Mind you don't increase your margin at this Chinese buffet! (Water Margin (Harlow))

Member Name: katykicker

Product:	Water Margin (Harlow)
Date:	11/08/09 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of courses, reasonably priced, lots of drinks on offer.

Disadvantages: A bit of a school canteen feel to it, loud.

The Water Margin, Harlow, is located in the Water Gardens, Harlow.

The Water Margin is a buffet style Chinese restaurant which allows you to pay a set price to eat as much as you like from 60 pre set out dishes.

The restaurant is in quite a nice location for Harlow with lots of ponds full of fish located close by. It's not uncommon to see ducks hanging around near the front of the restaurant and in the evening the whole restaurant looks lovely from the outside. It has lots of glass windows and lights which give it a lovely feel.

When you enter the restaurant you will be meet by somebody who will confirm how many people are eating and will then seat you. The tables are a little school-esque and the whole restaurant, inside, does have a slight feel of school dinners about it. Once you have been seated you can place your drink order and then commence the eating! It's a very simple way of eating; you just collect a plate and load it up with whatever you like.

The starters are laid out in one wheel trolley area and everything is kept warm/hot in metal dishes with lids. There are lots of spoons, forks and ladles lying around making it easy to dish up what you want cleanly and hygienically. As well as starters there are soups and over miscellaneous items in this first trolley. My favourite starters are the Peking Ribs, Prawn Crackers & Sesame Prawn Toast.

A second wheeled trolley contains the main courses, noodles, rice and vegetables. There is lots of choice here with chicken, beef, pork and other dishes available and these do vary from time to time. There is also lots of dips and sauces available including Satay Sauce, Sweet & Sour Sauce, Hoisin Sauce etc. There are lots of delicious dishes on offer and some of my favourites include Sweet & Sour Chicken, Pork Balls and Prawn special fried rice. The noodles and rice are always delicious and cooked to perfection without being too greasy or just being lukewarm.

As well as these main items there is a separate area available for having some Peking duck and pancakes. This has the usual cucumber, spring onion and Hoisin sauce. There is always plenty of duck available, there is no limit to how much you can have, and the pancakes are always hot and delicious tasting.

In addition to all of this choice there is also an area where you can select your own raw meat and vegetables, rice, noodles etc and have them cooked for you by your very own chef in front of your very eyes. This is fantastic to tailor make your own meals and if you have somebody fussy in your party then this is ideal for them.

The toilet facilities are upstairs so not the most accessible. They are relatively clean and tidy and fine for what you need them for. The soap, paper towels etc are always kept well stocked. Always take some care coming back down the stairs if you have had a few drinks!

Prices:

Children from £3.50 - £4.30 for Lunch
Children from £6.50 - £7.00 for Dinner
Adults from £6.90 - £8.50 for Lunch
Adults from £12.80 - £13.80 for Dinner


Alcoholic drinks are served here and the prices are pretty standard for the local area with pints of beer from around £2.60, bottles of wine from around £10.00 and soft drinks from £1.30. Also, there is mineral and purified water available and lots of spirits on sale.

Overall I find the whole experience to be pretty nice, if a little loud at times. The service is reasonably good and the prices are acceptable. There is lots of choice and all the plates, cutlery etc are clean. We always enjoy a meal here and are never stuck on what to eat.

I am going to be rating this 4/5 as it's a very nice place to eat and one that I am going to visit again. It's ideal for big gatherings of people as there is so much space in the restaurant.

Summary: A fantastic restaurant with lots of delicious Chinese dishes.