The Farm is All About That Buffet

Feed bag not included.
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The Elsaesser family has been hosting parties, banquets, wedding receptions, and festive dances at The Farm since 1950. Beginning in 1990, they opened on Tuesdays—and later, Thursdays and Saturdays (when they don’t have bookings)—for buffets. These have become a township tradition complete with rules: no tipping, no sitting at tables with lone balloons on them (they’re reserved), and those seeking seconds must use a paper plate (a Catholic penance for the sin of overindulgence, we suppose). In terms of ambience, well, let’s just say it gives the set of The Shining a run for the money. But oh, that smorgasbord! Every buffet includes unlimited fried chicken, rolls, salad, desserts, non-alcoholic beverages, and a supporting cast of sides. The difference between the two weeknights lies in the featured meats. Tuesday includes roast beef and baked ham; Thursday offers spaghetti and meatballs, BBQ baby back ribs, and meatloaf. It’s a lot like a family Thanksgiving held inside a vaguely Bavarian-themed dance hall packed with seasonal decorations and old wedding photos. In short: a great time. The fried chicken is exemplary; the thighs, legs, and breasts are marinated before being fried, which leads to perfect skin (neither soggy nor too-crunchy) and full-flavored meat. The ham, too, was nearly perfect, freshly cut from a roast the size of a small medicine ball and tender enough that my knife nearly fell through the meat. Not every dish was perfect; the yams were just overdone and the beef bits were a little tough. But the fluffy, definitely-not-from-a-box mashed potatoes more than made up for it. The buffet will not satisfy vegans or calorie counters, but that’s OK. Buffets are about eating Herculean meals. At this, The Farm excels.

239 Anderson Ferry Road, Delhi Twp, (513) 922-7020

FYI
Price: $15.95 adults; $14.95 seniors; kids 6-11, $7.95; 6 and under, free.
Dinner Tues and Thurs, 4:45–8 pm

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