Dinner is Served – Eating Out Around the County

Introducing our new monthly food review column; “Dinner is Served” with Col. Andrew J. Smith

The Hard Wok Buffet in New City; Quite Possibly the Best Deal in Rockland

Col. Andrew J. Smith

This month I decided to dine at one of my familiar haunts, The Hard Wok Buffet on Route 304 in New City. It is a very family friendly atmosphere where no liquor is served and is very quiet, orderly, and never a wait. It has the familiar large fish tank as is the norm for Asian eateries which is always entertaining – especially for the kiddies – as you are enter, wait for your party to join you, and choose your seat.

The hot bar has a wide selection to the point that is hard to know where to begin. All I can recommend is that I always start with a healthy amount of the mussels in black bean sauce, some General Hso’s chicken, peanut butter chicken, and the clamshell stuffed with crab is large in size and very tasty. I moved on to the barbecued boneless ribs in sweet sauce which are among the best I have ever had and done to a turn.

The sweet and sour pork balls are great as are the pork and pineapple skewers. I always pile on a heaping portion of shrimp – of which there are different selections both hot and cold – with cocktail sauce. My motto is, “I never met a shrimp I didn’t like” which explains my enthusiasm for prawn. By this time I am on my second or third plate which I always save for a healthy portion of the seafood salad which is also among the best I ever had.

These are only the highlights as there are plenty of egg rolls with both vegetable and fish stuffings, soups, meatballs, steamed vegetables, and so much more I can’t even remember them all.

If I still have room – and I try to save a little space – I make a last trip to the dessert bar which is amply populated by puddings, cakes, creampuffs, fruit…all the things you could want to polish off a nice meal with.

I washed it down with my usual club soda with a lemon wedge. The atmosphere is never rushed and you can make as many trips as you want without feeling a bit guilty…except for your belt needing to be loosened a couple of notches. This is just what someone with a trencherman’s appetite like me needs. The wait staff always is right there to remove your empty plates as you return with another plateful. The bathroom is always clean with plenty of soap and paper towels.

The tab came to a mere $12.68 plus tip and I never go away dissatisfied. Anyone who goes home in the least bit hungry is their own fault. I guarantee you will come back again.