A New Beginning

Ms. Lin Chinese Restaurant

Location: 59 Main St. Millburn, NJ 07041
Phone: 973-912-8838
Offers: Dine-in, Take-out, Delivery, Catering   
Cuisine: Chinese Cuisine
Signature Dishes: Sesame Chicken, Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp w. Ginger & Scallion
Year of Establishment: 1995
Website: www.mslinmillburn.com

Once a time-honored restaurant in New Jersey, Ling Ling Chinese Restaurant has now been renamed Ms. Lin Chinese Cuisine after coming under new management. John Shi partnered with head chef Xinchun Liu, took it over this year. Not just changing the name, they have improved on the restaurant in hopes of taking it to an even higher level of excellence. 

John has had to face the dilemma of how to maintain the restaurant’s past glory while improving upon the restaurant. Like the owner before him, he has eschewed the traditional way of forcing cheap-priced mediocre dishes on customers in favor of going high end. He has done this by making sure the restaurant offers fresh, healthy and authentic dishes; keeping a stable team of skilled employees; and third, providing amiable and friendly service.

Deeply steeped in the philosophy of “fresh, healthy, and authentic,” Ms. Lin’s provides an extensive menu that is rooted in the aroma and flavor of Asian delights, including Sweet & Sour Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Beef with Broccoli, Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp w. Ginger & Scallion and a vast array of healthy selections. John insists on choosing the fresh ingredients available, and purchases locally grown vegetables because they are guaranteed to be fresh. There is a principle that is strictly followed in Ms. Lin’s is that they never use any canned veggies.

“If the ingredients are not good enough, we will replace them with better ones, even if they are much more expensive to buy.” explains John.

Healthy Offerings
Nowadays, restaurants are paying more attention to the food they offer. John knows this and is delighted that customers are becoming more health conscious. “They care a lot about their health, and we do too, so we offer a lot of light dishes.” Based on an extensive research conducted into what constitutes healthy dining, John redesigned the menu to include more healthy options classified in different categories, including brown rice, gluten free food, steamed, grilled, plain sautéed, and fresh veggies. In addition, he promises to use transfat-free and cholesterol-free canola oil.

“Actually, Chinese cuisine is tasty and also healthy and nutritious,” says John.

Having grown up eating his mother’s home cooking, John knows that Chinese cuisine, when done correctly is a wonderful concoction of color, aroma, flavor, and presentation. Not content with this, John goes a step further, trying to energize classic dishes by preparing them with healthier cooking methods.

Some Americans believe that all Chinese cuisine is greasy, packed with fat, and loaded with calories. But that isn’t true for the offerings at Ms. Lin. The staff prepares dishes in a healthy way by steaming or boiling them long enough to ensure great taste while preserving the nutrients. Erroneously thought of as a killer of taste, boiling and steaming are actually great cooking methods when utilized correctly.

Plain-sautéing is a traditional Chinese cooking method that many Chinese kitchens use, and also serves as a better way to deliver the customers healthy offerings, besides the usual steaming or boiling the dishes. All sautéed dishes are lightly seasoned and sautéed with fresh ginger, garlic and scallion, which further imbued a home-style feel to many of the dishes, such as the highly recommended Sautéed Jumbo Shrimp with Ginger and Scallion. A bit of chopped ginger, garlic and scallion would add an utterly refreshing layer of flavor to the dish. Adding in fresh vegetables and light sauces also helps create tastes so delicious, that even the pickiest customers can’t help but give them a try.

Besides that, Ms. Lin has healthier versions of common entrées including Beef with Broccoli, General Tso’s Chicken and other classics. The small open kitchen is staffed with a chef, cook and several kitchen assistants. Their culinary magic skills are on display everyday as they slice, chop, and sauté ingredients—transforming them into delicious dishes bursting with flavor. Ms. Lin’s chef always has something up his sleeve and is eager to take on the challenge of entertaining the palates of even the most demanding customers.

As a veteran businessman, John has worked in a number of industries. This experience has enabled him to really understand how to run a tight ship. He stepped back from the situation and took an objective look at what kind of improvements could be made to the restaurant without alienating its existing customers.

Same Team, More Focus
John kept the old staff, but decided to inject the restaurant with some much needed vitality by adding new management. Although the original restaurant was already a neighborhood favorite, John believed that it could be transformed into something even greater. He chose to blaze out a new path, aiming to keep the regulars while bringing in more newcomers.

Change is definitely the theme; you’ll see it in every corner of the restaurant. The menu has been updated; new dishes have been launched; old equipment has been upgraded; and the restaurant has been remodeled. So what do customers think of the restaurant’s new look? The deafening praise the restaurant already received before has grown louder and the restaurant is now listed as being one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area.  

John believes that good service should come natural. “We treat customers just like we treat our friends, it is all about being genuine,” he reveals. When you step into the restaurant, you’ll see the cook busy whipping up meals. If you stand and watch for a bit you’ll see a kitchen “concerto” led by the clinging and clanging of dishes, its magnificence bolstered by food runners and waiters dashing around the restaurant. A bit noisy though, it is not in a chaos, and the occasional laughter and talk exuberating the restaurant otherwise adds a festive touch. Acting as Ms. Lin’s ambassadors, the staff are impeccably dressed and delight patrons with their good manners and can-do attitude.

In the recent Mystery dining report conducted by AboutFace Incorporation, Ms. Lin’s got a coveted score of 97.86. This assessment report is based on the overall performance, including décor and atmosphere, sanitation and cleanliness, food, and service, and serves as a testament in the 7th Annual Top 100 Chinese Restaurants in USA competition.   

With the concept of “fresh, healthy and authentic” having been instilled in the daily operations, along with the dedicated staff and customer-driven service, Ms. Lin’s has inherited the essence of the original restaurant and is poised to build upon its accomplishments.