Houston · Northwest Freeway buffet
E-Star on Northwest Freeway: A $11.99 Lunch with Sushi & Sashimi
I’m a sucker for a buffet. Give me lots of different foods to try for one price, and I get excited! For this lunch, I went to E-Star near Highway 290 and Jones Road. Seeing salmon sashimi included at an $11.99 lunch buffet was a surprise.
Some dishes were better than others, but I thought the variety was a good deal for the price.
From my video published January 4, 2024.
What I tried
Noodles, shrimp and vegetables
The lo mein had bouncy noodles and crunchy vegetables, but not much flavor on its own. Pairing it with the slightly salty pepper shrimp worked much better. That gave me the balance I wanted.
The salt-and-pepper shrimp had the peppery, salty, fried bite I enjoy. The green beans were another nice surprise: crunchy and fresh-tasting instead of soft and overcooked. I picked up mushrooms too, although those could have used more seasoning.
Fried squid and chicken
The squid had a light coating, good seasoning and a chew I liked. It didn’t taste quite as freshly fried as I hoped, but I still wanted more because the flavor was good.
The fried chicken was juicy inside, crispy outside and had a savory flavor I really enjoyed. I also tried pepper chicken, General Tso’s chicken and peanut chicken. I gave the pepper chicken and General Tso’s about 6.5/10; I wished the General Tso’s coating had been crispier. The peanut sauce reminded me of the sauce served with spring rolls.
Fried rice and a little dumpling
The fried rice was a miss. It lacked flavor, and some grains had a crunchy, undercooked texture. The small fried dumpling had thick dough and what tasted like corn inside. A few buffet labels didn’t seem to match the dishes, so I wasn’t sure it was the pork dumpling I initially thought I’d picked up.
California rolls and salmon sashimi
I tried two California roll variations. I preferred the one with the crab salad filling because I could taste it more clearly; the basic crabstick version had too much rice for me.
The salmon sashimi wasn’t bad for a buffet at this price. I also tried a piece of shrimp from the cold selection.
Soup and dessert
The hot and sour soup had some tartness, but the flavor felt like it was missing something. The seafood soup reminded me of egg drop soup.
I finished with a sweet pudding I couldn’t identify and two cakes. The first cake was very dry, and I wasn’t a fan of the chocolate cake either.
How much was it?
Lunch buffet: $11.99 per person in my January 2024 video. Sushi and sashimi were available during that visit. Check the current price and selection before you go.
What would I get again?
The fried chicken, salt-and-pepper shrimp and crunchy green beans would be good places to start. I liked the squid’s seasoning too. For noodles, I’d pair the lo mein with a more flavorful meat or shrimp dish.
I didn’t try everything, but for about $12, I thought there was plenty of variety to make lunch worthwhile.
Restaurant details
Restaurant: E-Star Chinese Buffet
Address: 17440 Northwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77040
Area: Highway 290 and Jones Road
Food: Chinese buffet, sushi and sashimi
Watch my full visit
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