The City of Clinton is strategically situated in a rapidly developing area of West Central Missouri. As the county seat of Henry County, Clinton is the hub of the area’s retail trade, manufacturing, farming, medical care, and other economic sectors. Folks flock to Clinton for family fun, golf vacations, fishing and hunting trips, or just to sample some savory food.

From home-style cooking to sandwiches, pizza, and upscale dining, visitors and locals can find just the right taste to suit their palate at more than two dozen restaurants around town. However, if you’re big fun of Chinese fare, don’t miss China Buffet, a hidden gem located right beside Wal-Mart at 1824 E Ohio St.

China Buffet had been pleasing local residents and tourists with gourmet food for over a decade before the current owner, Xiaobin Chan took over last year. After taking over, Chan maintained the original décor of the restaurant without remodeling or renovating. According to him, the main focus of China Buffet is on quality food rather than fancy interior decorations.

China Buffet features an array of Szechuan, Cantonese, Hunan dishes, with a menu tailored to fit local tastes. Constantly updated, the menu offers over 55 items each day and 150 items throughout the week. New items that are not as well received as expected are either adjusted or replaced with another tasty creation.

Long-time favorites on the menu include Sweet & Sour Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Cheese Wonton, and Beef w. Broccoli. Though these dishes are quite similar to the versions served at other Chinese eateries, China Buffet’s home-made sauces give them an especially unique taste. Chan insists on preparing the sauces himself, so as to deliver a consistent customer experience. Other strongly recommended dishes include seafood items which are not to be missed.

To maintain the freshness and high quality of the ingredients, Chan makes several purchases a week from trustworthy suppliers. The freshness of all goods is especially important to him as he knows that freshness is required in order to attract and keep happy diners. To ensure freshness, Chan frequently inspects all purveyed goods himself just to make sure that his strict standards are being met. He also keeps abreast of local sourcing trends and orders from several local companies.

As the healthy dining trend continues to pick up steam, more and more dinners have begun to start seeking healthy alternatives. For health-conscious people, China Buffet is a godsend. One of the sections on the menu is called “Slim, Trim and Healthy”. Dishes in this section are all steamed and served with sauce on the side.

In addition, Chan promises to provide his patrons with healthy dishes by preparing dishes with no MSG, and little oil or salt. According to him, customer health is the top priority at China Buffet.

A spotless and immaculate environment tells a lot about a restaurant, and is also the first chance for an owner to give customers a good impression. Uncluttered spaces, clean tabletops, and a tidy environment show that Chan is serious about cleanliness. Besides being swept everyday, the restaurant also undergoes a thorough clean-up once a week.

When Chan first came to the USA back in 1997, his goal was to turn all his dreams into reality. But, things had to get worse before they could get better. For him, it meant getting a job at a restaurant in order to feed himself due to his lack of English skills and work experience at the time. After working in the restaurant industry for over a decade, he discovered that he had a passion for it and wanted to turn his “job” into a lifelong pursuit.

In 2010, Chan decided to go ahead and open his very first restaurant, a buffet style eatery. As a restaurateur who only has one year of experience owning a restaurant, Chan admits that there’s a long journey ahead; however, he believes a promising future awaits as long as he continues to focus on continuous improvement.

China Buffet

Location: 1824 E Ohio St. Clinton, MO, 64735

Phone: 660-885-7764

Cuisine: Szechuan, Cantonese, Hunan and American Food

Capacity: 100

Offers: Buffet, Take-out, Delivery

Signature Dishes: General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Beef w. Broccoli, Cheese Wonton…

Year of establishment: 2010