Kam Buffet, 635 South Clinton Ave, Trenton (609) 392-5100 (Directions)
Hong Kong Restaurant, 164 Hamilton Ave, Trenton (609) 989-8885 (Directions)
Rainbow Town Chinese Restaurant, 111 South Warren St, Trenton (609) 989-0277 (Directions)

There is no truly outstanding Chinese restaurant in Trenton proper, of which I’m aware. None of the restaurants here would merit a review in Hidden Trenton on its own. In NYC or Philly there are hundreds of establishments as good or better than these. We generally set the bar higher than this. For excellent Chinese food nearby, check out the Szechuan House, in Hamilton, or Concerto Fusion (which adds Thai and Japanese) in Morrisville.

However, everyone has a yearning for simple, cheap Chinese food from time to time, and you don’t want to have to drive to get it. In a town where there are some truly dreadful take out Chinese joints….listing a few that are pretty good is a useful service. So here goes.

Kam Buffet is a post millenium buffet joint, with a large dining room and a huge array of steam tables. The food is good, and management takes better care to keep it fresh and turning over quickly than many establishments of this type. The dining room is pleasant, especially the room away to the right (you may not notice it, unless you look for it) which is separated from the steam tables and a little quieter. The selection isn’t enormous, but it’s pretty good. And at $7.25 for all you can eat, it’s a tremendous bargain. You can get a take out container by the ounce, but Kam is best experienced eating-in with a hungry crew.

If you’re truly looking for take out, check out the Hong Kong Restaurant, a couple of blocks down the road where Hamilton and S. Clinton intersect. This is a family-run restaurant, with an extensive menu cooked in front of you while you wait. If I’m going to take out, I much prefer something fresh cooked, than pulled off the steam table. Hong Kong has no place to eat in, but there is a parking lot next to the restaurant.

Rainbow Town Restaurant is downtown, in the Warren Street revival area. It does a large lunch business. You pay for a plate of rice or noodles, plus choice of two or three entrees served by the staff off a steam table. It’s not “all you can eat”, but the portions are reasonably generous and the quality of the food is decent. At night, Rainbow gets rid of the steam table, and you can order ala carte, either to take out or eat in.

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