For the last 30 years, Ming Dynasty restaurant has provided residents of eastern North Carolina Chinese culinary delights along with extraordinary customer service, offering a truly authentic experience. The restaurant is at 3105 E. 10th St. in the Rivergate Shopping Centerbeside Ollies and close to the East Carolina University campus.

Upon entering, customers are welcomed into an artfully decorated restaurant. It feels as if you are stepping into a posh restaurant in China. The walls are adorned with authentic decor including an ornate wooden carved scene of a bustling Chinese waterfront and Chinese paintings. Relaxing music plays in the background. Its the perfect place for a date night, dinner party, rehearsal dinner, Mothers Day lunch or just a night out with friends.

Ming Dynasty specializes in Mandarin, Szechuan and Cantonese dishes as well as providing gluten-free, low-fat, peanut-free and vegetarian options. It also offers a lunch buffet for $9.95 from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays with an array of mouthwatering dishes. Ming Dynasty has loyal customers who frequent the restaurant several times a week enjoying its relaxed atmosphere, fabulous food and affordable prices.

Owner Mary Yuen takes great pride in her restaurant and promises satisfaction because all the dishes are freshly prepared every day with premium ingredients. This is evident in the colorful and delightful dishes that Chef de Cuisine Steven Zhou prepares. I sampled several customer favorites starting with the Crab Rangoon deep-fried dumplings stuffed with crab and cream cheese. They were flaky and succulent with a sweet finish. The spring rolls are thin and crispy wontons filled with fresh julienne vegetables and whole shrimp served with house-made duck sauce. Im pretty sure if I was told I could only have one more meal in my life, it would be these little delights. Eight Crab Rangoons are $5.25, and you can get one spring roll for $1.75.

After appetizers, I was served the Sizzling House Special that was wheeled in on a cart and finished table-side. The dish consisted of jumbo shrimp, flank steak, chicken and roasted pork mixed with mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, carrots and snow peas in a rich brown sauce. Once the cart is rolled out, the main dish is set on a sizzling skillet and mixed, causing an aromatic steam to billow from the plate. The smell was amazing and the combination of the meats and veggies were delicious. A definite crowd favorite. I give it two chopsticks up for its taste and affordable price of $16.

For round three, I tried the widely popular General Tsos Chicken. The chef takes tender chunks of crispy chicken and mixes it with a tangy, thick garlic sauce. The plate is garnished with sauteed broccoli, sliced oranges and red peppers. The chicken was sweet and fragrant and absolutely divine. It had flavors of orange, apricot and deep plum with a touch of heat on the finish. Heres the best part: its gluten-free because the chef uses a tempura breading that is made with a cornstarch base. The price of this entree is $10.95. Its officially my new favorite Chinese entree! Special thanks go out to Mary and my waiter, Matt, who was attentive, professional and knowledgeable.

If you decide you want to take food home with you, Ming Dynasty provides take-out that is fast and affordable. Call 752-7111 or order online at http://www.mingdynastygreenville.com.

Ming Dynasty is the kind of place that will keep you coming back, where you feel at home as soon as you walk in. Once you have eaten there and enjoyed the food, service and experience, you will frequent this little gem that truly shines.

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