Seasoning Pot

Tied for worst Chinese food I've ever had. I have a REALLY high threshold for bad food...There is little I will not eat. I'm the guy to which people say "ew, did you seriously just eat that!?".. And I don't go out of my way to give bad reviews (I usually just won't say anything)... But this was REALLY bad...Like "expired frozen grocery store Chinese food that had been microwaved and then left in the fridge for two weeks" bad. (Soggy everything, breaded chicken tasted like cooking oil, egg rolls were full of mysterious mush, sweet & sour sauce was diluted to the consistency of skim milk, etc..) As for the positive reviews here, you either: a) went at a time when the preparation standards were far higher (i.e. sufficient-at-minimum) b) reviewed the wrong restaurant by accident c) or have a different standards for what is acceptable Chinese food (again, my standards are neither hoitey or toitey...see above) All kidding aside, there is no standard by which the food I just ate could be considered good. And no excuse for it being so bad. Barf.
7 years ago (03-04-2018)

Cozy little place. The buffet is always fresh, hot and tasty. Great for a family lunch. Will definitely be back.
8 years ago (26-08-2017)

We stumbled across this sweet little gem on our way home from Calgary to Edmonton. Situated in picturesque Ponoka, in the downtown area that admittedly needs some sprucing up, we found the staff to be welcoming, helpful and engaging as soon as we walked in the door. Obviously, this place is a favourite in Ponoka, as most tables in our section were full. The atmosphere is family friendly, with large tables and booths, good for family celebrations. The place was spotless, but the decor wasn't much to write home about in our section. We were seated in the buffet area. I liked the atmosphere on the other side of the restaurant better. A bit quieter and away from the hustle of the buffet, etc. Don't expect a fancy restaurant experience, this is definitely a mom and pop place, run well! They have a daily buffet, full of what most North Americans call Chinese food, deep-fried, battered chicken, ribs, beef, stir fries in sauces, etc. The families with kids frequented the buffet, and everyone looked happy with their choices. Pop is served in cans, but it is not overly priced. We ordered from the menu. It amused us that the menus were delivery menus. We had 'dry' garlic ribs, they came coated in a very light batter, almost tempura like. Seasoned perfectly, even I, who usually doesn't 'do' gluten, enjoyed them. Beef and Broccoli. - The chef perfectly grilled thin slices of beef, then gently tossed the beef with broccoli that was not overly cooked. No cloying sauces, just garlic, salt and a few other subtle spices. It was superb. Chicken with Mixed Veggies. Again, the meat was perfectly prepared, the veggies were crisp and bright. If you can shake off any snooty expectation of a 'high-class' dining experience and enjoy the cafe for what it is, a well run, family friendly, family owned business, catering to small town folk, you will enjoy its charm. Our server was very helpful! The main part of the restaurant is wheelchair friendly although I am not sure the washrooms are. I am disabled with balance issues, I do walk and managed just fine.
8 years ago (10-06-2017)

food was just okay
7 years ago (15-02-2018)

Food is great will go back to the SEASONING Pot
8 years ago (09-08-2017)