Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen

The steam pork dumpling where great I come from Hong Kong do I know what good dumpling are they reminded me of when I was a little girl. The beef spicy soup I didn’t really car for it was bland and spicy .They do add a service charge to the ticket.

Food is quite good for the price, but the service really sucks, even for a Chinese restaurant.
They treat you more like cattle than like people, so as long as you’re ok with that, then it’s one of the better Chinese restaurants in midtown.
An example: The last time I went, they assigned us to a shared table (the norm, because the dining space is very limited), which was very cramped on both sides. As we were sitting down, I saw another less cramped table open up, so I asked if we could move there, and the guy replied in a very impatient tone that it’s for the next party in line. Then at that moment yet another (again less cramped) table opened up, so I asked again, and this time the guy scolded me, shouting at me to either sit at the table that was assigned or go back and wait at the end of the line.

It was surprising that the review of this place is not so good. By taking a closer look at these one-​star/​two-​star comments, I found out that first, they are almost all from local citizens, second, the bad reviews are mostly based on the automatically charged 15% service fee and crowded dining environment. Or people just think pay more than $ 5 for a meal of Chinese food is just not worthy.
However, not so much bad reviews are related to the taste of the food. I have to say, the pan fried dumplings (sheng jian bao) are among some of the best that I can find in NYC, including flushing area. The noodle soup is exactly what you will find on the street of China. So for people who come from China and really miss the taste of your hometown, or local citizens who are are willing to have authentic Chinese street food experience and dont mind the dining environment (that’s pretty much what you will experience in local small Chinese restaurants also), come here.

Best name for a restaurant in NYC? Perhaps. Great food when you’re in a rush to see a Broadway show? Definitely, as long as you get there early enough!
Luckily, the beau and I were just headed to see «Fun Home» one block up and one block over, but there are very few non-​touristy eating options in that part of town, in my opinion. (Nah, nah, T.G.I. Friday’s just won’t cut it. Ha!) Arriving around 5:45 on a Wednesday evening, seats were empty, but by 6 p.m., there was a small line waiting outside the door. Noted to have some of the best soup dumplings in the city, the beau and I opted for fried pork dumplings, and they were delicious and crispy! (Next time, I’ll get the soup dumplings, for sure!) I opted for the beef ramen for dinner. This ramen isn’t akin to what you’d expect as an Ippudo or Totto fan; this soup is more akin to a phở or a big bowl of hand-​pulled noodle soup at Lam Zhou. Though I found the broth to be a tad lacking in the flavor department, a little soy sauce solved that issue. The noodles were excellent, the beef was tender, and the cilantro was liberal. I honestly can’t remember what the beau ordered; something with beef and noodles. Haaa. So much for my memory, eh? All I know is that he loved it and was raving about the slightly spicy sauce, also tinged with cilantro.
This restaurant is definitely on my radar, and like I said, those soup dumplings will definitely call me back another day! I can’t wait to go back and try them.

Asian food in midtown sucks! Asian food in Hell’s Kitchen is good only when the cuisines are Thai or Japanese. I’ve tried many times with many businesses and this has just become a fact. With this well known fact at heart I didn’t think I’d be a fan of Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen. (Oh, what a name!) I am a fan though!
When a delivery order of their soup dumplings didn’t disappoint, I knew I had to stop in. Let me first make this comment on their delivery. I ordered soup dumplings… xiao long bao… kung fu steamed dumplings. The skin isn’t excessively thick, yet somehow the dumplings held their soup even when delivered. That’s really frickin’ impressive! I’ve been in the shop a few times now and I’ve tried a variety of items: soup ramen, fried ramen, buns, dumplings, scallion pancakes, etc. I’ve liked just about everything I’ve tried, but haven’t loved anything enough to come out of my way to eat here. I work near here, so I will happily come after work and that’s it.
Prices are much higher than what I’m accustomed to paying for this type of food, but we are in midtown (not Chinatown, Flushing or Elmhurst) so it makes sense. Cards are accepted. A 15% «service charge» is automatically charged to your bill as gratuity regardless of payment method, but they still leave a note of suggested gratuity ON TOP of the total bill that already included their auto-​gratuity. That’s a bit shady. I do expect gratuity to be automatically added when I come with a group, but coming in as a pair I would at least expect some sort of notice that this would be standard practice on every bill… a sign on the wall, a note on the menu. I don’t see anything. Shady. Service has been good for the most part so at least the tips are well-​deserved.

