THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408090160
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
When I watched 7-year-old Nicholas go back for his second serving of barbecued ribs, I was struck by the ease with which customers can help themselves at the new Stacey's Buffet in the Little Creek Shopping Center.
Stacey's, an East Coast buffet chain out of Largo, Fla., has merged with Homestyle Buffet, which came to this location - where Shore Drive meets Little Creek Road - about four years ago. All of the Homestyle Buffets are now Stacey's, and among the differences, according to General Manager Steve Ginsburg, are that ``We've probably about doubled what we had before when it comes to food, without raising the price.''
The switch from one cafeteria-style line to three hot bars, offering entrees such as fried or baked chicken, veal parmesan, lasagna, kielbasa sausage and sauerkraut; two cold bars with salad fixings, melon and cheeses; and a long dessert bar with both soft and hand-dipped ice cream as well as cakes, pies and other sweets, is a major change.
The new setup enables customers to pick and choose more rapidly than in a cafeteria line. This way you can head straight for the ribs and macaroni and cheese, like Nick did, without waiting for the person ahead of you to decide whether to get the fried catfish or the Salisbury Steak with Spanish sauce.
``With the scatter bars we have a much better flow of customers,'' explained Ginsburg, who worked for Homestyle Corp. before the merger. ``It used to be on busy nights the line would back up and some people would not want to wait and would leave. Now that doesn't happen.
``But the biggest point is we have a much better selection, and we offer a four-week, rotating menu, so that some items you'll see only once a month, and yet our signature items, the barbecued ribs and the sweet and sour chicken, you'll see every day,'' he added. A carving station offers roast beef, turkey and ham at various times.
Here' how that works. Take week one: on Monday the entrees are scallop potatoes and ham, and country-fried steak. Soups are vegetable and cream of broccoli. Turkey is carved all day, and at dinner roast beef and corn beef and cabbage are added. Week three: Barbecued beef and Swiss steak replace the lunch entrees, while the dinner additions remain the same. Some evenings the dinner entrees change.
``That way any customer who comes in won't find the same thing every Monday,'' said Manager Cindy Shedd, who has been at the location most of the four years Homestyle operated there.
As for the clientele, Shedd said ``It's military, families, older people, people with children . . . lots of people with children under 4 . . . and the after-church crowd on Sunday.''
One thing I noticed about the vegetables was that they weren't the usual Southern-style fare - collards, lima beans and such, all things I love, mind you - but more mainstream. Shedd tells me that they do serve limas from time to time. Hey, it wouldn't be summer in the South without them.
TWO BENEFITS ANNOUNCED: the dates of two of the best yearly party/benefits have been announced. The annual Zoo ToDo is set for Sept. 10. Tickets are $55 per person, $45 for Zoo members. Call 622-WILD for information. I'll have more next week about the restaurant line-up.
The 3rd Annual Gourmet Gala to benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital is set for Oct. 12 at the Norfolk Waterside Convention Center, adjacent to the Norfolk Marriott Hotel. Tickets are $30 per person for the 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. affair. For information or tickets, call 456-1993 or write Gourmet Gala, P.O. Box 11085, Norfolk, Va., 23517. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Steve Ginsburg is general manager of Stacey's Buffet.
AT A GLANCE
Stacey's Buffet: 4249 E. Little Creek Road, 480-0346.
Food: All you can eat buffet; no ABC.
Prices: Adult lunch $4.99, children 4 to 12, $1.99; adult dinner
$6.50, age 4 to 12, $2.99; children 3 and under eat free with adult;
seniors discount club.
Hours: Lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday; dinner 4
to 8 p.m. (except Friday and Saturday, 4 to 9); dinner all day
Sunday.
by CNB