Punjab Palace - Crazy Good Indian Food Lunch Buffet in Riverside CA - Rating 9 out of 10

When you first walk in the door at Punjab Palace you are instantly engulfed in the fiery aromas of another world. The smells of India sucker punch you right in the nose with a wild flying haymaker that is almost disorienting at first but you quickly adapt and grow to love it.

Nan Garlic Bread,  Saag Paneer (Spinach + Cheese), Yellow Curry, Lamb Curry, Vegetable Curry, Rice (sooo goood!), and two baby vegetable fritters scrap.

It has a Discount Carpet Warehouse feel

The front of the restaurant looks like the entrance to a ghetto indoor swap meet or some sort of carpet warehouse where all carpets must go go go! But actually, when you get inside it really does look like a palace. The dining area is quite large and the seating quite comfortable. It's never full and the service is prompt.

Towards the back of the restaurant you have a small buffet that is split into two sections: one with all their wonderful signature Indian dishes, and another with a horrible prison salad bar with piles of that hard white center of the lettuce, ladles of ranch, and off colored jello. Skip that part.

So colorful it should be marching in a parade

The first item I was excited to try was the Mulligatawny soup because I had never had it before and I keep seeing re-runs of the Seinfeld episode with The Soup Nazi where Kramer makes Elaine order it for him while watches her armoire.

I have to say it is pretty damn good. It has a slight kick and the spices are perfect. It makes my mouth water thinking about it.

The next thing I got was the Tandoori Chicken which I wasn't too fond of. It was a bit dry and I didn't care for the flavor.

Next on the list was the deep fried Vegetable Samosas which I didn't really like either because they were super oily and bready.

But it's ok. the Saag Paneer made up for everything. Saag Paneer is a spinach dish mixed with Indian cheese. It is amazing especially with the garlic nan. It's creamy, it's cheesy, it's just soooo gooooood.

The pile of nuclear orange mess is actually vegetable curry which is my absolute favorite out of all the curry they serve. It is just so flavorful and the vegetables just meld into a tasty spicy mush and when you scoop it up with rice, it just ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I want it now!

My 3rd plate, I'm going to pay for it in the morning.

Unfortunately I didn't take a lot of pictures because I was too busy shoveling pure goodness into my mouth but here's a couple of items I should talk about:

Lamb Curry - I didn't like this at first because I tried so hard to scoop up some lamb from the tray but someone had already harvested it and all that was left in the mixture were hard boiled eggs. I went back later and was able to get some lamb and it was really good.

Yellow Curry - This was my least favorite of the curry. It was quite sour and odd tasting. But that's just me.

Some sort of Carrot Pile - There was another radioactive orange colored dish in the corner that I didn't try till I was absolutely stuffed but it was pretty good. It had a light carrot flavor coated in a mass amount of sugar.

Cheese Ball - There's also this thing called a Cheese Ball which doesn't taste like the way you'd think it'd taste. Think of a flan like texture in syrup. I grew to like it.

On our way home from the restaurant our tire exploded, probably because we ate so much that my car could not handle the mass we accumulated.

Category	Score	Comment
Taste:	9	I loved what I loved
Presentation:	7	Buffet is kind of weird looking but food is good
Value	9	All you can eat lunch for about $10
Satisfaction:	9	I love this place
Rating:9 out of 10

I have to say that this is the one place I've been craving on a consistent basis. It's a little farther away than I'd like but it is well worth the drive. If your'e in the Riverside CA area and in the mood to try something different. You should definitely check this place out.

Punjab Palace

10359 Magnolia Ave, 

Riverside, CA 92505

(951) 351-8968

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California Pizza Kitchen

I was given a pizza stone as a gift once and I made it my goal to one day become a master pizzatician. (pieologist?) I mean, how hard could it be? It's only flour, ketchup, and Kraft Singles.