Wish there had been pictures on the menu, because what I ordered was very surprising to receive. I ordered pork buns and crab meat buns, expecting them to come in those fluffy buns (like the mushroom buns, which were the only good thing I got). But instead I got basically dumplings. Again, maybe my fault because I didn’t know what I was ordering, but it would’ve helped to see a photo.
Next time I’ll check to see if any customers have posted photos. In the meantime, I’ll post some of my own.
Food came, literally, from across the street, and yet was fairly cold. Scallion pancakes were tasteless. No soy sauce or other sauce was included. Don’t think I’ll be back.

eat here if: you’re short on time before theatre; you don’t mind getting up close and personal with neighbors; you want something greasy and comforting.
I’ve been a couple of times and for the theater district, I’m okay with the prices. The duck buns are my guilty pleasure — they’re sweet and greasy and rich — I wish you could buy them one at a time because two feels like too many for one person (and I’m often eating with the vegetarian husband). The noodles aren’t traditional Japanese ramen, as others have mentioned, but rather Chinese hand-​pulled noodles, which is fine, as long as you aren’t expecting Japanese ramen. I prefer the buns and dumplings to the noodles after trying both the cold and stir-​fried versions. The soup dumplings seemed about the right thickness to make it to my spoon without breaking, but still feel delicate. Eat them fast so that they won’t stick to the paper and break (my technique is to bite off the top bit, suck out most of the soup, then put the whole thing in my mouth — do not attempt on first date).

3.5 stars
If you’re looking for Japanese style ramen, this is not your place. This place serves up Chinese la mien, which is different but just as wonderful as Japanese style ramen.
I ordered the beef ramen for pick up– I had heard stories of people waiting for long periods of time for lunch (when I went to go pick up, I saw some groups waiting outside in the rain!) Upon entering, it was PACKED (the stories are true!!)
The Beef Ramen was delicious– the broth was not too salty, simple and tasty. The noodles were chewy and firm (because life is too short for soggy noodles!) Top it all off with bokchoy, cilantro, green onion and flavorful slices of beef. They were not stingy with the slices of beef!
Will come back for the beef scallion pancakes (But only after payday because this place is a little pricier than you’d expect)

The food here is alright, I would argue that there are better options for Chinese in Midtown. I ordered the shrimp and okra soup dumplings and the popular beef noodle soup for delivery.
The soup dumplings came completely broken! Understandably good soup dumplings should not have thick skins and that deliveries can be shaky, but I was so sad to see everything broken upon opening the take out box. They tasted fine but probably would have been a lot better if I ate at the restaurant.
As for the beef noodle soup, I thought it was alright. As a huge fan of trying beef noodle soups from different parts of China /​Asia, I would rank this near the bottom. The broth was very thin; it didn’t lack in flavor but just not as savory as I would have liked. The beef was the thinly sliced cut commonly used in five-​spiced beef. There was a generous portion, which was nice, but personally I prefer the more savory beef brisket /​roasted beef chunks in my beef noodle soups. The noodles were very chewy and definitely a highlight of the meal.

Be careful to tell them if you want to eat things one at a time. Otherwise like me everything will arrive quickly and your soup dumplings will get cold. When I was surprised waitress said «In China all food arrives when ready.» I wanted to say that I’m in NYC and I’m not Chinese.
More importantly they add a 15% gratuity automatically. I’m sure some don’t realize and over/​double tip!
Not a good practice/​probably takes advantage of tourists!
Food was good but nothing special.

Upon entering. I was mystified as to why a Chinese restaurant would include «Ramen» in its title. Then I saw the name written in Chinese, and I’m like, oh, this restaurant was probably named by Google Translate. Lol.
As it is, the eponymous «ramen» was far from the highlight of my visit. We had ordered the stir-​fried variety with pork. On the whole, the dish seemed very oily.
The «steamed buns,» however, came off far better. The shengjian bao tasted nearly as good as those I’ve had in China. And, just like any authentic «bao» and just like what she said, be very careful of the squirting. Their xiaolong bao worked just as excellently with a flavor unadorned by spices but which relies on the meat to carry the flavor.
As the cherry on top, the restaurant seems to continuously play a documentary on the founding chef’s origins in China. It was pretty entertaining.
Summary: Kung fu level squirting.

