Sadie’s Buffet & Grill has changed my mind about buffets. Generally, I find all-you-can-eat restaurants poorly run, with inferior food and little attention paid to keeping the dining room’s appearance attractive.

But in the past month, I have visited two new buffet restaurants in Broward County and thoroughly enjoyed myself both times. The Homestyle Family Buffet in Sunrise’s Pine Plaza received a favorable review a couple of weeks ago.

My visit to Sadie’s Buffet & Grill in Davie was equally enjoyable.

Sadie’s knows how to operate a buffet restaurant efficiently. And it offers diners an option. Customers can either order the buffet, which includes an endless round of salads, soups, vegetables and meats, or order from the grill. Steaks, chicken and fish can be grilled and these dinners include the salad bar, baked potato, bread, dessert bar and beverage.

Either way, diners receive a good filling meal.

The buffet costs $4.39 for lunch, $4.99 for dinner and $5.39 on Sundays. Lettuce and other salad fixings are fresh and include a large variety, including chopped ham. Fruit and carrot salads and cole slaw also were colorful and tasted freshly made.

Sadie’s also includes more of a variety of vegetables than most all-you-can- eat restaurants normally provide. Green beans, peas, lima beans and other vegetables were cooked just right — not mushy or runny. The corn pudding, seldom seen on buffets, was rich and flavorful.

Meats on the buffet were served hot and replenished regularly. The liver and onions featured tender, thick liver steaks, cooked medium. The fried chicken was crispy and fortunately, not overwhelmed by the breading, greaseless and flavorful. The baked chicken and broiled fish were also cooked just right.

Dessert bar included a delicious apple cobbler with a nice hint of cinnamon and topped by a light, tender crust. A vanilla custard was even more tasty. And the fix-your-own sundae bar was a lot of fun, with lots of toppings to choose from including M&Ms;, coconut, shaved chocolate and cookies.

Grilled items are priced separately. My T-bone steak, $8.99, was delicious. The large steak was served sizzling on a platter. Tender and flavorful, it was cooked perfectly rare. It was accompanied by a plump, tasty baked potato and nicely flavored Texas toast.

Other grilled items include chopped steak, $4.89; small ribeye steak, $5.99; large ribeye, $7.99; chicken teriyaki or charbroiled fish, $5.69 each. Prime rib is served on Friday and Saturday nights only and cost $7.49 for a small version and $8.99 for a large. These prices are for both lunch and dinner.

Service is efficient. Tables and dirty dishes are quickly removed. The buffet is replenished quickly. We noticed that servers would politely tell customers they might want to wait a few seconds because a fresh supply of a particular dish was being brought out. Waitresses also bring diners their beverages. However, we find it a bit silly a restaurant would not stock straws, as we were told by our waitress.

Sadie’s has become quite popular in the seven months it has been open. Try to get there early as lines generally start forming about 6:30 p.m. Sadie’s is owned by Morrison’s Inc. and astute diners will notice the similiarities in decor and seating arrangements.

SADIE’S BUFFET & GRILL

— 3400 S. University Drive, Loehmann’s Plaza, Davie 476-0205.

— Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday; 4 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

— Credit cards: Visa and MasterCard.