Ming Dynastie West Berlin — Restaurant in Berlin

You know those moments when you take the escalator up in a sad, slightly humming shopping mall in Berlin and your soul whispers, "This can only get worse"?

Well, surprise: it gets delicious.

On the top floor of a retail graveyard where optimism goes to die and signage still uses fonts from 1998, you will find, somehow, one of the best Chinese restaurants I’ve eaten at in Europe. And believe me — I’ve eaten, I’ve suffered, I’ve written strongly worded reviews in multiple time zones.

This place? It’s the real thing.

Authentic. Generous. Spicy in the right ways. The dumplings arrive like tiny edible apologies for everything Berlin has put me through.

The Mapo Tofu doesn’t ask if I can handle Sichuan peppercorns — it assumes I’m an adult and serves them with pride. The noodles? Let’s just say I’ve written less emotionally about my own children.

And the staff — kind, fast, patient, and terrifyingly efficient. At one point I knocked over my chopsticks, and a fresh pair materialised before they hit the floor. That’s not service. That’s telepathy.

And then there’s the location — which, I must say, only makes the whole thing better.

There’s something deeply satisfying about finding this kind of culinary excellence in a mall where the escalator occasionally makes a death rattle and the lighting feels like a Soviet waiting room. It’s like discovering a four-star spa in the back of a gas station.

My wife and I come here every single time we have to be in Berlin — which is often enough, unfortunately. She loves the Tofu. I love not being disappointed.

Pro tip: Ignore the setting. Ignore the stairs. Ignore the faint sense that the mall may collapse mid-meal. Just sit down, order with reckless confidence, and accept joy.

Five stars. And if you find it — don’t tell too many people. I need a...

We recently dined at a local spot that offered a distinctly Chinese ambiance, adding a pleasant and authentic touch to our experience. Our meal selections included M7 (crispy fried duck with sweet and sour sauce) and E1 (crispy fried duck with eight delicacies). Contrary to the waiter's suggestion that our choices might not be enough for two, we found the portions to be generous. M7, featuring an out-of-this-world sweet and sour sauce, was enough for one person, while E1 could have comfortably fed two or even three.

The quality of the food was top-notch. The M7's duck was cooked to perfection, and the sweet and sour sauce was simply divine. The E1, meanwhile, impressed us with properly done shrimps and the intriguing flavors of the eight delicacies.

A minor hiccup in the service was the provision of cutlery without being asked, while other guests were given chopsticks. Though not a complaint, a query about our preference would have been a nice touch.

When we found ourselves unable to finish the ample servings, a different waiter graciously provided paper boxes for us to take the leftovers home, at no extra charge.

All in all, the delightful and very Chinese-looking setting, the delicious food, and the mostly attentive service made for a memorable dining experience. Don't be swayed by the waiter's portion warnings; trust your instincts and your appetite, and you're likely to leave satisfied. We'll certainly be returning to explore more of this...

I had an overall good dining experience at this Chinese restaurant. The crispy fried duck with sweet and sour sauce and crispy fried duck with eight delicacies were both flavorful and the portions were huge. At the start, the waiter warned me that crispy fried duck with sweet and sour sauce was a really small portion, but it was more than enough.

One thing that bothered me a bit was when the waiter brought cutlery without inquiry, unlike chopsticks provided to other guests. While not a huge deal, asking about our preference would have been a thoughtful gesture.

I should mention that the prices were a little high, but that is quite fine as we couldn't finish our meal from how large the portions are. A waiter offered paper boxes for us to take the leftovers home, at no additional cost, so that was really kind of them.

Don't let the waiters warning fool you, the portions are quite generous. The food itself was quite enjoyable, and the staff was understanding and accommodating when we needed them to communicate in English. Overall, a satisfying experience that I would recommend to others seeking a flavorful...