I ordered delivery and it came within 30 mins. Perfect for a night in!
I’m not sure what the negative reviews are about, but even with delivery my meal was still pretty awesome. Everything arrived at a decent temperature and my pancakes were still crispy!
Eats.
+ Shrimp Veggie and Pork xiao long bao — aka soup dumplings. Some pieces came open but each one was still juicy. There was a good balance of shrimp pork and veggies in each one. They were better than I expected, but probably because the reviews were so negative about them. I really don’t think they’re horrible, but I also haven’t tried many of the other popular places. 6 pieces for ($ 9.95).
+ Beef scallion pancake. It was good, but not great! It was still crispy when I had it (and I had it delivered) so I’m happy! Pretty filling though. $ 6
— Duck buns. I was really excited about these since I love Peking duck — but these were just OK. I was hoping for bao buns instead, but one bun satisfied my craving. $ 6.95 per order (which includes 2).
I’d definitely order again if I’m in the area — I went to Joe’s Shanghai and thought the soup dumplings here were better!

Best dumpling spot in the area. Our party of 8 waited 30 mins for a table. Its not the best dumpling spot in the world, but the affordable option and quick service is a plus. The pork soup dumplings came out steaming hot and it didn’t taste frozen. Broth tasted fresh, not salty, bursting with flavor. The scallion pancake was average nothing special. Beware place is tight and they have servers for every table it seems. You might feel closterfobic with the tight seats and the servers are trained to take your plates as soon as your done. I’ll be back to try their other dishes.

Absolutely killer dumplings. I think these are the best soup dumplings I’ve EVER had. Perfect proportion of delicious filling, dough is also nicely wrapped and not too thick. Food arrives quickly and prepared just for you. I think the food here is way better than Shanghai Joe’s, and a lot less insanely crowded.
Everything was wonderful, the interior is small, but not too crowded or hectic which is a nice departure to the busy street outside.
Ramen looked good, but I’ll probably only ever have the awesome dumplings here.

Food here is really subpar and a bit overpriced for the quality and flavor. It doesn’t live up to the price tag on each dish. I would come back for the XLB but with that I would still have to think twice about because of the service.
Our waitress had a bit of an attitude (it’s the girl with the backwards hat on and glasses) it seems like she was annoyed to take our order. During the time I was there she was training another waitress on serving and while the new trainee was doing something wrong, the mean girl with the hat was yelling at her in Mandarin infront of all the customers. Which was quite inappropriate.

Knowing that we had a 7pm show of «Fun Home,» I had to find an eating place that was relatively close to the theatre and could get us in and out fast. Thanks to Unilocal Kung Fu our bellies were full and we made it to the theatre in plenty of time.
After we were seated promptly, we ordered knife cut noodles with pork, xiao long bao, and Shanghai Dumplings. The noodles and XLB came out fast, within 10 minutes. I loved the chewy texture of the noodles, but unfortunately they lacked flavor. (They just tasted like soy sauce.) The XLB were fantastic! So much flavor and juice!
Last to come out (it took the advertised 20 minutes), were the Shanghai dumplings. I’ve had this variety at a few San Diego restaurants, but this one was the very best. They were perfectly steamed and pan fried. Like the XLB, watch out for abundance of hot juice coming out!
Unlike many establishments that I’ve encountered in the Asian restaurant mecca of San Diego (Convoy/​Kearny Mesa), the service here was fantastic! I never had to ask for water (as they came around to refill at least three times), and they were fast!

