Do you do this at Boma?

[wildernesslodgelover]

I have said it many times, I think Boma is one of the best restaurants on property just for the sheer number of unique and interesting dishes offered. I love both dinner and breakfast. I think it is such a great value (relatively speaking ) and we try to eat there often.

I did have one minor issue the last time we dined there for breakfast (Jan 6, a Sunday) that I cannot recall dealing with on previous visits. You know how Boma is set up as "pods?" Do you feel comfortable reaching into the buffet line to get, say...scarmbled eggs, even though the scrambled eggs are in the middle of the "line?" I saw people lining up all the way at the end...where the carving station is and beyond. They waited a loooong time to finally get up to where the scrambled eggs, bacon and omelet station is. If I am going for my second helping, and all I want is eggs and bacon, do you think it is rude to walk up to the scrambled egg section and help myself? I felt awkward doing it, so I got in the back of the line and patiently waited at the carving station, then at the bobotie/sausagae biscuit casserole station (BTW, that stuff is my favorite!) the oatmeal/quinoa/pap station until I FINALLY got to the scrambled eggs. I honestly had lost my appetite at that point, which is great for my "weight loss journey" but I was trying to get my money's worth, ya know?

At Chef Mickey's there were two distinct buffet lines, and they both had the exact same items. There were two of everything. I never waited behind more than one person and could walk up to any section of the buffet line and help myself. CM's was VERY busy that day, where as Boma was surprisingly quiet. There were tables around us that stayed empty for the duration of our breakfast. At Boma, there was only one of each item, and there was an entire side of the buffet line devoted to pastries, cold cereals, etc that never seemed to get busy.

Part of my frustration was waiting in line, then seeing other people go up to the scrambled egg section and help themselves, not worrying about what others think. I was annoyed...mainly because I was jealous that they had the gumption to do so!

So what is your take on buffet lines? Really, I am asking specifically about Boma, because I think it is a slightly different set up than other buffets. Obviously if there is no one by the food item you want, it is a non issue. But people were lined up, perhaps waiting for the omelet station, so they are standing in front of the scrambled eggs. I have to squeeze between them to get to the eggs, which shouldn't bother them, but perhaps the person behind them was waiting patiently for the eggs, and now I have "butted" in line.

 

[wendy46001]

I dont do buffets to often so i'm no expert
but I guess i'm that person...the carving stations take up a lot of time...so if i'm not getting anything from them i skip them...

Unless you are cutting someone off (aka diving for the serving spoon right before they get it) then i see no issue with walking up to what you want to eat… Why wait for an item you have no interest in?

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

At Boma, I've always gone right up to what I've wanted. That being said, I've never had too long of a line for the carving station so I've never felt like I was "cutting" people in line.

 

[Laura]

They have the pods so you don't have to wait in a line. Since I'm a vegetarian, there's no point for me to hang out by the meat. For dinner I like to start with their cold salads, get a new plate for hot stuff (at which point I'd get stuff like potatoes by the carving station), then a new plate for my dessert. So I'm hopping all over.

 

[MickeyNicki]

If I am just going to get one thing like soup at the Cape May I will ask the person in front of me if it is ok to just let me grab a bowl quickly and no one has ever said no or given me a hard time about it.

Once I was in line at CP for breakfast and I wanted to grab some bacon and the person in front of me was so slow on deciding what they wanted andt here was a growing space in front of them and the person ahead of them so I asked if I could go around him and he said sure.

So I guess if the person doesnt mind and you ask politely it is ok

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Yeah, this was the first time I had experienced this at Boma. I would say we have eaten there about 5 times for breakfast, and maybe 3 or 4 times for dinner. Like I said, what was weird was that the restaurant wasn't all that busy. I guess I just had bad timing.

I was about 5 or 6 people behind a woman getting bacon, and she took each piece individually, and was inspecting each slice, it was taking FOREVER. I just didn't feel comfortable going in front of her (she might have been almost done and on her way to the scambled eggs which were next in line) not only getting in front of her, but also in front of the 5 or 6 people in front of me, but behind her.

It really isn't an issue usually, but the line was tight...all the way to the omelet station.

I used to make fun of people at buffets that pile their plate high with food on their first go 'round. After waiting 10 minutes for a helping of scrambled eggs, I kind of wish I had done that, too!

 

[Cee]

I usually go right for what I want but always try to be observant and never
cut in front of anyone. I never wait in the beginning of the line if all I want is
halfway or at the other end of the buffet. Just be mindful of others waiting and
all should be well.

 

[John's Mom]

The first time I ate at Boma I was told about the individual pods. There is no long buffet line, just several pod lines. If someone is already at the pod I'm going to, I just get behind them. I hope this makes sense.

 

[Stacerita]

The first time I ate at Boma I was told about the individual pods. There is no long buffet line, just several pod lines. If someone is already at the pod I'm going to, I just get behind them. I hope this makes sense.

I also just get behind the person at the pod I am going to. I would not wait all the way at the carving station if I was not getting something there. I would not cut infront of someone at a certain pod though.

 

[disnut8]

Boma's pods are set up so you don't have to have a big line for anything. But the problem is that we are humans. And humans do everything the way it is "normal". So we see a "buffet" and think we have to stand in line and wait for the person in front of us.

More and more buffets are going the way of Boma. Having multiple tables set up through out the restaurant. But we still have a mind set that if it's a buffet, we have to wait for other people.

And that lady with the bacon? I wonder if she does that at home? What was she looking for? She would have lasted about two seconds until my carnivore husband went in front of her. If you are in a buffet line, please be aware of the people behind you!

 

[alldiz]

1st trip up.....I walk the whole "cattle" line....

when I want a refill....I just go to the station from what I want....

ie....I always have to have a 2nd bowl of their soup....so I just walk
to the soup station....and wait for anyone who is getting soup to be done.
Kerri