The chips were quite good. Drink was reasonable, paying £3.20 for a large beer, and £1.80 for a small. There is a desert of ice-cream and tinned fruit.  There is no service charge as you help yourself. So a meal for two including beer came to £15 which is very cheap.

I thought the variety and quality was below average, and the temperature except for freshly delivered food was inadequate (probably about 6.8 on the CHOF scale, but the fresh food was 8.9). I do not feel ripped off, but I will not go there again. For £22 I can get a huge quantity of better quality takeaway food at the Totteridge garden which is enough for four helpings. The only advantage is eating out in a restaurant with an indifferent atmosphere (people are there because they want a cheap meal out and the price is difficult to beat), and no washing up. It closes at 2100, so you have to be sharp.