Mandarin: The Largest Chinese All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Chain in Canada

My 10-year old nephew has been talking up Mandarin, his favorite buffet spot in Ottawa, for years now. When I visited Ottawa for Ribfest in June, he was all set on taking me there.

By the way, Ottawa Ribfest on Sparks Street was a blast! Lots of great BBQ, and the atmosphere was lively. For more on this annual event, you can check out Ottawa Ribfest on Sparks Street.

Mandarin started back in 1979 in Brampton, Ontario, and they’re celebrating 45 years this year with 30 locations across the province. The Ottawa location was decorated to mark the occasion, adding to the festive feel.

The buffet spread was huge with over 100 dishes – everything from soups, salads, noodles, and seafood to pizzas, steaks, sushi, and desserts. We went on a Saturday evening, and I’d say reservations are a good idea. It’s $40.99 per adult, with kids half price.

The Chinese food is mostly North American style, so I tried a bit of most dishes. Overall, it was pretty decent and flavourful. The hot and sour and wonton soups, however, could’ve used a bit more kick. I certainly couldn’t complain about unlimited salmon and surf clam sashimi though!

I skipped the salads and western items – just too much to choose from! There was no way to sample all the desserts, but I really enjoyed the mini crème brûlée and frozen yogurt.

Here’s a video recap of Ottawa Ribfest and my first visit to Mandarin!

For more information on Mandarin, visit: https://mandarinrestaurant.com/