Kingsford Chinese restaurant, Kingsford @Not Quite Nigella

Kingsford Chinese restaurant, Kingsford

August 16, 2009 by Not Quite Nigella

When I was in Primary School we were asked to design a name and logo for an airline. I chose mine to be: “TBAITW” which stood for “The Best Airline in the World”. You see I was going for the luxury market. However the girl next to me chose a clever tactic and chose “Aardvark airlines” because she would be the first listing in the phone book and therefore easy to find. And I think when they were thinking of names for this particular restaurant, they rejected all the usual names for Chinese restaurants including “Golden”, “Lotus”, “Jade”, “Kingdom”, “Palace” or “Dragon”. I think they just though sod it, let’s just use Kingsford Chinese restaurant. People who are looking for a Kingsford Chinese eat will find us easily.

Complimentary soup

I’d heard about Kingsford Chinese restaurant by many. Mostly for the brusque service but delicious food. And despite the fact that we had almost dined here several times we were always lured somewhere else. And if you’ve been to Anzac Pardae in Kingsford, there is no shortage of somewhere elses with so many restaurants within the 2-3 block area it makes deciding hard. Tonight we’re dining with Rose and Ronald and lucky that we’ve chosen to eat early as it means that there is no problem getting a table. We choose 4 dishes that we’ve heard that they do well. Prices are fabulously cheap and you can get a rice or noodle and meat dish for $6.60. The complimentary soup is delicious.

Sang tung Chicken $11

The Shantung Chicken is a dish my mum made for us years ago. The first time we had it, we loved it but we soon tired of it. This one is very good though and it’s heady with garlic, lightly tinged with chili the crispy skinned chicken is lovely and crisp and juicy-almost as juicy as duck and the serving generous.

Salt and pepper calamari $9.80

I adore Salt and pepper calamari and will travel for a good version of it. This however isn’t, being dry and chewy. Disappointing as so many people had recommended it-perhaps the chef was having a bad night?

Honey King Prawns $14.50

Yes I’ve already admitted my love of these so now that I am “out of the closet” I will say that the serve of 12 honey king prawns isn’t bad although it isn’t as fluffy or crispy as Yong Jing’s honey king prawns next door where they also add sesame seeds for flavour and crispy noodles underneath for extra crunch plus they had a larger serving size of 17 prawns. Yes, we are the type that counts the prawns mainly because everyone loves them and we need to divide them among us.

Braised Green Beans with Malaysian Chili sauce $8.80

An enormous dish of gargantuan proportions, it heavily salted and not particularly chili like. The plate is plentiful and we only make the slightest dent into it between the four of us. I’m not sure if I am very taken by this as it’s so salty.

Fried rice $6.60

Dotted with plenty of extras including a mysterious ham like substance, it’s not too bad. Overall we have to say that we preferred other places but for $13.50 a person no-one’s complaining at all.

So tell me Dear Reader, what is the cheapest cost per person place that you’ve been to?

Kingsford Chinese Restaurant

426 Anzac Parade, Kingsford, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9663 1728
Open 7 days: 11am-11pm

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1. Simon | August 16, 2009 at 7:54 am | #

Looks like you went on a busy night. I’d occasionally go there for lunch where the service on the kitcen is somewhat easier going by comparison so my experiences are somewhat different.

For instance, the sang tung chicken you have looks like it was hastily slapped together. The salt and pepper squid usually is better than what you’ve described. I’ve always found that the seasoning was so good, I’d pick at the plate well after the squid had left the building.
2. Blond Duck | August 16, 2009 at 8:14 am | #

Did I ask you to be a creative woman of the Pond yet? I can’t recall…
3. Vita | August 16, 2009 at 8:16 am | #

Believe it or not, we went to Shanghai Nights agai on Friday. Completely stuffed – $11.75 a head!
4. Fiona | August 16, 2009 at 9:02 am | #