I found a simple recipe for pizza dough which I painstakingly followed to the tee and after much yeast calibrating and frantic fist pounding I had I built the foundation for the perfect pizza civilization... until this happened:



I tried to somehow slide my pizza from a pan to the molten hot pizza stone and inadvertently turned it into a horribly disfigured calzone. After that, I decided to let the stoners at Dominoes make my pizzas.

For lunch today, Dan took us to California Pizza Kitchen. It isn't my favorite place because it's too clean and the pizzas aren't covered in oily cheese sweat.

Since we weren't paying we decided to order the most expensive pizzas on the menu. This one is called the "Meat Cravers." It's pretty meaty as advertised.

This is the Jamaican Jerk Pizza. I was a little hesitant about it but it turns out to be a really tasty dish. The meat and the onions are caramelized giving it a delicate sweet/savory balance. It also has a little heat so it gives you a nice little surprise kick.

Sausage Pizza, not that exciting.

Margherita Pizza which was simple but turned out to be my favorite of the day.

Lisa, Dan, and Travis.

Group Photo (Left to Right): Austin, Tyler, Me, Max, Lisa, and Dan

The thing about California Pizza Kitchen is their crust. I didn't really go through their menu but everything seemed to be on a sturdy thin crust which I don't particularly like. I prefer a soft crust with a little crisp at the bottom.

Would I go back to CPK? I personally wouldn't but if I was invited to go I probably would. It's just not my style.

A little part of me believes that pizza should be eaten at home or next to a ball pit with screaming children while a man in a giant mouse costume contemplates suicide.

Be Fat. Be Happy!

Korean BBQ - New Job + New Lunch Team

Mark Lim - Now that I've started working as a web designer for ACU Web I've learned that there's a right way and a wrong way to take care of your employees. When I was working at Home Depot our Managers decided to motivate us with a pizza party. First of all, Dominoes pizza is not considered a reward. It is punishment. Second of all, you need to provide your workers with ENOUGH food or you will cause mass riots. The next day after the "Pizza Party" some of the employees wrote on the boxes:

"One slice? You can keep your pizza."

My first week at ACU Web, Austin took us to an All You Can Eat Korean BBQ restaurant. Korean BBQ is pretty interesting because the Koreans have found a way to charge you money and then make you cook the food yourself.

Austin and Dan - Korean BBQ Chefs

We searched for Korean BBQ restaurants and found two in the area. We drove in search of the first place and looked at the Yelp reviews but some of them were pretty bad so we gave up looking for it and drove to the second one. After seeing how shady the second one looked we decided to keep searching for the first one.

We couldn't find it so our hunger forced us to give up and we went back to the second shady looking one.

To our surprise it was quite nice inside. Austin ended up ordering various cuts of raw meat that we slowly cooked on the grill in the center of the table. Like children we began putting other things on the grill and at one point tried to make a volcano onion thing but failed miserably.

(not our onion volcano but what it's supposed to look like)

Austin also tried to order "rice sheets" and the very nice Korean lady was very confused and looked at him like he was a crazy homeless man. Eventually, Austin was able to get his "rice paper."

Overall it was a really good place and we plan to eat their again. I totally forgot where this place is so I'm going to google it right now.

Korean BBQ House
9844 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA ‎
(951) 359-1019

There we go. I recommend it and not just because I'm Asian.ourself.

Denny's Build Your Own Burger - $7 Rating: (9)

Mark Lim - Growing up as a fat kid sucked. You get made fun of every day for no reason other than your unhealthy obsession for chocolate and KFC gravy. One day I had enough of the taunting and decided to embrace my chubby. I started making a funny face where I squished my head back so all my chins layered like raw bacon. Everyone in school thought it was hilarious.

The problem was that now whenever I saw someone they would ask, "Hey, do that fat face!"  or kids would tell their friends, "That's the guy who makes the fat face! Do it!!!" No girl wants to be with a guy who makes a fat face. Anyway, so the moral of the story is: I actually I don't think I have one. I just wanted to talk about being a fat kid but if there was a lesson it would be: If you are the fat kid, don't do anything like the fat face because it stays with you until you grow old and your are forced to leave town in shame.

