Buffets come in all flavors and sizes, and they are a good wayandarin to try a lot of different foods without ordering a full meal. Usually, they are advertised as ‘all you can eat,’ but following these instructions isn’t always advisable. Getting the most out of eating at a buffet is an art, and there are some critical rules that the discerning diner must master.

Thursday night, I went to the Chinese buffet at the Milford Mandarin. They serve buffet-style lunches every day and buffet-style dinners only on Thursdays. The meal is pretty cheap (around $7 for lunch and $12 for dinner) considering it comes with tea, soup, dessert, and as much food as you can handle. I started my meal with hot and sour soup, then moved on the the actual buffet. I made sure to choose a variety of foods, and I took portions that I thought I could actually finish. The key to mindful buffet dining is to balance new, interesting food with old favorites, and to sample food in moderation. For example, I took four chicken fingers and three crab rangoons because they’re two Chinese dishes that I really enjoy, and then I took three pieces of spicy chicken that I’d never eaten before but wanted to try.

After I finished what I’d taken, I resisted the urge to ‘get my money’s worth’ and head up for another round. I wasn’t all that hungry, and I wanted to try some of the dessert food. I made myself a small soft serve cone, and when I was still hungry I went up for another one. I avoided getting a lot of food that I couldn’t eat, or piling my plate with that food I didn’t like just because it was there. Most importantly, I left the restaurant feeling full, but not stuffed.

Milford Mandarin: ****

I celebrated Memorial Day with a typical trip to the beach. My dinner, however, was not the typical barbecue, but pizza at Bertucci’sin Westboro MA. At first glance, Bertucci’s seems like your average Italian restaurant, but the unique food and atmosphere sets it apart.

The restaurant is dimly lit with dark colored walls, curtains, and furniture. The only decorations are black and white photographs of turn-of-the-century Italian immigrants. The dining area and restrooms were both clean. It was around 5 o’clock, peak dinner time, but my friend and I were still seated quickly. The server was prompt and polite: she came with the food and drinks quickly and she didn’t  getting butter for the rolls.

The rolls served before the meal were delicious; Bertucci’s rolls are my favorite food. For my meal, I ordered diet coke and a pizza with mushrooms and meatballs. The pizza had too many toppings and not enough cheese, and I didn’t like the mushrooms and meatballs together. Overall, though, it was a good meal. Next time I’ll probably get a pizza with just mushrooms.

Bertucci’s puts an excellent spin on classic cuisine. I always enjoy eating there, and this time was no exception.

Bertucci’s: *****

Most of the restaurants I’ve reviewed so far have been franchises, so I’ve decided to get an opinion on food from someone who enjoys more unique cuisine. My friend Sam has blacklisted chain restaurants; he’s decided only to eat at places that are one-of-a-kind. I interviewed him to understand why he’s made this commitment.

Me: How long have you been refusing to eat at chain restaurants?

Sam: Since sometime last winter.

Me:Why did you decide to do this?

S: I don’t like the food they serve and the commercial attitude of it.

Me: What is your favorite thing about small, local restaurants?

S: They come up with their own menus, use fresh ingredients, and focus on a particular style of cooking.

Me: Is there anything you dislike about them?

S: No.

Me: How do you decide what restaurants to check out?

S: I’m open to anything unless it’s a franchise. There are some exceptions. For example, Fire and Ice is a chain, but it’s okay.

Me: What is your favorite local restaurant?

S: Probably Mango, it’s this Thai place in Milford.
Since Sam recommended Mango, I decided to take my friend Casey, who usually eats at chain restaurants, to eat dinner there. After the meal, I interviewed her about her experience with unique local food.

Me: What did you think of the restaurant’s exterior appearance?

Casey: It was very bright and enthusiastic.

Me: Would you have gone there on your own?

C: I probably wouldn’t have because I don’t usually eat Thai food.

Me: What did you like or dislike about the restaurant’s atmosphere? What could they add or change?

C: The seats where the wrong pattern of fabric, and the service near the end was very slow.

Me: How was the overall service?

C: It was good until we needed the check, then it took forever.

Me: Describe what you ordered.

C:  I ordered Thai rolls and Rad Nah, which is a mix of noodles and veggies with chicken and shrimp.

Me: Was it what you expected? Did you like your meal?

C: Yes, my meal was delectable!

Me: What was your favorite part of your dining experience?

C: My drink, a Cherry Temper, was cute and tasty! Also, I loved the presentation of the food.

Me:What was your least favorite part?

C:I would have changed the service.

Me: Would you go back or recommend it to others?

C: Most definitely!

Me: Did eating at Mango inspire to try other small, local restaurants?

C: Not really.

According to my friends, small restaurants are definitely worth checking out. Sometimes it can be hard to find local places that are really good, but once you do, they surpass franchises. Casey and I probably won’t be abstaining from chain restaurants anytime soon, but we’ll certainly be visiting Mango again.

Mango: ****

After spending so much time stalking lunch and dinner, I decided to get some dirt on breakfast, too. There are a million different places that sell coffee, bagels, muffins, and donuts, and each one has a group of die hard fans. So I spent several weeks checking out different breakfast stops during my early-morning activities, and here’s what I found.

Dunkin’ Donuts in Upton was pretty good. I ordered a jelly donut, which was a little under-filled, but delicious nonetheless. My drink was pretty complicated: a half-hot chocolate, half-coffee iced coffee with three creams and mocha syrup. Joe Scott in Upton is the absolute master of this drink: he cools the hot chocolate before he mixes it in, so the ice doesn’t melt and make the coffee soupy.

