Ming Court Chinese Restaurant
ADDRESS: 18 Jingili Tce Jingili PHONE: 8985 1755 OWNER/CHEF: Hua Zhao ENTREES: $9 to $15 MAINS: $19 to $28 YUM CHA LUNCH: $9 to $22 OPEN: Every day 11 — 2 and 5 — 10pm STAR QUALITY: 3.8/5
This is your typical suburban Chinese eatery with a twist. Ming Court does an array of pizza too. It opened many moons ago, before there was a pizza joint on every corner to fulfil a need in the market. Their pizzas are so popular they have not been allowed to stop making them. I know folk who travel from Palmerston and beyond for a slice of Ming’s pie. I promise to try it and let you know later.
This night was all about satisfying food itches and serious hunger.
The functional and simple dining room with laminex tables and vinyl clad chairs that screamed a comfy 1980s joint — it is pleasant enough. Good aircon and spotlessly clean, it had the basics covered.
Saturday night in the burbs was probably a bad call. Crazy busy with phone and delivery orders and a queue for takeaways a mile long — we knew we would have to wait.
Sometimes places get slammed. I get it, and know there has to be a reason. This place is popular so get in early or wait your turn!
Chef’s daughter Erica runs the ship from the front counter and does a sterling job.
Jostling phones, delivery drivers, Dad and customers with unflustered grace.
Fortunately, Ming Court is licensed, so I was able to put away a couple fine Chinese lagers while waiting and my buddy sipped Jasmine tea.
Noted with thanks was a simple but wellchosen wine list with decent pricing.
First to arrive was spicy salt and pepper whitebait.
Not often featured in menus these days, these delicious little gems are a favourite of mine when eating out because they are messy and time consuming to do at home.
Battered in a fine corn flour tempura, dusted with spices and sliced fiery challis, I can highly recommend these as a shared starter.
I asked for some chilli in soy sauce to dip the critters in. Sweet and sour prawns were out next. Big juicy and tasty, battered and dripping in sauce just how they should be.
A bit stingy with the veggies, but this could be what their customers ask for. I no complain, too busy eating.
Rounding off the mini feast was a combination omelet. This was more like a mountain of well-seasoned beef, pork and chicken covered in a table sized egg wrap and doused in gravy. Excellent value but again I was hoping for some more vegetables. I will simply ask next time.
I noted that Ming do a yum cha lunch every day and are specialist in Peking duck. $58 for 2 courses is pretty good value for a couple. I promise to return and sample Hua’s Duck.
It seems this place has done well to appease the tastes of locals for many years. The new chef and his family are doing a good job continuing the odd tradition of Chinese and pizza.