Earlier this month, Eric Shangraw featured four local restaurants in a half hour You Gotta Eat Special.
If you missed the prime time meal, here is Eric's trip to Dynasty Buffet in Peoria.

Dynasty Buffet is a kingdom in its' own right in the all–you–can–eat industry.
The interior palace décor features artwork and design from the Far East.
All the aesthetics and seating are centered on the buffet room.
The caloric power of Dynasty is on full display in multiple islands... each one featuring Cantonese, Szechuan and Hunan cuisine. (There're also some old fashion American dishes thrown in for the little brother who won't eat anything but Mac and cheese.)
Owner Raymond Poon says his goal is serving fresh and healthy Chinese cuisine... not necessarily authentic.

"This is designed for American style of buffet," said owner Raymond Poon.

"There is not any place we have found where you can get any better lunch. You can get vegetables. You can get meat. You can get fish," said customer Pat Roger.

"You can get cold shrimp. You can get hot shrimp. My husband loves them all. He loves the noodles. They have great food," said customer Rosezette Moss.

I basically skipped the entire chain of islands and headed straight for the sushi bar.
A sushi chef prepares each piece of raw fish like it's a masterpiece. The Sushi bar is a real value. Ordering sushi ala–carte in another restaurant would cost me twenty to thirty dollars for my first plate, alone... and that's without any Saki.
I head off to the outer tables of Dynasty in search of a vacant seat.

And what to my wondering eyes appear?
–A hairless giant of a man, eating Sushi without care.
My former eating buddy, now retired from the television industry, can still be found belling up to a good buffet line.
Here you pick out your favorite ingredients. Then look on as a chef cooks them hot and fresh.
If you still have room, there are dozens of desserts to dive into. I sampled a mocha mousse cake, cappuccino cake, and strawberry cake. I also squeeze out a squirt of chocolate ice cream... which quickly melts on a warm plate.
The sweet treats are a bit stale... the mini cakes the only portion of my lunch that are not rewarding.
Next time I'll eat more Sushi and won't save room for dessert.
With a drink and tax, your solo tip to Dynasty Buffet would cost $8.96.
A trip at dinner, which features the exact same food is $13.47.
The only employees working for tips, are the chefs at the Sushi Bar and Stir Fry grill.
Dynasty at lunch is a real budget deal.

Dynasty Buffet has locations on University in Peoria. Both locations are open seven days a week from ten–thirty in the morning until ten at night.