Ling Kitchen — Restaurant in Austin

My husband surprised me with a birthday reservation here, and it turned out to be one of my favorite restaurant experiences (top 3 for sure!).

Other folks have already shared pictures of the delicious food - so it should go without saying that the presentation is delightful and whimsical. I adored the playful little dumplings and lobster cream puff (it gave me Studio Ghibli vibes).

The food was delicious. My favorite was the Peking duck (I could’ve eaten 20 more servings of this); the meat was tender and flavorful, and the skin perfectly crispy. I usually prefer very thin crepes - like the ones from Bamboo House - but the buns were objectively fluffy and tasty (and cute). My husband loved the duck, ox tail curry, and lobster puff (I’ve been craving chewy textures so the mochi/rice flour-ness was perfect).

What made this such a memorable night, though, was the staff. They memorized our names, paid close attention to us, and constantly circulated to check if we needed anything. I absolute loved that the chefs would wander around and chat with all of us. We ended up having wonderful discussions about where they source their meat, where my husband and I can purchase said meats, and how we might improve our own cooking methods when it comes to Peking duck and Chinese crispy pork (烧肉). The chefs were very generous with their time and knowledge, and we never felt rushed despite being the last guests out the door that night.

What a wonderful birthday experience. I plan on recommending Ling Kitchen to every foodie friend I have, whether they live in...

We chose Ling Kitchen to celebrate a birthday. It was a dining experience that we will not forget. The staff were easy to communicate with and facilitate a food allergy, prior to arrival. Once you arrive, they will let you into a gated parking lot in the back. You will be greeted by the staff and shown to the front of the building where you will be received with champagne and tea. The dining room is one large family table directly in the kitchen.

The hosts will guide you through an exquisite 9 course tasting menu. The first 5 courses had a heavy seafood focus. Of these courses, the highlights were the seafood spread on top of a fried taro and the dumplings which had a delicious chicken filing accompanied by seafood. Moving on to the meat courses. The got better and better. The Peking Duck 2 ways that you turned into a bao slider was very good. The beef was cooked to perfection. It had a slightly sweet sauce, with a Thai basil pesto, and jellied fish and fried potato for texture. The main dishes concluded with our favorite of the night. It was a pork belly recipe that had been passed down through the family. The sauce was savory, salty, and sweet. The dish was accompanied by fried garlic and onions and a delicious black garlic leaf. The gold sheet on top was an added touch of elegance. The 5 small desserts that finished the meal were good, but nothing we would seek out again. This truly is one of the best dining...

We had a truly unique dinner experience with Chef Jimmy Wu and his wife Chef Ling Wu, at Ling Chinese. Although Ling’s restaurants are open to the public, this was an invitational dinner in the primary commissary. It was 10 courses, all original recipes. Dishes were comprehensive in terms of the variety of veggies and proteins served, a much broader array than I’m used to seeing in a single meal. There was Wagyu, jellyfish, lobster, pork belly, duck tongue and sea cucumber, for example. I went into the meal expecting something great, possibly perfection, but actually got more than I expected. I thought to myself at the end that Chef Jimmy and Chef Ling are incredibly and deeply committed to the culinary arts, that their food inspires a strong emotional response, and that they are national treasures. I have never felt so certain that a particular chef ( in this case two chefs) deserve Michelin stars. Regardless what they win, ir if they don’t win anything, I have to say that the meal at Ling Chinese Kitchen was the best course-for-course meal of any kind I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing …and I personally and professionally have experienced many great ones all over the world. This experience really moved me because perfection at this level is so hard to achieve, and no one deserves acknowledgment for moving the art form forward more than...