Legend's, Bridgnorth

SHARON WALTERS enjoys a buffet bursting with good taste

Eat all you can buffet – not something I usually go for at a Chinese restaurant as it usually means the food is congealed and lukewarm. That is unless you dine out at The Big Wok in Birmingham's Chinese quarter where trade is so brisk the food, which is excellent, is constantly being replenished. Or unless you go to Legend's in High Town, Bridgnorth.

Buffet there is not the same thing at all. You order dishes from three courses and once finished you can order more until you are entirely stuffed!

And the joy is each dish is freshly cooked.

We decided to take the plunge last Sunday after a stroll around the town during Bank Holiday.

The buffet costs £11.50 each from a set menu but one which features several soups to start, a good choice of appetisers and Dim Sum and then several main courses along with a choice of rice and noodle plates.

Meet and greet was excellent and we were given complimentary prawn crackers and chilli dip while we examined the menu.

We quickly chose our first two courses. I had chicken and noodle soup and Neil egg drop soup with chicken and sweet corn. Good clear broth and plenty of chicken, corn and noodles.

More we were asked? No, we politely said, not with what we had ordered next. A sharing platter of seaweed, spring roll, spare ribs in Peking sauce and sesame king prawn and chicken on toast was the next.

Sweet little ribs with a zingy sauce, crispy seaweed, juicy toasts and flavoursome spring rolls with a nice crispy wrapping.

And yet again more dishes? A reluctant no . . . and we chose three main courses to share with a plate of fried noodles.

We had Szechuan hot fried beef which was meltingly tender and very spicy with delicate strips of vegetables, another Szechuan dish of King Prawns which were mightily magnificent and sweet and sour chicken – a bit of a cliché but when cooked well a must, and the dish was. I could quite easily make do with a dish of fried noodles, I love them and much prefer them to rice dishes.

These came with beansprouts and were a big hit with both of us.

Now you might say that with a menu like this the main courses especially might be on the small side – but no these were full portions

Our charming waitress appeared concerned we were not ordering more dishes but in all honesty we had plenty. I suppose if you starved yourself for a couple of days you might squeeze in more or if you were a six foot plus rugby player!

Although full we couldn't resist the Elizabeth Shaw after dinner mints which came next, even though we had declined tea or coffee. Very quickly our waitress replaced them with four more, and I am afraid to say we ate those as well.

We have to return to sample more off the menu following the quality of the special deal 'buffet' and the exemplary service and this is one place we will definitely recommend to friends.

Menu Sample

Starters

• Steamed green mussels.

• Won Ton, little pastry packets of minced savoury meat, deep fried

• Chicken Satay

MAINS

• Pork with ginger and spring onion

• Sizzling beef with green peppers and black bean sauce

• Kun Po Mix Vegetables

Side dishes

• Egg fried rice

• Chow mein

Service

• First class

Atmosphere

• A little quiet but it was an early meal

Contact

Legend's, East Castle Street, Bridgnorth. Telephone:01746 765999