Established in 1981, Chung Ying is one of Birmingham’s oldest and most valued Cantonese restaurants. It's won several prestigious awards and making it to the final 3 of “Britain’s Best Chinese Restaurant”.
Surrounded by exclusive bars, nightclubs and entertainment, Chung Ying is constantly inundated with atmosphere; whether you’re looking to feast with family and friends or enjoy the company of a loved one over award winning Cantonese food, Chung Ying delivers a premium service renowned throughout the midlands and the UK.
Chung Ying proudly advertises itself as ‘Birmingham’s favourite Chinese restaurant’ - and if the crowds eating there on a chilly Tuesday night in January are anything to go by, they’re not exaggerating.
Established in 1981, Chung Ying is a veteran of Birmingham’s Chinese quarter, its neon sign unmissable to passers-by. Inside it feels like nothing much has changed in the intervening 35 years - there’s an awful lot of black lacquered wood - but I find this quite refreshing. There’s no concept menu here, no clever branding, just good, solid, old-school Chinese dining.
When I say ‘old-school’, I’m actually talking about two different things. There are all the classics that English diners expect - things like spare ribs, sweet and sour pork and fried rice. But the lengthy menu is also chock-full of traditional dishes: steamed eel with black bean, slow-cooked pork and vegetable dishes, chicken’s feet and tripe. It’s an enticing mix, indicative of a restaurant that knows it has to cater for both English and Chinese customers.
Starters of deep-fried prawns, crispy wonton wrappers and breaded squid with a sweet and sour sauce were fine, if a little dull. My wonton soup never arrived, but then the waiter had taken our order without actually writing anything down, so I wasn’t surprised.
The mains were brilliant. Duck with plum sauce was generously sized - crispy, falling-apart tender and partnered with a sweet plum sauce that actually tasted of plum. We matched it with Chinese broccoli with garlic and ginger - expertly prepared, though not what I ordered; I think the waiter had overruled my choice of broccoli with crab - and a gorgeous chow mein packed with fresh vegetables and king prawns. It was all fresh, flavoursome and piping hot from the wok, with none of that sickly greasiness you can sometimes find in Chinese restaurant food.
The large table next to us was offered a platter of fruit for dessert, but sadly that offer didn’t come our way. Our bill came to £37, which is great value for money given the standard of cooking and portion size. I’d love to go back and work my way through the lengthy dim-sum menu - and if that duck is anything to go by, the slow-cooked meat dishes on the a la carte are begging to be worked through too.
The service at Chung Ying is quick, albeit a little, erm, abrupt, but the quality of the cooking makes up for it. Altogether a great place for an entertaining evening out.
Established in 1981, Chung Ying is one of Birmingham’s oldest and most valued Cantonese restaurants. It's won several prestigious awards and making it to the final 3 of “Britain’s Best Chinese Restaurant”.
Surrounded by exclusive bars, nightclubs and entertainment, Chung Ying is constantly inundated with atmosphere; whether you’re looking to feast with family and friends or enjoy the company of a loved one over award winning Cantonese food, Chung Ying delivers a premium service renowned throughout the midlands and the UK.
Chung Ying,
16-18 Wrottersley Street,
Birmingham
B5 4RT
chungying.co.uk
Telephone: 0121 622 5669
Chung Ying proudly advertises itself as ‘Birmingham’s favourite Chinese restaurant’ - and if the crowds eating there on a chilly Tuesday night in January are anything to go by, they’re not exaggerating.
Established in 1981, Chung Ying is a veteran of Birmingham’s Chinese quarter, its neon sign unmissable to passers-by. Inside it feels like nothing much has changed in the intervening 35 years - there’s an awful lot of black lacquered wood - but I find this quite refreshing. There’s no concept menu here, no clever branding, just good, solid, old-school Chinese dining.
When I say ‘old-school’, I’m actually talking about two different things. There are all the classics that English diners expect - things like spare ribs, sweet and sour pork and fried rice. But the lengthy menu is also chock-full of traditional dishes: steamed eel with black bean, slow-cooked pork and vegetable dishes, chicken’s feet and tripe. It’s an enticing mix, indicative of a restaurant that knows it has to cater for both English and Chinese customers.
Starters of deep-fried prawns, crispy wonton wrappers and breaded squid with a sweet and sour sauce were fine, if a little dull. My wonton soup never arrived, but then the waiter had taken our order without actually writing anything down, so I wasn’t surprised.
The mains were brilliant. Duck with plum sauce was generously sized - crispy, falling-apart tender and partnered with a sweet plum sauce that actually tasted of plum. We matched it with Chinese broccoli with garlic and ginger - expertly prepared, though not what I ordered; I think the waiter had overruled my choice of broccoli with crab - and a gorgeous chow mein packed with fresh vegetables and king prawns. It was all fresh, flavoursome and piping hot from the wok, with none of that sickly greasiness you can sometimes find in Chinese restaurant food.
The large table next to us was offered a platter of fruit for dessert, but sadly that offer didn’t come our way. Our bill came to £37, which is great value for money given the standard of cooking and portion size. I’d love to go back and work my way through the lengthy dim-sum menu - and if that duck is anything to go by, the slow-cooked meat dishes on the a la carte are begging to be worked through too.
The service at Chung Ying is quick, albeit a little, erm, abrupt, but the quality of the cooking makes up for it. Altogether a great place for an entertaining evening out.
**** Helen Stallard
4 Stars on Tue, 02 Feb 2016