After hearing from a friend that the chef here makes his own noodles (which you could see from the dining room), I knew I had to try it (add on the fact that they have soup dumplings and there was no question).
My friend and I arrived around 6:45 on a Wednesday evening and were seated immediately.
We decided to split everything, and ordered: Pork soup dumplings, scallion pancake with beef, vegetable dumplings, house special ramen stir fry
Service was efficient and food came out as it was ready.
I was surprised that the noodles in the ramen weren’t that memorable at all. I guess making the noodles by hand didn’t really make a difference to me. The scallion pancakes were fantastic (if not too many scallions). The beef was really tender inside the crispy pancake.
The pork soup dumplings were SOOOO good. Paired with some vinegar and I could have eaten 12 on my own. The vegetable dumplings were pretty good, if not a tad bland. I found I needed a bit of vinegar and/​or soy for these.
Overall, a really solid place in hell’s kitchen. I’d definitely be back for scallion pancakes and soup dumplings!
Note: $ 30 minimum on credit cards

Wandering the wastelands of Hell’s Kitchen, I stumbled upon Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen. To someone unaccustomed to true Chinese cuisine, Kung Fu very well might seem authentic. However, me being a Chinese native, my tastes are much more keen and Kung Fu sadly falls a bit short.
First of all, DON’T order the ramen here. Yes, while its true that the Chinese invented noodles, I have to hand it over to the Japanese who have perfected ramen. The ramen here looks EXACTLY like Cup Noodles, the noodles even have the same flat shape and consistency you would find in a Cup Noodles. Why blow $ 12 on a mediocre bowl of noodles when you can get something almost the same for 99 cents at any grocery store? Also, just by looking at how thin and clear the soup is I could tell that it was lacking in flavor.
Your best bet would be to order the dumplings here. The soup dumplings here thankfully they get right… the skin is the right thickness, and the pork inside was perfectly tender and so juicy.
The most comical order I made here were the Sticky Rice Shu Mai. First of all, there is no such thing in true Chinese dim sum. Sticky rice and shu mai are two DIFFERENT kinds of dim sum, and they are both served very differently. Sticky rice is always supposed to be wrapped in a banana or a lotus leaf. Shu mai are similar to dumplings except that the skin is much thinner, and the proportion of meat or shrimp is so much higher. But no matter what, at no point should the two be fused together! But that’s exactly what they did here. Tsk Tsk.
I really strive not to be a complainer, and that’s why I’ve given this place 3 stars. The dumplings are very good, comparable to the quality you would find in Chinatown, and despite my scalding critique at the sticky rice shu mai Frankenstein, they actually tasted quite good LOL.

There are good for midtown option. Yes, had better but I’m glad I have these options in midtown especially east and west both end! I don’t mind 15% tip already included on check but I wish they let their customer know. They don’t say anything and plus there is an additional line to add tip, at the end of the day if you don’t pay attention you will spending at least minimum 30% on tip! not cool. let the customer know. Then again, their service is not the best.
Another thing, ordering for delivery cost more than eating at the store. Can understand but the price of each dish increase at lease $ 1-​$ 4? If you order 3 dishes for delivery you will have $ 3-​$ 12 additional cost plus delivery tip… Just FYI.

Happened upon this place on a slight hungover Sunday late morning. Was so glad I did!!! I had some noodle dish and my husband had ramen, we shared soup dumplings. Everything was so delicious and I will return to try more dumplings! I thought I had ordered steam buns but wasn’t too upset when the soup dumplings came out. Very fast and attentive staff and clean atmosphere!

Extremely disappointed in this place. I’ve been ordering seamless from this place consistently over the last couple of months, as well as recommending it to coworkers and friends. Unfortunately today I realized that though the food is decent, the customer service is terrible here.
Upon my delivery today, the delivery man refused to give me my food and chose instead to scold me over the amount of tip which I gave him. This went on for 5 minutes, asking me if I spoke Chinese and continuing to rail on. He said next time the restaurant would refuse to deliver and would promptly cancel my order.
Save yourself some trouble and don’t order here, especially if you know Mandarin… lest you get yourself a long-​winded lecture in the middle of the work day from some random delivery man!

Everything is amazing from Kung Fu little buns. Delivery is prompt and they rarely break a soup dumpling.

Found this little spot after seeing a Broadway show nearby. You may be sharing a table with others in here which can be fun. Had pork soup dumplings, scallion beef pancake, and shrimp ramen. Excellent, fast, fresh, homemade. Very delicious and hit the spot. All under 30 bucks!

Hand cut noodles & xlb were winners. Duck buns too greasy. There was a line out the door but it moved decently fast.

Fast service, authentic flavor. I had the house ramen noodles and they were as good as any bowl I ever had in Taiwan or the Mainland.
Expect to pay about $ 10 – 12 per person for just the noodles. Add some steamed dumplings or cold appetizers and a meal for two will run around $ 35.