For some reason I always come out of a yum cha session better off than thought I was!
5. Anh | August 16, 2009 at 9:33 am | #

I love cheap thrill! My favourite is Mother Chu Taiwanese restaurant in Chinatown. It’s close to my place so I just walk there.
6. foodie-central | August 16, 2009 at 9:46 am | #

Aww too bad about the salt n pepper squid but isn’t the sang tung chicken one of the best? We also always get the peking pork ribs and kai lan in oyster sauce.
7. Em | August 16, 2009 at 10:07 am | #

We prefer to go next door to the Dong Dong, they are consistently good, whereas Kingsford Chinese is really hit and miss. Same pricing too, which kind of makes you wonder how they manage to turn a profit!
8. Katrina Smit-Eadie | August 16, 2009 at 10:35 am | #

The cheapest places I have been to so far are Canton House on Burwood Road in Burwood. Best prawn dumpling soup for under $7 and Golden Fang Chinese restaurant on City Road Broadway. Best value Chinese for under $20 + it is BYO.
9. Peter G | August 16, 2009 at 11:20 am | #

I do love simple “Chinese fare”…shame about the calamari! And I too also love Honey king prawns…all those memories from the 70’s!
10. Neil Lee | August 16, 2009 at 11:36 am | #

Hi

Thanks for the review. I am always looking for an excuse to head to the Kingsford (usually when my mum is in from NZ). I am sorry to hear you had a bad run with the salt and pepper squid. I have always found it to be crisp (but not dry) and tangy. I use it as my standard against all others are compared (and many sadly found wanting). I get the impression the squid, Sang Tung chicken and the beans are something of standard meal set – each time I go there are always two or three tables that have this combination arranged generously on tables and pushing bowls and teacups precariously to the side.
11. Betty | August 16, 2009 at 11:36 am | #

Haha. You count the prawns! That’s funny. One of the cheapest places I’ve been to would have to be Shanghai Night, or Thousand spices in Homebush – I love a cheap thrill
12. Faith | August 16, 2009 at 1:49 pm | #

A gorgeous spread of Chinese food! The Sang Tung Chicken looks amazing!
13. Ja | August 16, 2009 at 5:05 pm | #

Yes !!! All dishes you had are exactly same as mine.. They were all good and so cheap. I wish I will go there again soon.
14. Midge | August 16, 2009 at 9:24 pm | #

Those prawns ~ ! Sheer gorgeousness!
15. Madelin | August 16, 2009 at 9:31 pm | #

Thanks for the review! I’m headed to Sydney in December so will definitely be consulting your reviews beforehand lots of new places to try!
16. food.4.two | August 17, 2009 at 12:39 am | #

Hi NQN,

A shame about the S&P calamari that night. I have to say that this is the thing that lures us back to KCR (and the shantung chicken). Yong Jing’s is pretty darn good as well, and Dong Dong for it’s Spare Ribs with honey and black pepper.

Ok, now I’m hungry – looking forward to seeing more reviews!
17. Angela@spinachtiger.com | August 17, 2009 at 12:45 am | #

My one wish living in Nashville is to have one good Chinese restaurant that is sit down dining…the kind I grew up on in the Northeast US and then enjoyed much in Southern California. I can’t do Chinese buffets,especially when they have fried catfish (you would need to live in South US to understand that).
18. Palidor | August 17, 2009 at 12:47 am | #

Aww, that’s too bad about the salt & pepper squid. That’s the one dish I look forward to the most when I eat out.
19. Alice | August 17, 2009 at 11:15 am | #

Have you heard of webmenu.com.au?? As an Adelaide fan, i read you blog and plan my dining experiences for the next time i travel to Sydney!! but when i am home i use webmenu to read reviews and the menus of many many resturants before making a decision! As you can imagine, i spend so much time reading about the food, i end up dining late!! lucky im a night owl!! hope you enjoy the site as much as i do and can find some hidden gems to review in your neck of the woods!
20. Edge | August 17, 2009 at 7:01 pm | #

