News

Soho CafeMarket

Manhattan-scale buffet

PHOTOS AND REVIEW BY PATRICIA B. GROSSMAN

Buffet dining is a "smorgasbord" with panache. At traditional smorgasbords, the fixed price rules, and diners help themselves to the buffet as many times as they want for one price. The idea is to eat as much as you can for a bargain. At Soho CafeMarket in Silver Spring's Metro Plaza, buffet diners pay by the pound after selecting from a dazzling array of international entrées and spectacular salads.

The cashier weighs the plate (or carryout container) and the diner pays $4.99 per pound. While a heavy plate can be pricey, this is a lunch spot, and therefore portions tend to be smaller. My plate cost a mere $7.95, which was a bargain considering the amount of food I'd selected. The idea is to enjoy the best selections—and still enjoy a bargain.

The array of selections at Soho is breathtaking. There are so many selections that you can't sample even an eighth of what Soho has to offer at one time.

There are four serving stations, each the size of a huge salad bar and each holding at least twenty items. You walk down one side and up the other, selecting from well-lit and clearly labeled dishes. Occasionally the entrées are rotated, but most are there reliably.

Closest to the front doors is the fruit and salad station. The fruit is so beautifully presented on the serving trays that you could enjoy it simply as a feast for the eyes. (And keep in mind that fruit weighs a lot.) But sample some and discover that the fruits are also sweet and fresh: kiwis, strawberries, grapes, watermelon, and the sweetest peeled oranges glisten under the lamps. For greens fans, there are three kinds of lettuce to choose from.

Next to the salad area is a station serving traditional buffet foods—roast turkey and gravy (delicious, by the way), meatloaf, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and the like. There is also a section just for salads: tuna, egg, chicken, and many others.

Soho, while an American type café, serves a variety of Asian dishes as well, including Japanese sushi and an incredible selection of Chinese entrées. You can sample orange chicken, lemon chicken, barbecued pork, shrimp fried rice, sesame watercress, spicy sesame noodles, and sweet and sour chicken, to name a few. They taste as good as they look, and are of a quality on par with any good restaurant in the area.

Another section is devoted to Mediterranean dishes, including tri-color tortellini, pasta with basil parmesan sauce, pasta with chargrilled chicken, and baked ziti. These entrées are interesting but not as enticing as the Asian selections.

Yet another section offers a mix of entrées, from steamed collard greens, fried whiting, seafood alfredo, and roast chicken to stuffed tofu with spicy veggie bits, baked fish, and corned beef and vegetables.

Along the back wall of the restaurant is a refrigerated display case with dozens of selections of bottled drinks. A fruit smoothie bar, cappuccino and dessert bar, and even an ice cream stand are located next to the cashiers' booths.

And as if that wasn't enough, Soho also offers a line of deli selections (by the pound) to eat there or to carry out. Healthy specialties in wraps or pitas are offered for $4.95, and club specialties such as the Holland Tunnel (roast turkey breast, Virginia baked ham, Monterey jack with coleslaw, and Russian dressing on a toasted ciabatta) are also offered for $4.75.

A hot grilled specialty caught my eye—after my buffet plate was amply filled—the Broadway Melt (turkey breast with melted Havarti, light mayo, avocado, sprouts and tomato in a pita pocket). I'll try that next time.

Soho also offers a breakfast menu, complete with New York bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and special omelets and platters. Customized party platters can be created for your next event.

If you think variety is the spice of life, you'll have a field day at Soho's. I did.

Soho CafeMarket is located at the Silver Spring Metro Plaza, 8405 Colesville Road. 301-565-8224. Hours: Monday through Friday 6:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.