Look before you munch.
I have a hard time at buffets because I can't always tell what it is by looking at it. I usually go through the line with my wife/dietician/caregiver/chef/secretary/travel agent right in front of me and I know I can depend on her to give me the right information. For some reason, people who cook recognize food by shape, color, and other clues that ordinary people miss.

Battered and fried stuff is the biggest problem. Who knows what lurks beneath that golden brown crust? Popcorn shrimp and okra look the same to me. Chuckwagon steak and chicken parts look way too much alike. I never eat chicken and seldom eat seafood. I once confused green beans and aspargus in a dimly lit restaurant, but that's OK. I like both.
Howard

> > > This might turn into "Can You Top This," but I really did mistake barbecue sause for chocolate ice cream topping. Once.
> >
> > I was at one of those Chinese Buffet places, got a salad, and put some honey mustard on it. It wasn't until I got back to the table and took a BIG OLD BITE OF IT that I realized it wasn't honey mustard. It was horseradish.
>
> I mistook hot peppers for pickles and ate a big handful.
> That was not a fun experience.