How to make the most out of buffet restaurants

In a recent Pina Sarap episode, culinary instructor, Chef Ivory Yat, gave really good tips on how to navigate buffet restaurants so you get the most out of them. Allow us to list them below.

Avoid carbs. Because carbs expand in your stomach, eating them will get you full fast and easy. And in buffet restaurants, that’s not a very good thing; you won’t be able to enjoy the wide variety of food on offer, not to mention not being able to make the most out of what you paid for. So, avoid carbs: rice, pasta, bread.

Choose expensive items first. You know this: steaks, for instance, or lobsters — items you won’t normally order because they’re expensive. Chef Ivory adds cold cuts and cheeses to the list.

Don’t drink too fast or too much. Chugging water or lots of juices will bring air into your stomach which can result to empacho. You don't want that.

Photo by Ye Chen on Unsplash

And a pro-tip from GMA News Online Lifestyle: when attacking a buffet, make a survey first of what dishes are on offer. Go around, check out the stations, and see what’s available. In this way, you don’t run the risk of becoming “takaw-mata” with the first few items on the table.

Remember that buffet spreads often have that one hot item on offer, the “star of the show,” that you shouldn’t miss. And often that item is expensive, too, like a special roast. Knowing what it is, beforehand, will not only help you manage yourself in a buffet setting, it can also help you get the most out of it.

Happy eating! — LA, GMA News