Wound up here after taking one look into Ippudo and seeing how many people were waiting. #nope. A short distance away, the place was pretty full which is always a good sign. And no frills! Ordered the house specialty ramen, pan fried pork dumplings and scallion pancakes. I was a little disappointed in the ramen — it looked wonderful but lacked in flavor. Some sriracha helped, but I was sad I needed it. The meat was also very, very fatty. My husband had the ramen with duck and almost every piece was fat or bone/​gristle. I do have to say that the hand-​pulled noodles in the ramen were fantastic — cooked al dente and not too gummy or thick.
Luckily the rest of the meal made up for the ramen. The scallion pancakes were perfect and not at all greasy and we asked for some hot tea and got a great tea that wasn’t too florally and was piping hot. The star of the show was clearly the namesake of the restaurant — the buns! We opted for the pan fried version and they were amazing. Cooked perfectly with a crisp pan fried bottom… Mmmm.
So, if you’re looking for great buns (haha) this is your place. Ramen — I’d look elsewhere.

Pure heaven. Every bite, every aspect. Handmade pulled noodles in the perfect broth. Light delicious steamed buns, perfection. Staff so friendly and inviting.

Anyone who chooses to spend more than $ 5 on Chinese food is an idiot– this makes me a bonafide idiot. For the location, this place is comparatively cheaper than going downtown to Chinatown or Flushing in Queens. If you’re restricted to staying within the Midtown and Hell’s Kitchen area then this is a decent option. I’ve never been a fan of paying $ 11 for soup dumplings when knowing already how much significantly cheaper it costs to make your own– sometimes I wonder if I should just stay home and do it.
But, the bars and lounges that I frequent are generally within blocks from this place, and so my friends and I choose to eat here out of convenience and not because the food is delicious. In fact, the food, compared to anything you find in Flushing, is quite mediocre. The noodle dishes do not taste any different from the stir fry noodles from the carts in Chinatown but are a 100% mark-​up. As for their soups, the broth is very bland and the toppings are basic. The beef roll appetizers are comprised mainly of the outside fried dough wrap and not very much meat. The soup dumplings (especially the crab soup dumplings) are decent. If I went back there, I’d probably make an entire meal out of the soup dumplings. Forget the noodle dishes and anything else on the menu.
The service is not very good here either. The orders came out very slow with moments where we had finished most of our plates and we were still waiting on other dishes to come out. Also, we had to ask for plates multiple times as the waiters kept forgetting.
And, my biggest pet peeve is why do they automatically charge a 15% service fee? We were a small party of 3. And they even have a separate tip line. For what? So you can accidentally tip another 15−20%?
Like I said before, if you are restricted to staying in the neighborhood then this would be a decent option– just order the soup dumplings and that’s all. We can all be idiots here. I would like to think that we’re still better off than going to Mr. Chow on 57^th or Joe’s Shanghai.

By far the best soup dumplings I’ve had in New York. I used to go to Joe’s Shanghai, but this place is so much better. I’ve also tried other things on the menu such as the fried pork buns, beef noodle soup, cucumbers, and pig ears. Everything served here is delicious and cooked to perfection — I also like how authentic the food seems. It doesn’t taste like there is tons of msg or weird spices added like a lot of Asian restaurants. Would highly recommend!
One thing to look out for is that the place is very small and there is almost always a wait when I go. My suggestion would be to going before you start feeling hungry and not to go with a large group of people.

Surprisingly good for a hole in the wall place. But note the 15% tip automatically charged on your bill before you pay!
Food: I got Beef Ramen which was delicious. The broth was savory, Bok Choy was fresh, beef was tender and juicy, and the hand pulled noodles were the right degree of chewy. Also got scallion pancakes which were crunchy and crispy. Finally, the soup dumplings were plump with soup and were highly authentic.
Value: each item was under $ 10! Great quality for little damage to your wallet.
Service: very quick to seat you (went at 9:30pm and was seated in 10 mins) and brought out our orders in less than 10 mins.
Ambiance: it’s pretty small and crowded, so it’s not somewhere you wanna stay long. but overall clean and suitable for quick/​casual dining.
Location: it’s between 48 and 49^th on 8^th Ave. So just a few blocks from the ACE trains at Port Authority or 50^th St CE trains.

