Restaurant review: Miss Buffet, Jameson Street, Hull

MISS BUFFET

Where: 1-5 Jameson Street, Hull, HU1 3HS.

Call: 01482 606760.

Open: 11.30am to 6pm for lunch menu, 6pm to 11pm for evening meal.

Accessibility: Ground-level buffet and seats with toilets on both floors.

Vegetarian: Plenty of choice.

Family friendly? Yes.

Parking: City centre car parks or free parking in Savile Street after dark.

A ll-you-can-eat buffets are a familiar concept for students, the hard-up and the rest of us the week before pay day.

At £10.99 for an evening of great Chinese food, Miss Buffet in Hull city centre is perfect for inexpensive nights out with family and friends.

Formerly called May Sum, it has been given a facelift and the new name.

Inside the splashes of bright pink and green give it a modern feel and it is a spacious restaurant with a clean, bright and airy feel.

It's a fantastic location, bang smack in the middle of Hull city centre and I was amazed it hadn't attracted more passing trade as people finish work and look for somewhere serving nice, pleasant food without breaking the bank.

Meeting a friend for a much-needed catch-up, we were shown into an almost- deserted restaurant.

On a chilly Wednesday night, my friend and I and another two couples were the only diners for the entire evening.

Despite such a small audience to please, the food on offer didn't disappoint.

The buffet is served in the bottom corner of the restaurant and there's something to please everyone.

From chicken and sweetcorn soup to prawn toast and spring rolls, there is a good array of starters.

The toast was crisp, the soup piping hot and the spring rolls weren't greasy.

The selection of starters was matched only by banks and banks of main courses.

I opted for foo yung and some noodles before heading back for some chicken in black bean sauce but the choice was endless.

From sweet and sour dishes to curries and Chinese fried rice, there was plenty on offer to suit even the fussiest of palates.

And the popular dishes are regularly changed and topped up, ensuring the food is piping hot and fresh.

As always, the difficulty with buffet eating is knowing when to stop. It's tempting to pile your plate high but I've found the trick is to have a little taste of a few dishes then return for seconds when you find one you like.

The foo yung was just to my liking, with the egg thick enough but not stodgy.

The noodles were a little greasy but there was a good selection of crunchy vegetables served with them to make it seem healthier.

The chicken in black bean sauce was delicious, with moist chicken and plenty of sauce to mop up.

My friend chose a chicken curry with fried rice and said it was a treat. The addition of prawn crackers meant she was satisfied with her choice and even managed to fit in some sticky ribs.

A common failing of buffets is that the food is left to sit too long but there was none of that at Miss Buffet.

Staff make special efforts to check the dishes, turning over the food and testing the temperature, to ensure diners get the most for their money.

There are plenty of desserts to chose from if you've left room, from cake and gateaux to fruit and ice cream.

I could only fit in a coffee while my friend had a bowl of ice cream.

All in all, it was a nice place to eat for a midweek catch up.

It doesn't seem awfully authentic, but who needs Chinese dragons, calendars and lanterns when you've got great food in comfortable surroundings?

There was only one blot on what was a cheap and cheerful night out.

The staff were just a little bit too eager to chase us out of the door, rushing to clear our plates and shut up shop for the night.

Given we were the only diners left by 9pm, it was understandable but, if you say you're open for business, be open for business and don't put off the only customers you've got from considering a return visit.

Type: Chinese.

Quality of food: Nice.

Atmosphere: Could be better.

Service: Prompt but terse.

Value for money: Yes – just under £32 for food and drink for two.

Best for: Quick bites and cheap nights out.

Would you go again? Maybe.