Ming Cuisine 青花莊 — Restaurant in Richmond Hill

It's unfortunate that my first (and last) experience at this restaurant was so poor owing to the bad service, given that I live so close and the food was actually pretty good.

The good: We ordered the lobster lunch combo which was reasonably priced and the steamed lobster and deep fried oysters (extra) were both fresh and flavourful. I wasn't a big fan of the lobster congee given that it was basically plain congee with steamed lobster parts added in at the end, but if you like either, there's little reason to hate it. Price-wise it was about $100 for the four of us and our 2 year old son, which is on the higher end for lunch but we did get 2 lobsters.

The bad: In what was supposed to be a 6 course meal, the last two courses (a chicken egg noodle and fried vegetables) came more than 45 minutes after the first 4. When we called the server over to ask about it, they first asked if we were ready for the bill, given how long we had been there.

At this point, our two year old had become impatient so we let him out and took him to the entrance of the restaurant so he can at least look at some of the lobsters and crabs on display. On his way there, he touched a glass table that was leaned against the wall, and the middle-aged waiter with an undercut and gold streaks yelled at him from across the restaurant.

First, if this was such a hazard, why was a glass table leaned against the wall like that in the first place. Second, my son was holding my hand and clearly under control so there was no need to yell like that. Then as I looked at him wondering what the issue was, he stared me down, and continued to stare at us at our table even as we were eating our 45 minute late noodles and veggies. If I was a restaurant owner and one of my employees did this, they would be fired on the spot.

On that point, I feel somewhat bad writing such a negative review as the man who I believe to be the owner seemed like a nice person who cared about customer service and went around to speak to customers while helping the staff clean up tables. Based on his interaction with the staff, I can only assume that he is a relatively new owner in this established restaurant. If this is the case, I would advise him to take control of his staff, even if they've worked at the restaurant for longer than he has. There is behaviour that is clearly not acceptable, regardless of seniority.

With all of the competition for Cantonese food in the area, there is no reason for us to come back to this one. Even if I wanted to, the rest of my family who witnessed this incident will certainly not...

We went to Ming Cuisine on the Labor Day long weekend, and I'm glad we arrived early because by the middle of dinner the place was completely packed. The atmosphere was lively, and it was clear this is a popular spot for families and gatherings.

We ordered quite a variety of dishes. The house appetizer plate was a great way to start. Nicely presented with four different items, each offering a fun contrast in flavor and texture to wake up your appetite.

Among all the mains, the honey deep-fried oysters stood out. They were generously sized, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and coated in a perfectly balanced honey glaze. This is definitely one of those signature dishes you won't be able to (or want to) recreate at home coz it's just tonnes of work.

Another highlight for me was the shredded chicken with scallion and sea cucumber. The chicken was well-marinated and paired beautifully with the scallion and diced sea cucumber. What surprised me was that the bones were served under the meat. At first, I thought it was odd, but once I tried them, I realized how flavorful they were. The marinade and juices had soaked in, making them absolutely addictive. It ended up being the perfect dish to enjoy with a couple of beers.

We also tried the braised whole sea cucumber with mushroom, a very traditional and high-end classic dish that seniors especially appreciate. Personally, I found it a little bland, but it's considered a delicacy and brought a nice balance for the older family members. Rounding out the meal were the sweet and sour pork. Crispy, tangy, and a universal favorite, and the Maggie sauce beef with veggies, which was flavorful and satisfying for everyone.

For dessert, we were served a complimentary almond milk dessert, which was light, silky smooth, and a perfect way to finish such a big dinner.

On top of the food, the service was excellent. David, the owner, went above and beyond to make sure we enjoyed our meal. He personally introduced us to the restaurant's signature dishes and made us feel welcome throughout the night. That extra touch of hospitality really elevated the whole experience. Thanks, David!

Tips if you go: arrive early to beat the crowd, and pay cash to get a discount.

Overall, Ming Cuisine delivered on all fronts. Delicious food, generous portions, and warm service. It made for a memorable long weekend dinner and is definitely a place worth...

Went here for my bro's bday dinner.

I live within a 10 min drive of this place but ever since inception I haven't visited because it always had a reputation for being expensive.

Jumping straight to the food.

Winter melon soup: Very good! The server told us they didn't add any additional water to it and all the soup came solely from the juice of the melon.

Sweet n' sour pork: Good but doesn't crack top 5. No pineapples in this one. Pork was crispy. Could've been a bigger portion imo.

Beef Tenderloin w/veggies: Beef was tender but does not trump the tenderloin at Starchiva (which is the king). Dish could've had more meat. They gave a lot of veggies in the plate.

Salted egg yolk prawns: Good crunch, good flavour. I think I still the prawns peeled before being cooked in the salted egg yolk but that's just a personal preference I guess.

Crispy chicken: Imo, the best dish of the night. Instead of worcestershire and salt, they served it with a side of lemon juice which I honestly worked better than the former. The breast was dripping moisture too. Really well-cooked chicken. A must-order item imo.

Deep fried oysters in honey-based sauce: 2nd best dish. Perfect crispy, sauce was sooo balanced.

Stir fried scallops with mushrooms and chinese broccoli: Rounding out the top 3 dishes, was this one. I'm not the biggest fan of gai lan because of it's bitter nature. For this particular dish the resto used baby gai lan which didn't have any bitter aftertaste to the stems at all. The scallops were also perfectly cooked.

Steamed black bean eel: My grandma wolfed down most of this as it's one of her fave foods. I thought it was on the same level as eel that my mom could've made at home tbh.

Would be down to come back in the future but most likely for special occasions because they're priced higher than Starchiva but serve similar fare (I would argue Starchiva is still the king in Richmond Hill at the moment).

Oh yea, the owner struck up a convo with our family since we were one of the last ones to leave around closing time. A genuinely nice guy and one of his daughters was also helping out in...