Chef Loong Dim Sum & Soup Dumplings 笼师傅 — Restaurant in Charleston

Super excited about this place opening in West Ashley! I waited until they were open for a couple months before going since I knew it would be busy. Thankfully I was able to snag an afternoon reservation because there was a small wait when we arrived. This place is in a small plaza with limited parking close by but more across the street and further out.

They didn’t really have a host stand, and you had to tell whoever was working that you had a reservation because they didn’t ask. There wasn’t much of a “waiting area” so it was a bit cramped along the entrance.

Once we got sat it took several minutes before someone came and greeted us and got us drinks. I do think they work as a pooled house because no, one person was waiting on us so they had good teamwork.

We ordered; Shrimp Shumai - these were bigger than what I’m used to so you only got 3. They were flavorful and had great texture and filling. Pork Soup Dumplings - savory broth and the pork filling was a bit smaller but still tasty. Chili wontons - not spicy at all, so I added more chili oil to it, enjoyed the sauce it was in. Crispy Duck with bao buns - it was advertised as “Peking” and I wouldn’t necessarily say it was like traditional Peking duck. The way it was cut was very thin, although crispy but not like a classic Peking duck and how it’s normally served. I did enjoy it because it was cooked well and they give you 4 bao buns which was plenty.

We didn’t have to order from the robot nor did our order come from a robot but we still had good service and a pleasant experience. Clean bathrooms and nicely decorated.

Overall a solid place for Charleston. They don’t have a big menu or a ton of dim sum options but for what they had it was good. I think if they continue to be consistent, they will thrive and be able to expand here because it’s hard to find good, authentic Chinese food and dumplings...

Tried for the first time after the soft opening, and I'd say it is pretty good. Quality was very good and I tried a little of everything, though the only entree I had was the duck w/ bun. I've had dim sum in the bigger cities w/ the carts and go for the wider (if wilder) offerings. Though they don't have the same selection and kept it pretty tame (to the Charleston palette), what they do have is a good sampling and everything was on point. Tried the scallion pancakes, shumai, hargow, fried pork dumplings, sticky rice (fried) w/ brown sugar and duck w/ bun entree (yes, I was hungry). All was very good w/ good presentation. I also like that their tea is loose tea in a pot. I haven't tried the soup dumplings (their signature dish?) or any other entrees, but that is for another night and I'm sure it will be just as good.

Servers were friendly and wasn't terribly busy on a Wednesday night. You might want to ask for extra sauce for some of the sides, though for the dumplings you just make your own soy/vinegar/chili-oil mix. The place is nicely decorated and good serving plates, steam baskets and tea pot.

Overall, the place is clean and well presented w/ some cool robot "servers" that will bring the food to your table. Not exactly the cheapest, however the quality seems to reflect it. I hope they expand the menu in the future, but I do understand they want to keep it safe to Charleston tastes...so no chicken feet in the future. :-)

Give it a try, and if you're not familiar w/ dim sum, check out their menu and do a Google search to know what...

It is nice to welcome a new restaurant to West Ashley! It is clean, well decorated, and well laid out.

The robot waiter was certainly interesting to see. It rolls up to your table with your order. It waits for you to take the plate. To take your order, there is a wait staff, but they are not attentive after taking the order.

For lunch, I ordered General Tsao’s chicken for about $18. Was surprised that the white rice was not included. Instead, there was an additional charge for the rice which arrived in a small bowl. While the General Tsao’s Chicken was very flavorful and delicious, the portion size was too small for the price.

Their iced tea is from a bottle. They do not brew iced tea in house. I opted for water. For those eating lunch, there is not separate lunch menu.

Going forward, I hope that a lunch menu is offered (which includes the rice) for a lunch price. Also, I hope that the wait staff will be willing to refill your drink without you having to go find someone. Finally, brewed iced tea should be offered. After all, we are in...