PETER PAN

Recently we discovered Peter Pan, a Chinese all-you-can eat buffet that we had ignored because the food is not Americanized Chinese but Chinese-Chinese, chicken feet in black bean sauce and stuff like that. But we've been learning to eat Chinese-Chinese so decided to go for it.

Sociologically the place was fascinating. 90% of the patrons are Chinese, while 9% are Hispanics with strongly Indian features. These Hispanics are the newly burgeoning demographic in this part of NoVa. The vast majority of the males work in construction or landscaping.

We actually went twice, Friday night for the seafood buffet, which two varieties of whole octopus, jellyfish, a tub of raw oysters on the halfshell piled on top of each other, morsels of coagulated blood, and stuff I could not identify, and Saturday for dim sum.

Both times I was fascinated by the Hispanics. Based on visible ethnicity, height, and dress, as well as body language (swagger) it seemed extremely probable to me that the men were construction workers who were doing well enough to take the family out for a buffet dinner. Driving around in that neighborhood on Saturday I further surmised that many are doing well enough to have a good car and take the entire family out shopping. The roads were packed, more so that on weekdays. I assume by shoppers who were unable to go out during the week - only one car, or everybody working.

But I also saw a dozen or so men standing around the spot on Little River Turnpike close to I-495 where they get picked up for day labor, despite the fact that it was Saturday and mid-afternoon. Weekday mornings you will see hundreds, but I was still surprised to see any.