The new buffet in Joliet, which took over the space once used by Old Country Buffet, is well worth the visit. BC Osaka has a lot of great offerings and a great deal of good food in a well-organized space. I found myself quite pleased, but wishing they had at least one offering that I had found at similar restaurants.
BC Osaka is the fourth in a chain owned by Peter Zheng. It fills the 2811 Plainfield Road location, across from the Louis Joliet Mall, that had been home to Old Country Buffet until it closed in January.
The one in Joliet is a clean, open space. The buffet tables have things you don't see in every Chinese buffet, including clams that are not fried and a stir fry and sushi bar.
I quite enjoyed everything I tried. However, I found myself wanting a big bowl full of edamame. I had been to a similar buffet in Aurora a couple months ago and near the sushi bar, they had edamame.
Despite the soybean letdown, I was thrilled to find clams that I could eat. I also found the sushi bar extensive enough for me. I am no connoisseur, but I do enjoy sushi and sashimi.
I did not try the stir fry bar. But the ingredients looked quite varied and I would do that first the next time I dine there.
Another thing I was truly impressed by was the ice cream cooler. Although there were no unique flavors like green tea, each of the servings was in an individual cup. It saved that deep breath I always take when using a community scoop in a cooler with butter pecan ice cream, which I am deathly allergic to.
All in all, the buffet is worth a trip. There is a great variety of the standards you will find at a buffet of this sort and there are some nice surprises too.
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