The Golden Corral Experience 3/22/2019

While only having a limited experience with other all-you-can-eat buffet franchises (twice- both disappointing  ) I came to my invite at a new local Golden Corral for a birthday party with low expectation.  I visualized limited  steam table, insipid ,no flavor selections in a rather unkempt institutional atmosphere.

Very attractive building with plenty of parking

The building being one of the newer Golden Corral’s is very attractive, situated with plenty of parking in a attractive setting. The large structure has a country lodge look to it.  Even on a busy Friday we found handicapped parking right near the entrance.
Entering, I noticed on one side of the building were various wooden tables (4, 6, 8 and 12 tops) with sturdy chairs grouped into wall and partition divided settings, so as to mask the size of the dining area .  It helped make the area seem more friendly than a massive food hall.  Everything appeared attractively neat and clean.  Even with the restaurant size, the noise level made conversations possible.

Add partitions help divide the large area into smaller , more family comfortable settings, while keeping tbles apart for easy conversations

 Additional room divisions break up the large spaces into more "friendly feeling" spaves

The entire other side of the restaurant was the grand buffet,  separated into food type areas, placed in a staggered manner so it didn’t appear at all like a cafeteria line.  The various food stations fronted the kitchens behind.  There were stations for soup, for salad, for grill, for bakery, fresh fruits, for pasta, pizza,  veggies, meats, fish, 4 kinds of shrimp,  for sides , for a chocolate fountain, and for a large dessert area with soft-serve ice creams.  All food was attractively presented with enough space so that there were no lines to speak of.  The only waits I saw were at the grill where orders for burgers and steaks cooked to order took a few minutes.

The Chocolate Fountain

Only a small capture of the dessert area. I could make a home here

A host took us to a designated small group area.  Well lighted, with many windows, with 3, 12 person banquet tables, it was set up for the party with a gift table and bingo items.  We were given flatware packets and our soft drink orders taken and swiftly presented.  From there we  were were free to set off to graze to sample every possible offering we desired.  The garlic  rolls were super.

The restaurant has its own bakery so the baked goods were fresh, extending into the cakes and pies.  Getting ahead of myself I checked out the dessert area.  Pies of apple, blueberry, chocolate cream and cherry surrounded cake stands of carrot cake, chocolate  ganache, cheesecake.  There was also banana pudding, apple cobbler, and bread pudding. I breezed past the jello's and fruit compotes.

I hit the salad bar- in my opinion equal to those I have experienced at Las Vegas hotels .  Extravagant and fresh. Choice of 6 dressings;  2 fat free

While many offerings (over 150) present difficult choices, some highlights for me were the breaded and deep fried okra, home made from scratch meatloaf, steak fries (my weakness and they were tasty), those fluffy garlic rolls, teriyaki grilled salmon, mac- n-cheese, the garlic shrimp scampi  on skewer,   the chocolate fountain with dipped fresh strawberries, pineapple, and melon, cheese pizza, chocolate soft serve on fresh banana pudding and bacon cauliflower.  The unsweeted tea was nice but I would have loved a glass of wine (no alcohol license)

So while I was pleased by the variety that, while not gourmet, was all tasty and attractively presented in  constantly replenished offerings, my fascination was both the quality level and the price that they maintain for this unlimited item meal.

Our table was constantly bussed and our glasses attentively refilled.

I’ll be back to eat at the Golden Corral.  Along with Portillo’s/Bernoli’s, it has been added to favorites

Do You Think

Looking out the window,
outside bombarded by bullets of wet cold snow,
soundtracked of wind,
wolf whistling thru cracks.

Do You think

Of Tony in his gauze thin tent
under viaduct overpass,
wrapped in supermarket plastic,
a caterpillar chrysalis  that will never “become.”


Sudden crack of thunder
startles heart deep to heavy pounding,
rapid thumping that reminds
suddenly of mortality.

Do you think

Of Gianna, a frail child
waiting for a new heart,
pondering  only that another’s death
will provide her new sustaining rhythm of life.


The wind blows dust
obscuring road ahead,
causing cursed slowdown
making a meeting late again.

Do you think

Of Asari and child crossing desert
their life carried packed burden on shoulders.
forging hoards through heat, driven sand ,and  hunger,
leaving all behind to escape a choking tyranny.


In the blind waiting for ducks on the wing
polishing rifles with pals
while relishing hopeful thoughts of a trophy,
and Brandy with tasty  dinner at home.

Do you think

Of 16 year old social outcast Zach
stuck to his gaming screen scoring points for death
thinking about the guns in his closet
and all haters out there deserving to die


A world awhirl in
tempest torn precarious future,
precious values long lost to complacency,
apathy coddled in idle comforts.

Do you think

-Jerry Wendt 2019

Old Man

I keep turning the crank
making the tinny music prevail,
at least sounding somewhat
like a tune is trying to escape.

But sure as shit I think
that thing is going to pop up,
that dingy raggety macabre clown,
and that all will be the end of that.

For now CNN is on
and I keep track of
things beginning with “B”
“Breaking news” keeps my count high.

Diversion helps me veil thinking
about my toes.
I know they haven’t always
been so cold and clammy.

That reminds me I left my car keys
in the fridge yet again,
but that’s just fine
as I have not driven in 4 years.

Even my night light glares now,
but I cannot put the pillow over my head
because it occludes my breathing mask
and I choke myself awake.

My head gets hot in bursts,
I think from taking Tylenol to sleep.
I was told to take Aleve instead,
but that gives me bad dreams about cats.

My wall calendar has big spaces
large enough to tape on
doctors appointment cards
that chronicle my life.

It’s time to pee again.
I would prefer to just lie here and let go,
but then the warmth turns cold and smells
which is worse than just getting up to go.

Maybe there will be some boys
that come by and shovel my walk.
One time I heard one ask, “Who lives here?”
The other said “just some old fag.”

You know, that was O.K.
because it helped assure me
that I was still here,
sort of a validation of being.

So I’m  just cranking  this damn box.
You know they are made in Japan.
Maybe I got a bad (good) one
where no damn clown ever pops up.

I think the lady on CNN
just said news about the world ending
there were no “B” words, so I’m not sure.
Maybe I should pay better attention,

But I can’t stop thinking about my keys in the fridge.

-Jerry Wendt 2019

The Horse of a Different Color

I have been "A HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR"   throughout my life