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Possibilities abound at yakiniku hot spot

A La Carte

September 23, 2018

Story By: Don Robbins | Photos by: LAWRENCE TABUDLO

There is an assortment of side items available on the buffet line, such as slices of pineapple and orange, mac salad, hardboiled eggs, corn and salad.

Granting meat lovers’ dreams is Camellia Buffet, a yakiniku restaurant on McCully Street. The eatery beckons crowds of hungry customers wanting to cook their own proteins fresh and hot at their tabletop grills, but that’s not all. This restaurant, which seats more than 130 patrons, boasts a bevy of Korean side dishes and other local delights.

Camellia Buffet’s affordable all-you-can-eat lunch buffet ($15.99 adults, $9.99 for children ages 10 and under) and dinner buffet ($26.99 adults, $13.99 children) offer a wide assortment of options. Customers typically can find proteins like marinated pork, chicken and beef as well as items like delicious fried chicken wings and thighs on the buffet line. A few side choices usually available are refreshing slices of pineapple and orange, creamy mac salad, hardboiled eggs, salad and corn.

Shrimp tempura and three types of fried chicken (spicy, honey and regular)

While both the lunch and dinner buffet are filled with choices, there are some meat and seafood items only available during dinner. For instance, dinner exclusive options include ribeye, short ribs, shrimp, mussels and shrimp tempura.

No matter what time customers come in, they always can indulge in mouthwatering banchan (side dishes), such as japchae Korean noodles, mandoo and kimchi stew. Diners also are able to dip their meat selections in a number of special sauces, including teriyaki, sesame oil, Korean miso paste and red pepper paste.

A few items only available on the dinner buffet menu are ribeye, short ribs, shrimp and mussels.

Owner Shawna Kim notes one of the great things about the restaurant is customers don’t have to wait for servers to bring the meat to their table, as guests can get anything they desire straight from the large buffet section, located at the back of the restaurant. Staff members assist customers with turning on the grills and helping to control the temperature.

Diners can end their meal on a cool note, as Camellia offers soft serve ice cream for dessert. Guests also can find a selection of beer, wine and liquor at the establishment.

The management notes a happy hour buffet is available 8-11 p.m. for $22.99. During Camellia’s happy hour, beers, liquors and other drinks are 50 percent off.

What’s more, Camellia constantly is looking to vary its offerings — the restaurant may add more nigiri sushi items to the buffet in the near future.

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