Ping's Seafood

[windycity]

The last couple of times I've gone, the food has been less fresh and the seafood, which I love because it's the freshest that I've had at a dim sum place, was not good. Has anyone else noticed this occurrence? I hope it's only me. I am going again tomorrow cos I'm giving it one last chance.

[bard]

I went for lunch last week and was very disappointed. I think the economy is just too tough for Ping's.

[scoopG]

Chef/Owner Chuen Ping Hui has basically retired - not even sure if his wife Nancy is even around there anymore.

[windycity]

Thanks - good to know. I actually started eating here about 2 years ago and it was amazing and fresh. In the past few months the decline has just become unacceptable.

[david sprague]

that's a shame. loved pings in the past but have not been in over a year. when i hear a chorus of downhill claims, as opposed to a lone gunman, it hits home. and it makes me sad when it happens to a place i enjoyed

[Peter Cherches]

I started going there in 2002, and for a while it was my favorite Chinatown spot, but I found the decline started 2 or 3 years ago. I wonder when Ping hung up his toque.

http://petercherches.blogspot.com

[kim e]

i completely agree. it used to be my go-to place back in 2001, but it's just been getting worse and worse.

[DarthEater]

And funny thing was I went to try it based on the recommendations on this board. I was left with doubts about Chowhound and the posters who praised it then.

[Peter Cherches]

Yeah, the problem is that yesterday's gem could become today's zonk in a flash with the change of a chef, owner, or business approach.

[bearmi]

Exactly! In regards to DarthEater's comment about having doubts about the comments, I can certainly relate to that. My philosophy is that since taste is often a matter of personal preference, I usually take all the recommendations with a grain of salt, whether they are good or bad. A lot of times we won't know if we really like a place or not until we personally visit the restaurants to experience the food ourselves.

I would say the recommendations here are good "references" but we will have to try the restaurants ourselves and be the final judges.

[Chandavkl]

Good examples in reverse over the years would be Dim Sum Go Go, Red Egg and Chinatown Brasserie, where mixed early comments left me skeptical but going there in person convinced me that these places were good.

[susan robin]

I think it has gone way downhill. Have had some decent shrimp and chive dumplings but agree re freshness of the fish.

[financialdistrictresident]

Thanks for the report windycity. I only went to Ping's once for dim sum and switched to Jing Fong (thanks to posts by hounds).

[bearmi]

I am sorry to hear about your experience. I was never impressed with their food or their service. Maybe you can try some of the other dim sum places recommended by fellow chowhounds.

[DarthEater]

I've dismissed their dim sum completely. Mushy shrimp har gow, cold chicken feet, waterlogged on most items and deep fried items were no longer crispy but cold. We spit out most of the items and complained but they didnt seem to really care. I went on a Friday high noon time.

[kobetobiko]

Agreed. Their quality went significantly downhill a few years ago. Particuarly dim sum. I always wondered why it was still so crowded at dim sum time.