Obviously, there are far more options to choose from, but when I think of what to eat when in Cupertino, Taiwanese food is always the first thing that comes to mind. In a not so distant second would be Chinese food. So, in that sense, it's not all that shocking to come across a spot like MingKee Deli (even if the food is closer to Cantonese compared to the comparatively spicier Chinese restaurants around town). However, this still felt like a total gem of a find! Between how late it was starting to get and how they just so happened to specialize in the exact thing we were craving (jook/congee), it was as if the world was bringing us all together!
Now, while several of my fellow Yelpers have mentioned that parking in the complex can be a little tough, I've never had a problem immediately finding a space. That being said, both of my visits here were outside of peak dinner hours (after 8pm the first time, around 5pm the second), so I also might've just missed the dinner rush. Similarly, it wasn't all that busy inside both times I was here, which was great. You can order at the register by the door before taking a seat or you can order off your phone by scanning the QR code. As for the menu, it's not super varied (mostly made up of porridge, rice noodle rolls, and some dim sum items), but a lot of the dishes looked and sounded so enticing!
-- PRESERVED EGG & PORK PORRIDGE...$10
This was terrific! I wasn't feeling great the first time I came here, but this really hit the spot - it was so warm and comforting. Plus, not only was it just tasty, but the consistency was perfect and it had a fair amount of pork and preserved egg in this too!
-- SHRIMP RICE NOODLE ROLL...$8.50
Although the presentation may leave a bit to be desired (it looks like a messy pile), this was quite good! The noodles are very thin and look like they're just folded over, but they're still tender and the shrimp are juicy and plump. Yum!
-- CHINESE DONUT...$3.50
Nothing amazing, but pretty solid. Sadly, it came out more warm than hot, but it was still decently crispy and soft on the inside. Plus, I liked that it wasn't all that oily either.
-- BEEF BRISKET RICE NOODLE ROLL...$10.50
I assumed I would like this one better, but it actually wasn't as good as the shrimp roll. The sauce was super flavorful, but the noodles didn't absorb the flavors very well and the chunks of beef, while plentiful, could've been more tender.
-- FISH PORRIDGE...$12
Not too shabby, but not as good as the Preserved Egg & Pork. Mostly, I just thought it would have had actual chunks of fish, as opposed to fish balls. That being said, the fish balls were actually pretty tasty - not sure if it's homemade, but better than the generic fish balls you normally see.
One thing that MingKee does that I really like is that with every porridge order, they also give you a small dish with green onions and peanuts/crisps for you to add in. While not entirely necessary, it's still greatly appreciated, as many of the other places I've been to don't do the same. Also, I certainly didn't mind how fast the food comes out - both times I've been here, our dishes started to arrive not long after ordering!
While I wouldn't go so far as to say that MingKee is one of the best spots that Cupertino has to offer (there are so many more places for me to try!), I can't say I've experienced anything even remotely close to a complaint either. At the very least, their porridge is one of the better ones I've had and this place was such a great find for something warm and comforting for a relatively late dinner. Even though I've already been back a second time, I wouldn't say "no" to coming back to enjoy even more!
FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more