Hello! I’ve actually been here. Had the fish with ginger and it was yum!. There’s a chinese takeaway restaurant at Mascot called ‘I 8 Noodles’ along Botany road. They used to have a restaurant around Kingsford called Wong Shing Kee but closed now . Nevertheless this little gem is good enough! Not only cheap but the servings are big too. We go there for the combination chow mein and salt and pepper squid. x
21. Simon Food Favourite | August 17, 2009 at 9:31 pm | #

glad to hear you’ve finally made it to Kingsford Chinese and you’d had some of my favs from there http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com/2008/10/kingsford-chinese-restaurant-15-sept.html it’s a shame you found the S&P Squid a bit dry and tough. not usually like this. I enjoyed Golden Swallow tonite which do it well.
22. chopsticks | August 18, 2009 at 12:29 am | #

your photos are amazing! You must share with us your camera getup on your about page!
23. Andrew | August 18, 2009 at 5:59 pm | #

The Shan tung chicken is excellent. thanks for the reminder about this place – i haven’t been there in years.
24. Yas | August 18, 2009 at 11:37 pm | #

Hmmmm I love one of these quick & cheap chinese dinner

I used to visit Old Thanh Huong in Marrickville. Lemon grass chicken, and jelly fish salad. Hmmmmm.
25. Not Quite Nigella | August 20, 2009 at 9:43 am | #

Hi Simon-It was busyish but not crazy busy as we ate early. Perhaps the best chef wasn’t there on the night!

Hi Blond Duck-You didn’t but I’d love to be!

Hi Vita-Haha good on you and I don’t blame you. Don’t you love the price?

Hi Fiona-oh that’s fantastic!

Hi Anh-Me too Ahh yes they’ve got great little snacks for under $5

Hi foodie-central-I know, what a shame. yes it was pretty good Ahh peking pork ribs are fantastic, love those!

Hi Em-I love Dong Dong noodles. They have great tomato rice and chicken. Yes all those shops are very similar!

Hi Katrina-Ahh I have yet to discover Burwood. Oooh prawn dumpling soup for under $7? How fabulous! Thanks for the Golden Fang rec!

Hi Peter-Ahh yes they’re so retor but so good! I know honey king prawns are probably frowned upon but they’re good!

Hi Neil-You’re welcome! Yes I think that perhaps the best chef wasn’t there on the night What a shame!

Hi Betty-Of course! Doens’t everyone? Cheap thrills are great aren’t they!

Hi Faith-I love a good Chinese meal

Hi Ja-Haha how funny! I love trying all the different places on Anzac Pde.

Hi Midge-Yes a good, crispy honey king prawn is a wonderful thing indeed

Hi Madelin-You’re welcome! Oh fantastic and a good time to visit while it’s warm. That’s great, I hope they help!

Hi food.4.two-Yes it si such a shame Out of the three I prefer Yong Jing’s, then Dong Dong then KCR based on that night. There are plenty more Anzac Parade reviews

Hi Angela-Oh wow fried catfish at a Chinese buffet? That sounds very strange indeed!

Hi Palidor-Yes me too! I love S&P squid!

Hi Alice -Ah thanks for that!

Hi Edge-I remember Wong Shing Kee I think! What a shame it has closed. Good to know!

Hi Simon-Ah you see I’ve figured it out. You and I have different tastes and I didn’t really rate Golden Swallow’s S&P that highly Funny isn’t it!

Hi chopsticks-Thankyou so much. It’s a Canon EOS 450D

Hi Andrew-Ahh cool. Sounds like time for a revisit!

Hi Yas-Oh that sounds lovely. Hubby loves anything with a lemon grass flavour and a cheap eat
26. M | November 11, 2009 at 8:51 pm | #

NQN, when I eat at Kingsford Chinese, I like their black pepper chinese-style steak.. the meats are tender and just tasty!