The South China Chinese buffet and restaurant is open six days a week for lunch and dinner.
South China is a Gulfport institution.
The small buffet with red and yellow lanterns and tanks full of beautiful fish is the coast’s worst-kept secret for good Chinese food at an affordable price.
No matter what day of the week, if you walk around southern China for lunch, the dining hall is always full. But the small buffet menu items never seem to run out either.
For just $11.50 at lunch or $12.50 at dinner, customers can enjoy over two dozen menu options, including egg soup, fried rice and noodles, chicken wings, nems and dishes including chicken, beef and prawns.
I discovered South China in 2012 when I returned to the coast from Hattiesburg. Since I started eating there, no other Chinese buffet will do.
My favorites at the buffet are General Tso’s chicken (not too sweet, not too spicy) and crab wontons. There’s also a regular menu if a buffet isn’t your thing.
The only thing I miss, though, is Mrs. Susie. She ran the restaurant for decades and was known for making conversation and making sure the kitchen kept food fresh and full.
Mrs. Susie retired during the pandemic, but the buffet is still the same: affordable, delicious and unique, and the restaurant staff are friendly and attentive. If you haven’t been to southern China in a while, take this as your sign.
If you go to South China restaurant
Address: 548 Courthouse Road
Phone: 228-896-9832
Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday
This story was originally published July 29, 2022 5:50 a.m.
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