"Dinner for Six" is my recommendations for Central Coast restaurants that at the same time provides you with a "prix fix" menu (for six) to sample if you should want to give the restaurant a first trial.  This will be an accumulative column until the length gets unwieldy.

Ming Dynasty

2011-E S. Broadway

Santa Maria, CA  93454

928-6881

For six:

Appetizers --

PotStickers (1 order of 6)

Mu Shu Pork (1 order with 2 extra pancakes; put these together at the table yourself)

Soup --

Hot & Sour Seafood

Entree, Sides --

Jing Hwa Chicken (1 order)

Fish Filet in Black Bean Sauce (1 order)

Mongolian Lamb (1 order)

Szechuan Eggplant (1 order)

[for spicy lovers: Kung Pao Shrimp]

Steamed rice

Ming Dynasty was my go-to restaurant when I lived in Santa Maria.  I don't get down there often enough now but I do stop there whenever I'l running SM errands.  The food is fresh, perfectly cooked and not glopped in sauces so typical of Chinese restaurants around here.  They do the best mu shu (shredded, wrapped in "pancakes") and kung pao (diced and spiced) dishes anywhere.

They offer a lunch buffet daily; it's good as far as buffets go. 

Say hi to Amy.