Min Chef (民厨) is a pseudo-老北京 (Lao Beijing) restaurant that serves quality variants of authentic Northern Chinese food.
Edit3: 民厨 has re-opened as of the latter part of September, 2020!
They have a humble website that I wish had their menu in Chinese. But, that’s a minor quib. In my less-humble opinion, Min Chef is probably one of the best Chinese restaurants in California (and by extension, Los Estados Unidos). The chef, whose name I should get at some point, puts a personal flair on traditional 老北京 (Lao Beijing) dishes that are familiar as comfort food for blue-collar Beijingers, such as 炸酱面 and 炸灌肠儿 (note the all important 儿). The prices are not 老北京 cheap, but the prices are usually not in Beijing proper either, and hey, the chef has got to make a living and some of the stuff his team makes is in short supply, even in Southern California.
I really hope that Min Chef (along with every other Mom and Pop, of course) is able to economically ride out the COVID-19 pandemic. If you come across this page on my website and live in Orange County, CA, please consider patronizing the restaurant (via carry-out).
Edit: NOOO, they are not taking carry-out orders at this point and are closed; there is a padlock securing their door. I hope they can re-open someday.
Edit2: As of July 2020, they still have not reopened. I hope they are not permanently closed. For the time being, I am getting my Northern Chinese food from Tai Chi cuisine in Irvine, which has been a consistently solid establishment over the past few years. Tai Chi has 煎饼果子.
Edit3: Repeat, Min Chu re-opened in September of 2020! Huzzah! Now, go patronize that restaurant! Also patronize Tai Chi, too!
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