International Buddhist Progress Society Cafeteria

This is just a very casual place, with great food. Don't expect anything as far as ambiance or atmosphere. It is a buffet with styrofoam plates and plastic forks. But hey it is only $6 per person, and sometimes free if you get there late and they're getting rid of the leftover food. One day they literally kept bringing food to our table telling us to eat it. The food is so tasty, and very authentic and homemade. They always have something different, and tasty.

The place is located in an office building and in the second floor. they go and pay at the entrance $7 from 3.4.2020, only cash). only fyi who can enter person or cannot speak English. the afternoons are short. the choice of food is small but fresh and tasty.

I tried this cafeteria a few days ago. I must say I agree with the previous submission. it is a very, very, very casual school midday atmosphere. but it's just $6 for lunch. there are two vegan Chinese midday buffets in a 2-minute drive from the international Buddhist progress society cafeteria, veggie garden and suma veggie. I also tried both of these restaurants and I agree with the previous post that the lunch buffets contain heavy soybeans. while they go very, very, very, very easy on the steamed and raw vegetables. I also agree that I liked the B.P.S.C lunch buffet anymore because there was no mock meat. but if you want to enjoy vegan chinese mock meat, try them huma veggie. they are less expensive than veggie garden, eating is almost identical and the owners are super friendly.

Regarding the offerings: the cold food bar wasn’t very impressive; it only had raw romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, and raw apples. The hot buffet featured a variety of items, including fried vegan egg rolls, fried tofu, a stir-fry with bamboo and mushrooms, stir-fried bean sprouts, stir-fried broccoli stems with tofu, two types of vegan soup (lentil bean and mushroom), savory rice dishes with vegetables (but no soy), two spicy and savory rice noodle dishes with vegetables, as well as two mushroom dishes and a tofu dish. Due to my allergies, I couldn’t try everything, though my friend enjoyed all the dishes she sampled. I opted for a salad and rice since most other items contained allergens for me. While I didn’t leave feeling full, my friend did. I would recommend this place to those without allergies who are looking for an affordable, tasty meal. However, I won’t be returning, as the menu contains too many allergens for me. I’ve also tried the lunch buffets at Veggie Garden and Suma Veggie Garden, but I preferred the Buddhist cafeteria lunch buffet because it didn’t have any mock meat and fewer dishes contained soy sauce. Yet, I won’t be going back to any of the three restaurants. Don't get me wrong—each of these vegan restaurants has a delicious lunch buffet, but they all lack a variety of fresh vegetables. For those who don’t have soy allergies, it’s definitely a soy feast! This is an updated review as of Friday, June 15, 2012.

We took the elevator to the third floor, and when the doors opened, we immediately saw a woman behind a desk. When we told her we were there for the buffet, she replied that it was no longer open to the public. However, she offered to call the second floor for us, and they could prepare a takeout order for $8 per person. We agreed, and she asked what type of rice we wanted—brown, white, or fried—before directing us back to the second floor. After going down the elevator, we approached the buffet room door but didn’t enter. From a distance, we saw two people packing our takeout boxes. They placed everything in a bag, informed us that the total was $16, and thanked us for our support. Once we got home, we discovered our order included miso soup, rice, three different vegetables, a bit of veggie meat, slightly sweet red beans, an orange, and a mini snack bag (one with Doritos and the other with Goldfish crackers). The food was good, just like I remembered from the public buffet. Although the experience of getting food wasn't as enjoyable as dining in, it was still a great deal. I appreciate their efforts to engage more people in navigating the complexities of ordering lunch there. Despite the somewhat confusing process of getting our food, it was a quick experience; we left with our meal faster than at most restaurants. If you're vegan, be sure to inform the staff on the third floor so that they can ensure you receive vegan-friendly snacks on the second floor. Lastly, don't forget to bring your mask, as it seems to be a requirement. We forgot ours, but the woman on the third floor had masks available for us to use. This review has been updated since the previous one on October 4, 2022.