Life in the Lower Mainland (BC, Canada)

The Buffet at Starlight Casino is normally somewhat pricey at $19 considering it's buffet-quality (mediocre-quality) food, just as much of it as you can handle to make it worth your while. $19 is a lot of mediocre food to make it worth your while, though just the Coca-Cola Freestyle -- the mix-your-own-drink-from-dozens-available -- is worth something to be honest. If you got one of their recent 2-for-1 coupons, then two can dine for basically $10 each and that makes it really decent compared to $19! Save that coupon and go early on a weekday if you have a good sized group and want to socialize more than eat. Great for socializing since you can while away your time drinking bottomless soda and tea and coffee. Kirin restaurant (also at Starlight Casino) has it own little Japanese-ish park that's nice as a before or after hangout as well (see pics at the bottom). The dinner fare on a Wednesday looked remarkably like lunch at The Buffet at the Grand Villa  but obviously ...

You may have gotten 2-for-1 buffet coupons in the mail from Gateway Casinos, good for either the Grand Villa in Burnaby or Starlight in New Westminster. The mailout I received had three coupons for three different periods between July and August. If you can eat a heaping plate (or skip breakfast and dinner), then the lunch buffet is for you. Two can dine for $13 ($13.65 after GST) -- that's less than $7 each. Buffet food is of course so-so, but here are some tips: Go easy on the portions, especially if one of the hot items are running out because they'll restock with freshly cooked ones soon. Desserts are usually lame and have sat around too long -- probably because people over-eat on mains. This said, if OK food for a great price appeals, then those two-for-one coupons are gold. And to be honest, fancier food at many places at a higher price isn't that much better. Considering you can eat three meals in one, $7 per person is a super deal (or if you need to sav...