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RANT ENDS. BURGER REVIEW BEGINS

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I've never been a fan of Denny's but yesterday changed everything. I received a gift card for Denny's inviting me to try out their new "Build Your Own Burger" so I decided to take my wife to eat there on our anniversary. I think it goes 25 year = Silver, 50 year = Gold, 60 year = Diamond, 3 year = Denny's. Real romantic, right? 

The Burger I built (See what I named it on the next picture)

So the first thing you do when you want to Build Your Own Burger is to take the sheet on your table and check off all the awesomeness you want them to put on it.

I ended up choosing the Beef Patty on a Cheddar Bun with Cheddar Cheese, Sauteed Mushrooms, Grilled Onions, Tomatoes, Mayo, Frisco Sauce, and Onion Tanglers. I named it The OMG LOL Burger. It's actually super fun to pick your toppings. They have interesting ones like Mac'n Cheese, Hasbrowns, and Coleslaw. I was tempted to check everything but my wife gave me the disapproving face.

When my burger arrived I was very excited because it was my creation. I birthed it and named it. It was The OMG LOL burger by Mark Lim and I was proud of it.

The first bite was tasty.

The Cheddar Bun is the way to go. It's got a cheesy flavor and is lubricated enough so it slides down your gullet with ease. I was tempted to do the Grilled Potato Bread but I was happy with my Cheddar Bun. I was also on the fence about the Frisco Sauce. Basically it's thousand island sauce with a little kick. Next time I might try the Chipotle Sauce with Jalapenos. I almost ordered an absolute crazy burger with Hashbrowns, Mac 'n Cheese, a Fried Egg, Coleslaw, Chili, and Avocado but decided to get something a little normal for my first time around.

This burger was probably the best burger I've had all year. It looked great, it tasted great, and messy as hell just the way I like it. The only thing was they forgot to put on the Onion Tanglers but that's ok. It was pretty massive anyway.

 

The innards.

This trip to Denny's changed everything for me. There's now something that I crave and want to go back and eat. The Build Your Own Burger at Denny's is fun and tastes great. You should definitely check it out.

Oh, next time I want a Double Beef Patty, Cheddar Bun, Cheddar Cheese, Sauteed Mushroom, Grilled Onions, Tomato, Chipotle Sauce, Jalapenos, Hash Browns, Onion Tanglers, Mac 'n Cheese, Fire-Roasted Peppers and Onions, Chili, and Avocado burger. If they let me. Mmmm...

Be Fat! Be Happy!

What's been in my mouth?

Mark Lim - Mmm unhealthy eating! I started the week trying to eat better (e.g. yogurt, peaches, bananas, other crap) but ended it with a all out passionate prime rib buffet brawl at Morongo Casino.

My body has been craving fruit instead of sour gummy worms and fancy cakes lately which has helped me with my energy levels but has taken a toll on my fatty blogging.

That's why I decided to treat myself to the rocking all you can eat Saturday night buffet at Portrero Canyon Buffet inside Morongo Casino

Getting ready to stuff the face

The Prime Rib Buffet is normally $18.95 but you get a $2 discount with a players club card which makes it almost affordable. The food and selection is pretty good but I usually have to aim for about 4-5 plates like this to get my money's worth.

On Monday Nights they have the $10.95 Mexican Buffet which is an amazing deal because the only difference is they don't have prime rib and crab legs but you'll have to wait about 20-30 minutes in line along with the other cheapskates.
This is the horrible pant load I normally have to eat from 7-Eleven when I'm at work. On Tuesdays Go-Go Taquitos are 75 Cents and Hot Dogs are about $2. Pretty disgusting but you can't beat that price and the walking distance.

My plans for the future is to bring a sandwich to work or something really simple so we can save money and have a nice dinner out at least once a week so I can keep blogging.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Edit 06/27/16: I just got back from Morongo's Buffet again. If you want to read the new review, click here: Potrero Canyon Buffet.

Filipino Food - Deep Fried Intestines

Mark Lim - It's that awkward transition from sharp crunchy bits into soft oily chewy mush that makes it so special. Deep fried intestines anyone?