This is the best Chinese restaurant within a 5 minute walking distance of Broadway shows. I come here every time before seeing a show and have never been disappointed.
Highly recommend the beef noodle soup and the xiao long bao. Prices are slightly on the high side, but the food is authentic and delicious. The pigs ears appetizer is not that great. Also, their takeout is super fast. Our food for a group of 3 was ready within 5 minutes, and this included xiao long bao.
Really recommend this place if you’re in the area!

Disclaimer: they automatically charge tip so pay attention and don’t get tricked into overpaying (rounding down on my 3.5 stars)!
Money aside, it makes me happy that there’s a soup dumpling place close by that’s not Joe’s. Great for those cold winter days. It has gotten pretty popular so come early (around noon) if you want to avoid the wait as the restaurant is pretty small.
They offer the typical pork and pork & crab dumplings. Both are delicious. My friends like to get the scallion pancakes but it’s a little too oily for me. I’ve tried one of their soup noodle and dry noodle dishes as well but will say that I will stick to the soup dumplings. The noodles weren’t bad but when I come here, I usually have a specific craving to satisfy :).

Unfortunately, I’ve had better. I had dinner on a weeknight and there were only two other tables of customers. The Little Steamed Buns were extremely hot and filled with hot water that would shoot out when I bit into them. The Beef Ramen was lacking in flavor and the texture of the beef told me it wasn’t great quality. I felt bad for not liking the food but something was wrong with everything I tried.
The service was good and attentive though. I sat near the front door so noticed quite a lot of people stop for pick-​up and several deliveries go out. Perhaps that means others enjoy this restaurant.

Well, first there is no ramen here. It is the Chinese hand pulled noodles. Unless the Chinese calls it ramen but I don’t think so. This restaurant along a corridor which I just don’t go to along the tourist path between Times Square and Port Authority.
The restaurant is a simple no frills here. Bench still seating and suspended with florescent lighting gives it the New York ambiance tourists seek for.
The night we went it was pretty crowded. It was mainly tourists hungry for Chinese food and didn’t want to wander down to Chinatown. The service was quick. We sat in at a cozy two seat along the wall next to the kitchen watching the guy slap and pulling the noodles, across from the bathroom, across from the POS machine.
We decided to try the house noodles and the steamed soup crab and pork dumplings. The noodles came out faster than we could blink. The noodles in a clear broth with some vegetables, shrimp and slices of Chinese spiced beef. As far as noodles go it was fairly decent. The steam dumplings were pretty good as well on par with the those found in Chinatown at ¹⁄₃^rd of the cost here.
It is pretty decent for the neighborhood serving no frills food with some authenticity.

Kung Fu Ramen will do to your hunger what Bruce Lee did to Kareem-​Abdul Jabbar in the seminal martial arts movies of the 1970s, «Enter the Dragon»: Beat it down without a trace of mercy and with an elegance not expected when seemingly outmatched by an opponent at first glance.
Don’t make the newbie mistake of thinking your order won’t satisfy and try to order a side of rice. Here, that’s for chumps. They don’t have one of the most common fillers you’d find at the likes of, say, Chipotle.
The pork soup dumplings offer a lethal combo move like something out of Mortal Kombat to disembowel the very idea of hunger. Molten hot, they are savory, slightly spicy and perfectly seasoned like a wonton with an attitude. Another reviewer suggests searching for proper eating technique, which might not be a bad idea, since an improper approach could lead to near-​boiling water shooting down your gullet. Avoid this by studying the utensils provided with your bamboo steamer: Tongs and a broad, flat-​bottomed spoon.
The perfect blend of heat, spice, salt and fat make it a perfect complement to a winter afternoon. Just be sure you note the 15 percent service charge added to the bill.
Come hungry.

I don’t mind this place being a little small and having them make us sit next to strangers as we eat. What I do mind is the attitude that the waiters have. They literally slam the menu in front of us. They’re all so impatient and rude when taking orders.
The only saving grace is the steam buns which actually is good. Hence why they got 2 stars. Unfortunately I won’t be returning here despite the good buns. *edited: one star because I taste a lot of msg afterwards. mouth is parch now.
FYI the ramen is not actually traditional Japanese ramen but Chinese hand pulled noodles thrown into a Japanese bowl with boy Choy and whatever ramen bowl you ordered.

