Ottawa Foodies

My boyfriend and I went to YangMing for dinner tonight (I had a serious craving for Chinese, and had noticed this place a couple of weeks ago while shopping nearby). The buffet cost about $15 each on a Saturday night. We found that the service was quite good; plates were removed quickly, water glasses refilled; the restaurant was PACKED, it's nice to see a restaurant like this with adequate, professional staff. We found the selection to be very good; a wide variety of meat, seafood, vegetable, rice, soup, and noodle dishes. Most of the food we tried was quite good, everything was hot and fresh, and the buffet was replenished constantly. Highlights included the veggie spring rolls, the green beans with pork, and the imperial pork. A few dishes were not up to par, but it's hard to complain about such things at a buffet; if you don't like it, you don't eat it, and you take another trip to get something else.

There were a few areas in which this place could improve. Many of the serving utensils in the steam trays were sticky; these utensils need to be exchanged with clean ones more frequently. Better flow through the buffet table area would lessen the general air of chaos that reins; maybe they could just add some signage with arrows suggesting a path to follow could calm things down? Both my boyfriend and I found the dessert selection lacking. Most of the fruit, ice cream, cakes, and pastries we tried went uneaten; the quality just wasn't there. Next time I'll skip dessert and just have another couple of spring rolls.

I will return to YangMing; the price is right and most of the food is fresh and tasty. It is certainly not gourmet, but every once in awhile I crave Chinese-American food, and this certainly fits the bill.

Here's a photo of the slop! Like any other Chinese buffet they have plenty of fried meat and such. They also have an unusually good selection of dim sum items, although not of dim sum cart quality. And they have kimchi to give your meal a kick!

Have to agree that it is the best Chinese buffet in Ottawa. But if Buffet YangMing is located in Toronto, I will not put my foot there at all.

Well, it's a buffet so you get reduced quality... BUT it's the best Chinese buffet in Ottawa.

Don't know if they have changed management. Food quality has deteriorated significantly since our last visit in Feb/07. The food was cold (not even lukewarm). The taste was pretty bad. I will not return.

We went there for a group gathering last Sunday (14 adults and 9 teenagers). The food was not bad. Many dim sum selection (of course you can't compare their dim sum against regular Chinese dim-sum places). The dessert selection also includes freshly made "Law Mi Chi" (the white soft ball coated with coconut pieces), coconut milk jello, sweet sesame ball. The soup includes sweet and sour soup, cream of mushroom, and 2 others type that I forgot what they are.

Anyway, for $12.89 per person, it is a good deal. No complaint. Besides, Chinese tea on the weekend is free. Our group discussed and rated the best Chinese Buffet restaurants in Ottawa as follows:

- Buffet Dragon (in Gatineau)
- Buffet Yanming

My friend told us not to bother with Dragon Lee in Kanata.

The worst one is Du Barry. However, their Fried Sticky Rice and Char Siu are very good though.

P.S. Our group still talked about the disappointing New Year buffet at Perspectives and it is something we don't want to try again in the near future.