Country buffet in Durham - Pan Pan

[wvurx]

I ate lunch there today and was impressed, although my expectations were low for two reasons: (1) it's in Northgate Mall, not where you would expect a country/soul food restaurant to be, and (2) the name sounds like it should be a cheap Chinese buffet.

The price was right ($7.99 for lunch, all you can eat) and I really it that they serve you, which lets them keep the food fresh, keeps you from having to wander around lost with a plate, and it keeps careless patrons from making a mess of the food. You just go down the line like at a cafeteria except you pay just one price and the sweet lady behind the steam table fixes your plate for you (being careful to put items like greens and beans in their own bowls).

They have a nice little salad bar, with homemade mustardy potato salad and coleslaw being the standouts. Two soups, today being vegetable-beef and gumbo (didn't try those). Meats included excellent fried chicken, baked chicken, pretty good pork barbeque, barbequed country ribs, fried fish, perfect meat loaf ,and probably other items I'm forgetting. There were many vegetables -- macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes with either beef or chicken gravy, dressing, collards, pinto beans, cabbage, corn, green beans, and amazing sweet potatoes (fresh, with a glaze that had hints of coconut and orange). Breads were rolls, corn bread, and good hush puppies. Desserts were included - peach or apple cobbler or pumpkin pie.

The people are very nice, the iced tea is just fine, and the server brought to-go teas as we left without our even asking. They have outside entrance, so you can park near the door and not enter the mall if you don't want to (it's right off I-85 for anybody traveling through Durham). The dinner and Sunday buffet goes up to $11.99, but they add items such as carved turkey, ribeye steak, and more seafood choices (according to the sign out front, anyway). I checked their inspection scores online and they've been running in the mid-90s.

I haven't found many good country restaurants in the area. In terms of variety and value, it's hard to beat Pan Pan. It's certainly not special occasion place, but if you were raised in the South and crave fried chicken and greens and a sweet tea, I think it's a winner. If it were in some rustic old building in the middle of nowhere, I suspect it would be packed all the time.