Thank you Shake Shack for having a ridiculously stupid long line that flowed outside the full length of the restaurant. Thank you Pat F., oh that’s me…, for using your instincts and saying to yourself, ‘self, there has to be something better in the vicinity that I can find to eat.’ So, as I continued to walk about three blocks north away from SS I hit this little ramen shop that looked like a perfect spot before heading over to a Unilocal on Broadway event.
The little restaurant only had a few tables occupied, I checked out the menu and me, myself and I decided this is where dinner will be had. By the time I ordered my Steamed Pork Buns all the surrounding tables were filled. I thought to myself, ‘self, I think this is a hot spot, don’t you think? Not only were there several dine-​in customers but there were also orders being picked up one after the other. Perfect choice we thought to ourselves, I mean, myself… you know what I mean.
Anyway, my first Xiao Long Bao experience was only once, countless years ago at Joe’s Shanghai in midtown. Honestly, I can barely remember how they tasted as it was more of figuring out how to not scald my mouth and not make a mess… was way too focused on skill and my dining companions for me to even remember what anything tasted like. Anywho, once I got my steaming steamed buns it was like riding a bike, my muscle memory skills kicked in and I made the smart decision to pierce open each bun carefully as to not spill out all of that flavorful soup, used my tongs, slid bun on soup spoon carefully and slurped away… ahhh!!! That first slurp put a smile on my face as I mentally gave myself a pat (no pun intended) on the back for following my instincts.
Thank you self and of course Kung Fu Little Steamed Buns Ramen for filling my belly with your yummy Shanghainese cuisine. If in the area, we, I mean I, will definitely be back!!!

Summary: A lot of great Shanghai dishes, but the name is misleading on what to order. Clean and fast turnover. A great Chinese entrant into the Hells Kitchen Restaurant scene.
Atmosphere: It would be wrong to say this place feels like Chinatown inside. It actually is the same chairs and tables you see on all the dive joints up on 8^th avenue, whether pizza, hispanic food, or just flat out dive. It is quite clean though and Asian serviceware they use is actually nicer and classes up the otherwise fairly divey décor. The TV faces the outside, to entertain those that are waiting, i.e. outside… take note in winter.
The Service: Fairly quick, though surprisingly unaware you need them given the size of the place. The guy who does the hand pulled noodles can be seen from the dining area. It’s quite a loud process, think someone demo-​ing a wall. It’s interesting if you’ve never seen it before.
The food: The name of the restaurant is actually pretty funny as they don’t serve ramen (it’s actually La-​mien aka pulled noodles) and it’s not a Japanese place, it’s Shanghainese technically. I mean, they could have leaned into irony and also named it Kung Fu Ravioli Kung Fu Gnochi, Kung Fu Spaghetti, you get me here.
Here’s what you actually should consider:
1) Stir-​Fried Noodles. The $ 1 La-​mien is worth it if you haven’t had la-​mien before. I tried the sausage, which is better translated hot dog. not bad, actually. The Beef one is pretty good and as other said, it’s not the best cuts of mean. Hence, the subtraction of a star. The Egg one is pretty good, but sweet. 4 stars.
2) Shanghai Dumpliings. These are pretty good, though the thickness of skin can really vary. The Pork and Crab meat dumplings taste delicious and are the ones all the Chinese folk are getting. I’m giving it 5 stars because it is the best soup dumpling without going to Chinatown and even then it would compete well. I prefer these dumplings to the Midtown Joe’s Shanghai. Still tough comps against downtown Joe’s Shanghai though.
3) Scallian Pancakes with Beef. Wow. this is fantastic. If you only got one thing, this would be it. 5 stars
4) Cucumber Salad. I prefer the Szechuan version of this. It’s well executed, but could ferment a little longer 3 stars.
I really think they eventually should figure out a way to offer rice as a side dish for some of their entrees that do not have noodles. As for a name change, it’s tough at this point, but possibly if they open a second location, try to name your restaurant in line with what you want people to order.
I do think they are going to need to work on their soup base and just get better on a few of the dishes. Will definitely be back/​try take out to try the rest of their dishes.