A Fiesta of fun at big value buffet

It is based in Walsall town centre in Lichfield Street, almost opposite Walsall Central Library and not far from Walsall Council House.

It sits boldly on the corner of Whittimere Street and looks huge from the outside. Its purple and orange signage makes it hard to miss.

What kind of restaurant is it?

It used to be the old Chicago Rock Cafe but underwent a revamp and opened as Fiesta World Buffet & Bar in April this year, creating 50 jobs.

There were queues around the block on the opening night as crowds of people turned up to try out the new 300-seater restaurant.

One wall is patterned with outlines of an oriental style elephant and dragon. Tables are laid out across the floor and the buffet food stations line two walls. There are comfy seats and two sets of cutlery for each person.

What sort of food does it offer?

There's a pretty good chance of finding something you like on the menu as most corners of the world are catered for with Mediterranean, Japanese, Italian, Thai, Mexican, Chinese and Indian dishes on offer.

There is also a salad bar and sushi available. It has more than 10 live cooking stations, with food made to order from wok and stir fry to Teppanyaki cuisine.

It's worth going for the ice-cream station alone – just for the entertainment value.

The restaurant offers a choice of ice-cream, mixed with sweets of your choice – but there's a twist. The chef uses a mallet and other tools to mix it all together and chop it up before scooping it onto your plate.

A buffet lunch in the restaurant costs from £6.99-£9.99 while dinner can cost from £12.99-£14.99. However, early birds who grab a table between 5pm and 7pm from Monday to Saturday can dine for £9.99. It is licensed so there are wines, beers and other alcoholic drinks available, as well as a range of soft drinks.

So there's lots of food to choose from.

What about the quality of it?

You are spoilt for choice but the quality of food doesn't suffer.

In the Mexican section there were flavoursome tacos filled with chilli con carne, with toppings such as jalapenos, sour cream and guacamole. The chicken wraps were also delicious. There were around four different styles of vegetarian and meat pizzas to choose from, sliced thinly and kept hot, including chicken, pepper and onion and roasted vegetable.

From the Indian section, the chicken tikka masala I tried was very creamy while the lamb vindaloo had a spicy kick to it, with the meat served on the bone. The usual sides were available, with the onion bhajis proving quite tough to bite with a hot aftertaste.

There was a nice selection of Chinese dishes and generous helpings of chicken in the red curry. The beef in black bean sauce was tender and tasty.

What about the atmosphere?

It is vibrant and fun. The restaurant is family-friendly and was hosting a children's birthday party when I arrived. Equally, there were also a fair few couples dining on a Monday evening. There's nothing else quite like it in Walsall. It has added some original flair and fun to dining. It's definitely worth giving a try and brilliant value for money.