I was pretty tired of McDonald’s, but I’ve heard good things about their new coffee, so I stopped by one near Darien, Connecticut for breakfast. The pancakes, though microwaved, tasted sweet and fluffy, especially with syrup. The hash brown, a McDonald’s specialty, was crispy, salty, and warm. The coffee, however, was bitter and needed a lot more cream.

I made sure to include Starbucks in Bellingham, though I had to visit in the mid-afternoon. I bought a lime cheesecake; the filling was slimy and messy and the crust tasted stale. My caramel macchiato had way too much caramel and not enough cream. It was too strong and the caramel kept getting caught in the straw, and then I would get a huge mouthful of it.

Tim Horton’s is a little less popular than some of my other stops, but still a good bet for breakfast. I visited the one in Mystic, Connecticut. Their coffee comes in unique flavors like butter caramel and English toffee; I got a butter caramel iced coffee with cream, and it tasted smooth, sweet, and creamy. The staff was helpful and polite. When I entered, the woman at the counter complimented me on my shirt, and she let me taste one of their sour cream iced Tim Bits for free. She recommends that flavor, and so do I; it had a unique rich, sugary taste.

Finally, I checked out one of my favorite places in the whole world: The Little Coffee Bean. It is a local coffee shop with locations in Upton and Whitinsville; I went to the one in Upton around seven times over the course of my investigation. Their bagels taste home-made, and they have a huge variety of flavors, including egg and sunflower seed. My favorites are cream cheese on a blueberry or chocolate chip and sausage, egg, and cheese on a sourdough or cinnamon raisin. The breakfast sandwiches are made fresh on a grill, not prepackaged and microwaved. My favorite coffees are hot or iced chocolate cappuccino and iced cinnamon sticky bun, and they just introduced an extra, extra large so you can drink even more! My only criticism is that I wish they stayed open longer because I really crave coffee in the afternoon as well as the morning.

If you are a true coffee connoisseur, you should head to The Little Coffee Bean, where the food and the coffee were both spectacular. If you’re not in the central Mass area though, Dunkin’ and Tim Horton’s are the next best choice. Starbucks is more expensive than the other options, but the coffee, food, and service were actually worse; I would probably avoid it in the future. McDonald’s had delicious food, but terrible coffee. Next time, I’ll just order their orange juice.

Starbucks: **
McDonald’s: ***
Dunkin’ Donuts: ****
Tim Horton’s: ****
Little Coffee Bean: *****

Though organic food is rapidly gaining popularity, it doesn’t come close to the super stardom of fast food. I decided to become the paparazzi to two of the most popular of these fast food celebrities, McDonald’s and Burger King. I’m going to trail them around the central Mass area to dig up some dirt and answer the important questions: Does the same food taste the same at different places? Is all fast food equal? Which one is really better?

I scouted out the McDonald’s on South Main Street Milford at about 4:30 pm on a Friday; it had excellent food and average service. I ordered chicken nuggets, a cheeseburger, and French fries; everything came out correctly made. The nuggets were crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, and devoid of weird squishy pieces. They even remembered my ranch dipping sauce! The cheeseburger was warm and juicy, but so little ketchup was used that you couldn’t always taste it. The fries were warm and crispy, with just enough salt.

I visited the McDonald’s on Providence Road in Whitinsville, at about 4 pm on a Tuesday; it was he complete opposite. The service was slow and disrespectful; the woman at the drive-through sounded disinterested and annoyed that she had to bother with customers. My chicken nuggets were soggy and cold, the cheeseburger tasted like it had been made hours ago, and the fries were stale and unsalted.

I checked out the Burger King on Providence Road in Whitinsville at 5 pm on a Wednesday and the Burger King on Turnpike Road in Westboro at 12:30 pm on a Saturday; they were almost identical in food and service. Their chicken nuggets were a little spicier than I usually like, but the cheeseburger was gigantic and delicious. It tasted freshly grilled and there were just enough condiments to add to the burger without making it messy. The fries were golden brown and crunchy, but a little greasy. The service was unremarkable, but not bad.

My conclusion? I’ve been a McDonald’s fan for many years now, but I must say Burger King was more consistent, had better service, and provided good food. McDonald’s was delicious, but if you’re in the central Mass area, you’ll have better luck at Burger King.

Burger King: ****
McDonald’s: ***

Environmental awareness has come into fashion recently. Many people drive hybrid cars, buy energy-saving light bulbs, and use recyclable bags for their shopping, but there’s more to going green than just lowering your carbon dioxide emissions. It’s just as important to look out for your body, and one way to do that is to shop at organic supermarkets.

There are local farmer’s markets wherever there are farms, and, if you have a green thumb, growing your own food is also an option. However, if you’re looking for a chain, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are two of the most popular stops for organic food. I recently made a visit to my local Whole Foods in Bellingham, Massachusetts, where I discovered a huge variety of organic and nonorganic food. The produce was from local farms, and it was arranged artfully in stacks rather than piles, to minimize bruising. There were four separate salad bars, as well as soup for a lunch on-the-go. The bakery had fresh bread on display, as well as some sweeter treats. Fresh fruit tarts and cheesecakes are something that you probably won’t find in the average grocery store.

Whole Foods isn’t just a place to buy food for later, they also have a wide variety of pre-made meals available. Within a refrigerated glass counter, customers can sample from over a dozen platters of organic gourmet food. The meal options range from sandwiches to squash tortellini, and each one is accompanied by a card listing its ingredients.  The staff was eager to describe the dishes and help customers choose their meal. The prices are a little high, but the quality of the food is worth it. After purchasing groceries and a meal, customers can sit and enjoy their food in a small café area. Whole Foods should definitely be the destination of the discerning organic shopper.

 Whole Foods: *****