I tried huge Devon buffet with height rule but there was one let-down

You can get your fill for as little as £10.99

Ever grabbed the Chinese menu and then struggled to decide what to get? Or are you one of those people who has ordered the same thing since 2005? I get it. It’s dangerous to venture too far off the beaten track for fear of getting something that you just don’t love. There’s a risk you’ll be hugely disappointed and spend your meal enviously eyeing up what your partner or friend has ordered, deep in regret.

The answer to this age-old dilemma, of course, lies with an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet where you can literally try - and discard if you want - every single dish available. Imagine a sea of food as far as the eye can see. Delicious dishes ranging from squid to satay, Singapore noodles to perfectly cooked prawns in ginger - where you can have a spoonful, a plateful or several if the mood takes you. This is the scene at the Oriental Touch in Torquay where there are more than 50 choices within its starter, mains and dessert sections.

The value for money is incalculable. If you like a bargain and can stomach a big meal at lunchtime, you can scoff yourself silly from noon to 3pm Monday to Friday for just £10.99 or £11.99 on a Saturday. Dinner served from 5.30pm to 10.30pm Monday to Thursday will set you back £16.99 or £17.99 on Fridays and £18.99 on Saturdays. And on Sunday it’s £16.99 from noon until 10pm. I can guarantee you’ll eat at least double your money’s worth, and if you don’t, you’re not really trying. If you’re under 4ft 11ins in height you can eat for half price.

There’s a very simple system. You pay upfront as soon as you arrive. Order your drinks as soon as you get there and get stuck in.

The dishes include crispy aromatic duck, satay chicken on skewers, salt & pepper king Prawns, chicken balls, roast pork in plum sauce, sweet & sour chicken, Peking spare ribs, lemon chicken, curry chicken and beef in black bean sauce. And those are just some of the offerings. There’s basically something for everyone, even those who don’t like Chinese. The dishes haven't changed much in the space of a year but with so much on offer, it doesn't really matter.

Staff are constantly buzzing around stirring the dishes and making sure they’re fresh enough for customers to enjoy. All dishes seemed to be refreshed regularly. Everything tasted hot and freshly cooked.

But there was one big disappointment. I've been to Oriental Touch twice this month and they have changed the chocolate in the chocolate fountain. It used to be a tower of creamy, delicious milk chocolate and was definitely the highlight of the visit. I looked forward to getting a scoop of ice cream and spooning the melted chocolate over the top. It was simply heaven. However, on our last two visits, the chocolate has been different. It's darker, thinner and has a powdery texture. Personally I don't like it at all and I think it tastes worse when it sets. The kids in our group tucked in, seemingly none-the-wiser. But this has ruined the Oriental Touch experience for me and it probably will no longer be at the top of my list of places to eat out. I had been hoping this was a temporary glitch but I was gutted to see on our second visit this month that the chocolate was the same. I live in hope they will revert back to the good stuff.

On our most recent visit we arrived just before 5.30pm on a Wednesday and people were queuing outside waiting for it to open. People certainly like to get there at opening time, especially on a school night if you have younger diners.

Let's go back to the value. Think about how much you spend when you order a takeaway, including those sides you're never going to eat plus the delivery charge. Time it right and you can get your fill for a bargain price. But be prepared to not really want to eat for the next three days after a visit.