If you're like us, you enter any buffet with a little devil on one shoulder and a little angel on the other.
The little fella dressed in white says, "sample the fruits of this lovely cuisine, but take it slow, kid." Meanwhile, the sizzling hot demon on the other side urges you to go back and back and back, leading you to stuff yourself silly.
Approach a buffet with an open mind and with caution. Sample something new and expand your horizons, but limit your intake and you won't have to worry about expanding your waistline.
Here are some of Milwaukee's best buffets, according to OnMilwaukee.com staffers.
Potawatomi Bingo Casino's The Buffet
1721 W. Canal St., (800) 729-7244
http://www.potawatomi.com/
If you're not a bingo, slots or blackjack enthusiast, you might be missing out on one of the city's most extensive and varied buffets. On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the buffet at Potawatomi features Mexican, Asian and Mediterranean dishes. Wednesday's feature is seafood and Fridays there's a fish fry bar. On Saturday, it's surf and turf with prime rib and snow crab. On Sundays, there's a brunch buffet and at dinner, the focus is on Southern and soul food specialties.
Eagan's on Water
1030 N. Water St., (414) 271-6900
www.eagansonwater.com
With sushi, smoked salmon, omelets and a great dessert selection, Eagan's on Water is a great brunch or breakfast option in the heart of Downtown.
China Gourmet
117 E. Wells St., (414) 272-1688
For years, China Gourmet has been Downtown Milwaukee's largest Chinese buffet and that tradition continues in its new location along the river. There are at least three tables packed with food and during the busy lunch hour the food is as fresh as can be.
Mader's Restaurant
1037 N. Old World 3rd St., (414) 271-3377
www.maders.com
Mader's serves authentic German dishes and continental specialties at its Sunday brunch -- from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. -- alongside traditional breakfast choices and an array of desserts and fruits.
Maharaja
1550 N. Farwell Ave., (414) 276-2250
The daily Maharaja lunch buffet doesn't change all that much, but that's a good thing. There's a large selection of Indian soups, vegetarian favorites like palak paneer (spinach cooked with homemade cheese) and chicken and beef curries. And, if you save room, you can always count on an endless supply of gulab jamun -- those little fried dough balls dipped in sweet syrup.
Casablanca
728 E. Brady St., (414) 271-6000
www.casablancaonbrady.com
The vegetarian Middle Eastern lunch buffet is a great deal -- for only $6.95 you can feast on salads, stews and a range of rotating "sides" including spinach pie, eggplant with potatoes, and a variety of desserts. The meat-lovers' Sunday buffet is $12.95 and it's stocked with beef, lamb and chicken dishes along with their signature side dishes.
Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ
725 N. Mayfair Rd., (414) 774-5540
The best part of visiting these two spots is the experimentation. You walk through the line, bowl in hand, and try to concoct a mixture of meats, vegetables and spices that you think will please your palate. Then, you hand the whole thing over to an "expert" at the tabletop grill, wait a few moments and see how you did. If you don't like the mix of flavors and textures, well, you can always go back and try again. You can even try using one of the "cheat sheets" provided, but where is the fun in that?
StoneFire Pizza Co.
5320 S. Moorland Rd., Brookfield, (262) 970-8800
This buffet features a gourmet pizza bar, salad bar, noodle bar, hot dish bar, kids' food bar, and drink and dessert station. The salad bar is fresh and well-stocked, the pizza is good and the kids' food -- although not particularly healthy -- is sure to please. Pricing varies for lunch and dinner.
The King and I
830 N. Old World 3rd St., (414) 276-4181
Milwaukee doesn't exactly have a thriving Thai restaurant scene, but one of the better entries is The King and I. Its lunch buffet features all of its favorites, including their famous volcano chicken (which is worth the trip on its own).