Filipinos call this gout inducing dish chicharon bituka and I always have a craving for it whenever I go to a Turo-Turo style restaurant.

Turo-Turo literally means "point-point" and is similar to the ordering style of a Panda Express or the pre-cooked dinner section at your local supermarket which I used to refer to as the "Lonely Single Man's Restaurant."

Deep Fried Intestines of Random Animal

Mmm... Gout Inducing...

For my second pick I always order the longaniza which is cured sausage wrapped in MORE intestines. It's bright red and has a sweet flavor which I think compliments organ meats and intestines.


I don't know if it's typical for someone to order like this since I think Filipinos consider the deep fried intestines and the longaniza both side dishes. I think it'd be like me ordering a bowl of rice served with french fries and mashed potatoes. Hmm... actually that sounds kind of good.

Up close and personal with what once carried bile.

It's not for everyone. It's a greasy chewy crunchy delight that once housed the processed food of the animal it was stripped from but I love it. Go try some :)

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Aloha Mixed Plate (Hawaii) Rating: 9

Mark Lim - Hey guys! It's been a while I know. They weighed me at the doctor's office and I was pretty impressed with my obesity... my doctor was not.

I figured I would take a break, get healthy, and come back with an appetite and the metabolism to back it up. Unfortunately it's not working and I'm still getting fatter so you know what? Screw it. Let's just be fat and happy.

This review is of a place we went to in Hawaii called Aloha Mixed Plate. During our honeymoon we went to all sorts of expensive restaurants in Maui but this small inexpensive place was my favorite. Each meal only cost about $8 and it was right by the beach!

Loco Moco

On our trip I discovered something called Loco Moco. It's just a fried egg and hamburger pattie on top of rice covered with brown gravy. It was amazing. I know it sounds simple and doesn't look very appetizing but it was amazing. I tried making it at home and it just wasn't the same. It's probably because I used crappy Good Value Walmart brand ingredients.

Kalua Pork and Laulau

My next favorite meal was the Kalua Pork and Laulau. I had Kalua Pork at a couple other restaurants but Aloha Mixed Plate had the best. The Laulau was tender and juicy with a hint of banana leaf flavor that really made the meat perfect.

Mark and Loco Moco

Teriyaki Burger

My wife got the Teriyaki Burger which confused me since we were in Hawaii and we could probably picked one up at any Carl's Jr. on the mainland. It definitely wasn't as good as my meals.

Coconut Shrimp

Mmm... Coconut shrimp. These were so light and crispy and came with the perfect sweet and tangy dipping sauce.

If you're ever in Maui you've got to go to Aloha Mixed Plate! Save yourself $50 and eat here instead of that expensive restaurant. Trust me!

I promise I'll blog more now that I've decided that being fat is ok.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Father's Day Dim Sum at Hong Kong Palace

Mark Lim - Have you ever seen a white guy eat pork blood cubes? I have. Last Father's Day my wife and I took both our parents and sisters to eat at Hong Kong Palace in Rowland Heights CA. It was quite an experience.

Hong Kong Palace is one of my Asian family's favorite restaurants and I've been there many times in my life and I've actually reviewed it on Oh So Fat before so this blog isn't about the food as much as it is about my new family joining us for one of our favorite Asian traditions.

Our family - Father-in-Law Don, My Dad, Me, Sister Bree, Wife Lauren, Mother-in-Law Brenda, Sister Chelsea, and My Mom

Here are the steaming gelatinous Pork Blood Cubes

My Asian family and I have been going to dim sum for many many years and we have never had the courage to try the pork blood cubes. We would watch people order it from across the restaurant and say things like, "I can't believe they're eating that!"

I really didn't want to order a full bowl because if it was disgusting (and it was) I didn't want a pile of it sitting in the middle of our lazy susan. My father talked to the waitress and got us a little sampler plate for all of us to try. The first victim was my Father-in-Law, Don.

