Chef Ping in Rolling Meadows makes eating well easy
When a Chinese restaurant is packed to the gills by 6 p.m. on a Saturday, you know you're in good hands.
Located on Algonquin Road in Rolling Meadows, Chef Ping serves as a welcome reprieve from the chain establishments predominating the area. And open just two months, the restaurant already draws a big crowd.
Banking on 30 years in the restaurant business, the Jiang family knows a thing or two about service and speed. Throughout our stay, dishes arrive promptly and our small teacups are refilled like clockwork.
Comfortable and spacious, the ambience relies on the ease of a large open area filled with contemporary, square wooden tables, flanked by two rows of brown leather booths. Shimmering, gold-painted walls and slightly subdued lighting blend a family-friendly aesthetic with a hint of intimacy suitable for couples.
Noise remains at a reasonable level, and attentive staff members - from the gentleman host who greets and seats us, to our quick-as-a-flash waitress in green apron - demonstrate the art of successfully running a family dining business.
Likewise, the Szechwan-Mandarin cuisine doesn't miss a trick. From scratch and ample in size, the soups, salads, appetizers and entrees echo the mantra of Chinese food: eat well and with many.
Menu items lean toward the usual Chinese culprits of seafood, chicken, duck, pork and beef, with pad thai sprinkled in. And the secret Chinese menu (not secret, just all in Chinese) reveals why Chinese folks flock here.
We start with crab Rangoon and egg drop soup. The soup, which we ask to share, arrives within minutes, with an extra bowl and spoon. We dig into the nourishing, juicy broth with celery, egg and tofu cubes. It's conspicuously more home style (and less salty) than other versions I've tried.
Next up are our large golden brown crab Rangoon pockets on a platter. We dip them in a mix of spicy mustard and sweet and sour, savoring the gooey mixture of cream cheese and crab in a flaky, crispy exterior. The only downside: not enough crab.
Because I can't resist trying something from the mysterious Chinese menu, I opt for the cold eggplant salad. Roasted eggplant tossed in sesame oil, chilies and garlic proves to be authentic and delicious.
The pad thai is good - not a wow, but solid nonetheless. My heaping platter of Chinese broccoli drizzled with oyster sauce and served with a side of sauteed bean curd looks fitting for a small family, not just me. Bean curd contains a hint of ginger, and along with the steamed rice and soft, hot broccoli, dishes up comfort.
For dessert, ice cream feels like an appropriate finish. My companion finds the chocolate mogee ice cream balls odd, as he's not accustomed to the sticky rice exterior. "It's not gelato," he notes. I take a taste and agree: It's not gelato, and pleasantly so. It's light, and the combination of the rice coating and melting ice cream creates a pleasant texture on the tongue.
My scoop of green tea ice cream turns out to be heavy on the green tea flavor, rather than overtly sweet - just the way I like it. Dense, thick and creamy, it - like everything else I've eaten at Chef Ping - is quickly devoured.
Chef Ping
1755 Algonquin Road, Rolling Meadows, (847) 981-8888, chefping.com
Cuisine: Chinese and Pan-Asian
Setting: Contemporary, family-friendly
Price range: Entrees $7.50 to $45
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.
Accepts: Reservations, major credit cards
Also: Free parking