Starting up a conversation with someone you’re attracted to from the opposite sex is easy, just talk food experiences. Acting as a common denominator, food topics are intriguing and create conversation often leading to further discussion. A great setting to create conversation and community eating are dining at buffets.

(note: In college, my food knowledge made me the social butterfly of the entire campus)

Target: How’s it going?
Campusfork: Great, I have been having great Korean food recently.
Target: Really. Korean food. Haven’t tried that before.
Campusfork: You’re missing out. Korean food is all about temperature contrast. Sweet scorching marble beef wrapped in a cool breeze of lettuce. Be sure the sip the juice that gingerly leaks out.
Target: Wow.
Campusfork: Next time I got, I’ll let you know. (ask for contact info)

Bam!

(simple, slick. Conversations become awkward when it centers around surface level topics: career/life goals/politics)

~Back to review~

Low on iron, I hop onto 101 and drive over to Sunnyvale to Palace BBQ Buffet. Located in a plaza, I advise arriving early to beat the Korean crowd. They come in bundles especially after church or martial arts. Warning: The BBQ smell will seep deeply into your clothes. I advise wearing goggles and a swimsuit. A bikini will surely get you tossed from the ultra conservative Korean owned restaurant. Keep your alluring evening red dress or prized Star Trek t-shirt at home. Dress as if you were going to a beach, but skip the sun tan lotion. Preparing for a feast, I loosen my belt in preparation.

Food.
The main attraction is the kalbi tong (marinated beef rolled up in a bone-dinner only). Marinated beef is very inviting as it resembles the sweetness in American BBQ ribs. The sauce contains garlic, salt, sugar, corn syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil and often fruits such as pear.

Unrolled the meat and lay it on the grill like a red carpet. Cut the meat from the bone and watch the blushing beef sear. The sizzle of the grill heightens the appetite. A few minutes later, the beef has caramelized and infused with the sugars from the marinade. To cool off the beef, wrap the thin slices into a bed of lettuce. Add daikon for crunch which also serve as a cooling agent. With one bite, the bitter lettuce balances well with the tender and sweet meat slices. The smoky flavor engulfs the entire taste zone. I am in meat heaven. Taste the kalbi beef with a bowl of fluffy white rice and you’re in comfort food cloud nine. Each grain of rice cleverly soaks up the sugary marinated.

hint: To prevent cross contamination from the raw meat and cooked meat, use different utensils designated for each. Drink hot tea to help dissolving oils and grease. Side vegetable dishes are called banchan and act as great cooling agents and aid in digestion.

The dining hall resembles a stock trading floor. As new batches of beef arrive at the food bar, a crowd of eager participants emerge. To refresh my palate from the over dose of protein, I grab an order of lan mein (cold noodle with a cold soup). Garnished with radish and half a boiled egg, the chewy noodles pairs well with a tangy sweet soup.

The buffet is divided into two main food bars.
Grill bar: beef, ribs, pork, tongue,t ripe, shrimp,
Cooked food bar: spicy crab, noodles, egg rolls, sprouts, meatball, kimchee (pickled spicy cabbage),daikon, cucumber, fried rice

Consultant hat.
Pros. You’re the cook at the Palace. This eliminates the need to hire a cook. This is key since managing a head chef takes so much energy. Often times, dealing with their ego’s can give you a migraine.
Cons. Customers will take food and often waste a portion, so spoilage is high and affects your bottom line. It is all about turnover. The fixed costs are rent and equipment so you want to serve as many people as you can. The key is to have a well trained wait staff. Also, there is no take out business at Palace BBQ. Take out business can add up to 40% of your revenue if done efficiently.

Grab a few carnivores and have fun playing chef for a day.

1092 E El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
(408) 554-9292