At long last, Roslindale gets its buffet

Flaming Grill and Buffet, which offers Chinese and American food, and plenty of it, opened Friday in the Stop & Shop mall at 950 American Legion Highway, next to the Walgreens.

The place did well with its fliers and newspaper ads - the large space was busy tonight on only its second day.

This is not the place to come if you're expecting subtly-spiced, artful dishes. Come on, it's a buffet - you come here to eat plate after plate of stuff at a fixed price.

There are fried things aplenty, from chicken to squid to crab rangoon, along with basics such as dumplings and chicken with mixed vegetables. There was also a lot of seafood - clams, oysters, salmon, shrimp, crawfish, some sort of white fish (but no crab legs). Also available: Your three basic Chinese soups (hot and sour, egg drop and wonton, the latter made with a bit too much salt).

For people looking for things with less grease and fat, there's a sushi bar with a decent amount of items and a hibachi area, where you pile up the stuff you want (chicken, meat, vegetables and eggs) and the hibachi guy grills them up, with a flair like that displayed by the chefs at Japanase hibachi places, only without a toque.

Kids or people just not feeling the Chinese can bulk up on mac and cheese, instant "mushed" potatoes, French fries, garlic bread, something labled as prime rib and flat round objects generously identified as pizza.

Plenty of desserts, from fruit to fried dough, cake and ice cream.

We paid $50.71 (including tax) for three people - which included a soda or hot tea with unlimited refills.