We were all very surprised that he didn't vomit. He said it tasted like liver and that boosted our confidence to the point where we all decided to try it too. Bree was second and she said it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. Brenda likes liver so she had a tiny piece and said it wasn't that gross either.

I thought I'd try to out do them and eat the biggest chunk. Boy that was a bad idea.

I don't know exactly why it made me gag. I like liver too but this was like eating liver jello. It was pretty disgusting and I could taste it in my mouth for the rest of the day. There's video of me eating it but it cuts out right after I put it in my mouth.

My nephew, Dean, trying to eat some goodies

Other than my pork blood experience our Dim Sum day was great. We had wonderful variety and the opportunity to be culinary adventurous. Both sides had a great time sharing stories and eating different types of Chinese cuisine. It was good old fashioned family fun.

I really hope you guys get a chance to share in this interesting and exciting style of dining. I highly recommend it!

Be Fat! Be Happy

Genki Sushi (Hawaii)- Goodies Served on a Conveyor Belt

Mark Lim - Genki Sushi is what I imagine a restaurant would be like on planet Mars. I can picture a young Arnold Schwarzenegger from Total Recall sitting at a booth by the conveyor belt being served sushi by a three breasted mutant.

This place is cool.

If you're still confused, here's a video of how it works:

A sushi chef creates a variety of wonderful Japanese treats and places them on the conveyor belt so they can make a trip around the restaurant and eventually into your mouth.

You can always order straight from the menu but the fun part is waiting to see what random goodies pass by your table.

Each item comes on a colored plate which represents how much the goodie is. For example, the picture above is a spicy tuna roll and since it's on a green plate it only costs $1.50. The "Explosion Roll" bellow is more expensive so it's placed on a black plate which means it costs $5.00.

At the end of the meal your server adds up all your colored plates and gives you a final total. The sushi is real affordable but it's easy to get carried away when you become mesmerized by the slow moving conveyor.

I don't know if it's because I have the mind of a child but I got extremely giddy watching food go round and round the restaurant. After a while I was pulling plates off the conveyor belt, not because I was hungry but because it was satisfying to grab random stuff.

Hot Dog Sushi

My wife had to give me the evil eye because I wouldn't stop. After our meal I asked how much the most 2 people have ever spent at Genki and he said $70. On our first trip we ended up spending $65 coming in at a close second. I then started to feel real bad for the people who sat down belt from us. I barely let any food get past me.

Genki Sushi

Taste ------------ (6) Not the best sushi but decent for the price

Presentation -----(9) It's like eating in the future

Price ------------- (9) $1.50 - $5.00 a plate is affordable

Quantity --------- (7) The portions are good for the price

Satisfaction ----- (8) I liked it so much I went 2 more times

Rating: 8 out of 10

Okay, so the food wasn't all that great but the experience was. I had a great time eating there and I always left satisfied. If you've got one in your area I recommend trying it. :)

Be Fat! Be Happy!

The Farm House - 2lb Burger Challenge

Mark Lim - One of my dreams is to have my picture framed and displayed on a steakhouse wall. I want strangers to admire it and say, "Wow. That guy ate a chunk of meat the size of a hubcap in under 12 minutes."

Alas, I have yet to find a place to challenge my cholesterol cravings. The Farm House in Beaumont California did have a unique offer though. If you can eat their 2lbs of meat burger you win a free cookie. I had to do it. I must not dishonor my family.

"The Justin Burger"

Check out those two 1lb beef patties covered in cheese. Mmmm...

Here's how big it is relative to my head, and remember my head is gigantic.

Needless to say I finished the burger and the waitress was so impressed that she gave me an extra cookie. I didn't stop there though. I had to try Lauren's Chili Cheese Omelette.

Mmm... overindulgence...

Overall it was a pretty good experience. The Farm House is one of the most interesting places I've ever eaten. There's even a giant chicken statue outside

If you guys are ever in Beaumont California I suggest you try it out! It's my new favorite restaurant, and not just because I live in the middle of nowhere.

Be Fat! Be Happy!