A few weekends back my parents came to visit so we all went out for food in Birmingham on the Saturday evening. We decided to visit Chung Ying Central after I mentioned that I have read many good blog reviews on the restaurant since it opened. You may have already heard of Chung Ying which is based in the Chinese quarter of town, Chung Ying Central is the latest addition from the Chung Ying restaurants who have been established in Birmingham since 1981.
We arrived at the restaurant on a busy Saturday evening around 8pm and were shown to our table quickly. I spent the first 5 minutes trying to decide which cocktail to pick from their extensive drinks menu however the same cant be said about my father and boyfriend who were less than impressed that there was no real ale at the bar! Eventually I decided on Coconut Breeze which had a great tropical Caribbean flavour to it and looked really pretty too!
Now lets focus on the food. We all opted for a dim sum and a main each. I went for the shredded squid with chilli dipping sauce and my parents went for the king prawn dumplings with mayo and the curried parcels. My boyfriend however likes to make 'different' decisions when it comes to ordering food and he went for the chicken feet in black bean sauce. Not only did his starter arrive a good 5-10 minutes after the rest of us but it was then torture having to watch him eat it and pulling tiny bones from his mouth with every bite. He even admitted he found it very difficult to eat. All dishes were chosen from the dim sum menu and were very reasonable at £4 each.
Now onto the mains, we ordered deep fried duck in plum sauce, lemon and honey chicken and two portions of crispy shredded beef in chilli sauce (Mine and my Mam's favourite) and sides portions of steamed rice and vermicelli Singapore style noodles. When the food arrived my boyfriend was left waiting for his main dish an extra 5 minutes again. The staff must've taken a disliking to him! The food was nicely presented and the portions were very generous. I have tried many crispy beef dishes in my time and I must say it was super delicious!
Service in general was ok but I did find one of the waitresses quite rude and she seemed really fed up when serving and taking our orders. They were also unapologetic about my boyfriend having to wait an extra 5-10 minutes than the rest of us on both of his courses. When we asked for the bill at the end of the night my mother paid on her card and as we had our coats on and were about to leave we were told that we had paid for someone else's bill and we actually have more money left to pay and therefore she had to get her purse out and go through the whole process again. The waitress also did not apologise for this.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my dishes and drinks and I wouldn't let the below average service that night stop me from returning again, especially as Chung Ying Central also have a two for one menu available 4-7pm from Mondays to Saturdays. The food is affordable and I think it makes the perfect place to visit after work or even for those who fancy some Oriental cuisine!
For more information, visit their website here.
Are there any good restaurants in Birmingham you can recommend for me to try?
1. I love to shop for my clothes at...(3 shops)?
- Primark
- Missguided
- River Island
2. Shop you like to visit but you don't usually buy from?
Hmm, I really like to visit Zara but I never really come away with any bags from there. I love their minimalistic pieces.
3. Last accessory you bought?
I bought a pair of cat eye sunglasses from River Island. As I am so short I struggle with the bright sun shining into my eyes when I'm driving (also my sun visor doesn't reach my eyes - typical!)so I intended to buy a nice affordable pair that will also come in handy in the summer months. Afterwards I noticed the inside part of the sunglasses are pink and black leopard print and not cream and black like I initially thought. I guess these WILL be staying in the car.
4. Do you own something you've never worn? What?
I have plenty of items that I have never worn but I have recently had a clear out and got rid of most of these things apart from 1 playsuit I bought from Missguided last summer. Its beautiful pastel colours with a scalloped short but at the time I bought it I felt a bit fat when I tried it on. I have since put more weight on so my aim is to keep it and fit into it comfortably THIS summer!! (High hopes...)
5. I put a lot of thought into what I wear, throw my clothes on quickly or just like to be comfortable?
It really does depend on what I am doing that day. Everyone has them days when they cant be bothered to look amazing just to pop to Sainsbury's for something for tea. Also, as a teacher I do have a certain amount of clothes that would only wear to work. If I am going somewhere nice or having a day out I do always plan my outfit beforehand.
6. If I could wear (blank) everyday?
It has to be leggings. I tend to wear a lot of tunics with leggings and boots to work currently and its so super comfy! Plain black leggings are my wardrobe staple. At the moment I wear River Island's as they are quite high waisted and I find this tucks my belly in too!
7. My wardrobe is mostly full of..?
Black, grey and dark reds. I absolutely LOVE winter colours. The thought of florals and pastels for Spring/Summer is actually making me feel a bit queasy. As the summer months are so short and unpredictable here in the UK I also tend to invest less in colourful clothes too. I know I need to start experimenting this year and choose the trends that are right for me.
8. Most comfortable piece of clothing I own is..?
I think the most comfortable piece of clothing I own is a pair of Hogwarts pyjama bottoms and a loose fitting long sleeved cotton top from Primark. I live in these if I am not going anywhere!
9. What hat would you never ever wear?
I LOVE hats. But I would not be seen dead wearing a sun visor. Remember that trend a few summers back? Horrible. Actually, I have worn one once... to a pub golf fancy dress in my hometown! Don't ask me where that hat is now!
10. What's your style?
I really haven't got a specific style at all. I don't know if anyone has. I wear completely different trends all the time. Ask my friends. Or not.
11. Favourite t-shirt?
Because I'm an RE teacher I just have to say that my favourite t-shirt of all time is a light grey one with the Hindu god - Lord Ganesha on the front. Its not really fashionable but it looks so nice thrown on with black ripped jeans and a nice pair of ankle boots. Ganesha is the Lord of Success and remover of evil and obstacles, therefore I like to feel pretty invincible when I wear it...
12. Favourite dress?
This is a tough one... I have too many dresses. Nope, sorry I cant choose one.
13. Favourite jumper or sweatshirt?
I adore my knitted burgundy polo neck jumper from Topshop that I can wear with jeans, check leggings, black trousers for teaching (if its cold). It's warm. Its comfortable.
14. Favourite bag?
My current favourite bag is a berry coloured Fiorelli one. It also matches my Primark winter coat perfectly without being too matchy matchy!
15. Favourite earrings?
I'm not a earrings person. I normally choose a nice plain studs and wear them constantly without changing. If I had to choose I'd say a white gold pair I had from my mother a few years back.
