Minhs Cantonese Restaurant, Tettenhall

Tettenhall High Street may not be the first place you think of when you are looking for some authentic and tasty Cantonese cuisine,

But it is well worth making the journey to enjoy some of the culinary offerings dished up at Minhs restaurant, which has been a fixture in the village since 2001.

From first glance you may not even realise it's a restaurant, with many visitors arriving to collect their meals from the busy takeaway service.

On this particular Sunday night, it seemed as though most had decided to collect and then eat at home but we instead ventured into the long, narrow restaurant which opens into two seating areas populated by a few families - including some young children trying out chopsticks for the first time - and groups of friends.

The friendly staff get their visitors onside straight away by whipping out a bowl of prawn crackers to munch on while the typically sizeable restaurant menu - different in content as well as price from the takeaway version - is perused.

Having tested many a prawn cracker in takeaways and restaurants across the city, and indeed the region, the ones dished up at Minhs are among the best; light, fresh and perfect for dipping.

Our taste buds duly tantalised, it was back to the menu which has plenty on offer for those looking for a typical Chinese meal as well as something a little different.

Starters ranged from deep fried chicken wings and salt and pepper ribs, both £4, to something for the more adventurous diner in the form of quail eggs stir fried with salt and pepper spices, onions and green pepper (£3.50 per egg).

In comparison, the vegetable spring rolls at £3 and tempura vegetables for £6.50 may seem somewhat more sedate starters, but they were remarkably tasty and I am happy to report that Minhs is one restaurant which doesn't scrimp on the sweet and sour sauce. In fact they were so good even the carrot crudities, which had been carved into flowers, were devoured, leaving the plates proudly empty when the waiter came to collect them.

The main courses included a similar mixture of the traditional and the unique.

There was a wide range of chow mein, fried rice and sweet and sour options as well as a few more unusual combinations. For as well as Peking duck with spring onions, cucumber, pancakes and Hoi Sin sauce (priced from £9 for a quarter through to £20 for a whole duck), there was a variation on a theme in the form of Peking Lamb, priced £9.

Or how about pan fried Dover Sole, with spring onion and soy sauce (£20), or chicken, beef or seafood casseroles (£9.50)?

Among the most popular dishes to come out of the kitchen were the dramatic sizzling plates, which had diners from other tables turning their heads enviously to see what was being served up.

Ranging in price from £8.50 to £9.50, there was an array of options from steak in black bean sauce to King Prawns in garlic butter and chicken fillets in Cantonese sauce.

Vegetarians don't have to miss out either, with the appealing option of a sizzling stuffed mushroom with black bean sauce.

The old favourite stir-fry roast duck in black bean sauce (£9) proved too tempting to resist and it was well worth the confidence shown in this classic thanks to a generous serving of duck and a delicious, but not overpowering, sauce to compliment the tender meat. It went perfectly with the egg fried rice (£2.50 per portion).

The fresh asparagus in garlic sauce proved another popular choice. The £6 price tag suggested a small portion, but it was big enough in its own right and a real delight as the asparagus, which can be difficult to get right, was nicely tender.

In the end, we didn't really need the stir-fry Chinese mushrooms (£4.50) which we had also ordered, but they were so nice that we just had to make room.

The final bill came it at a very reasonable £44.25, which included a crisp bottle of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc priced £12.50, and we left thinking that it probably won't be long before we return - either for a meal or to grab a takeaway.

ADDRESS

Minhs Cantonese Restaurant: 7 High Street, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton WV6 8QS

Phone: 01902 747 888 for bookings and takeaway orders