Food -
There is a lot to like about the dim sum and menu items at Ming Dynasty. The food tastes fresh and doesn't leave you with that lethargic feeling you usually get after eating dim sum. And that's because Ming Dynasty's offerings aren't that greasy. Your typical dim sum restaurant serves up plate after plate of shiny, grease-laden dim sum. The dim sum here at Ming Dynasty seems to lack that - which is AWESOME! I actually think this is the single biggest reason why the food at Ming Dynasty tops other places. Whatever they do in their food preparation... they are doing it right!
All of the usual dim sum staples are available at Ming Dynasty. Savory favorites like BBQ pork buns, chicken feet, pork spare ribs, taro cakes, har gow and siu mai are all there. Typically the items come on a little plate or basket of three pieces. If you have a bigger party you can always double the order or get the server to cut the food in half.
On the sweeter side, there are tons of options. The ever popular egg tarts can be had traditionally or Portuguese style, which is a bit sweeter. Though the egg tarts are quite delicious, my favorite sweet item at Ming Dynasty are the fried donuts coated with sugar. If you've never had these you've got to give them a try! They are like a warm and soft cruller donut (but like 100 times better). Also recommended are the coconut jello squares and the mango pudding. You can't go wrong with any of these items.
If you're big on sharing cute pictures of food on social media. You'll probably want to get some of the red bean buns that look like little animals. I have a picture of them at the top of this post. Making sweet baos like this has been trendy for a few years now, so if you wanna show off how nice your food looks, this is the way to do it!
If you're a person who hasn't had dim sum before, you may not know that you have the option of ordering menu items. Aside from the food carts going around, you can always get food from the kitchen. Typically people like to order noodle dishes to round out their dim sum meal. Common dishes are chow mien, chow fun, and Singapore style noodles. There are numerous variations of these three main types of noodles, and everybody has their personal favorites. You're going to have to give each a try before you can make a judgement on which kind you like the best.
Service/Atmosphere -
Ming Dynasty provides better than average service when it comes to your standard Asian restaurant. The ladies who push around the dim sum carts are nice and accommodating and the managers who walk around seem to be on top of things - so it's never too difficult to flag someone down to get some food.
As with all dim sum places, you do have to patient for the carts as they make their way around the restaurant. You'll often see a cart with something you want on it stalled out serving a group a few tables down. But that's just how dim sum is - unless you're at one of those places that have you order dim sum off a check-off menu.
I found Ming Dynasty to be well run and decently clean. The restaurant is a little older and isn't the prettiest place, but the dining area is serviceable and good enough. I don't see the owners putting in extra money to get the restaurant looking stylish and modern and time soon (or ever).
Price -
Dim sum isn't typically the cheapest option when it comes to brunch or lunch. And that's because you can go a little nuts when picking items off a food cart. Each item adds up, and if you're not careful, you can get a pretty large bill. When it comes to prices, I'd say Ming Dynasty is average for a dim sum place. The menu items are around ten to twelve dollars with the dim sum being priced depending on the category of the item. For a party of 4, I wouldn't be too shocked to pay fifty or sixty dollars plus for the meal.
If you're looking for a nice deal, Ming Dynasty does have some special items displayed on placards at the tables. These dishes are pretty good and begin as low as seven dollars. If you're looking for something more budget friendly but that can still fill you up, this might be your ticket!
Special Tips and Recommendations -
Chinese folks tend to get pretty crazy when it comes to having dim sum. Be mindful of the time when coming for food as the wait can be up to 30 minutes long when it's busy at lunch. Though the restaurant can be quite packed, I have found Ming Dynasty to over-quote the wait times, so just make sure you wait nearby as you may get called for a table sooner than you think.
As for dish recommendations, I really like their rice wrapped in lotus leaves - also called lo mai gai. These little wraps have sticky rice in them with meat and a hard egg yolk. This item in particular stands out to me because Ming Dynasty has somehow prepared it with a less greasy taste. I mentioned above how Ming Dynasty's dishes have a lighter feel to them. Well, this one definitely embodies that sentiment.
In terms of a menu item, give the Hong Kong style noodles a try if you've never done so before. You get a combination of soft noodles and crunchy noodles all on the same dish. It's really fun to eat!
Bottom Line -
I've been searching for good dim sum in Sacramento for a while, and Ming Dynasty has really answered the call. This may be the very best place to get dim sum in Sacramento - I'd say go there and give it a try and let me know if you agree!
Letter Grade
A
Crispy taro item.
Soft noodles with beef.
Siu mai.
Egg tarts.
Noodle dish off the menu.
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