A new concept in eating out has arrived in Shipley and it will be no stranger to lovers of package holidays and cruises.

The Pan Choice Cantonese Buffet Restaurant boasts a traditional menu which, to its credit, has clearer, more detailed descriptions than usual.

But the main attraction is the buffet, cooked in a sparkling, open-plan kitchen offering as much as you can eat for £7 per adult, Sunday to Thursday (£4 for children under ten) or £10 per adult on Fridays and Saturdays (£6 for children under ten).

Although the content varies, a sample buffet would include soup of the day as a first course - chicken and sweetcorn when we went - followed by a selection of prawn crackers, prawn toast, crispy wan ton with sweet and sour sauce, spring roll, spare ribs, and chicken wings.

Main courses include sweet and sour chicken Cantonese style, black bean sauce and green pepper with beef, beef and OK sauce, curried mixed meat, a veggie option, rice, chips and noodles.

And for dessert, if you've still got room, you can polish off ice cream and plenty of fresh fruit, like pineapple, melon and oranges.

It was a wet but still very busy Wednesday when we went and - of course - we had to try the self-service buffet option.

Not eating meat, I was a bit concerned that there didn't appear to be much for me at first glance.

But, literally within seconds of inquiring, the chef produced a bowl of piping hot sweetcorn soup, and a few minutes later, two crispy vegetarian spring rolls turned up at our table. Impressive.

While Murray tried out the meaty main courses, I had stir-fry vegetables and a sweet and sour egg and tomato concoction.

All the food was fresh and tasty and, although you might think it could dry out sitting on hot plates, there was no danger of that because it was shifting so fast.

The restaurant has only been open a couple of weeks and the friendly staff are still educating customers in the buffet system - you're encouraged to take your plates back to the counter and throw scraps in a bin.

All in all, it's a different and enjoyable experience.

Catrina Dick

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