Pingpong — Restaurant in Lake View Township

We had an uncomfortable experience that I think is worth sharing.

After dining at PingPong, my friend wrote “not authentic” on the receipt. This wasn’t meant to be rude, but simply a comment on the food. We later went across the street to Wang’s Bar, which appears to share branding and likely ownership. Just before closing, a man who seemed to be the owner approached our table and abruptly asked, “Are you the ones who wrote ‘not authentic’?” He then said, “Our food is not supposed to be authentic,” and walked away immediately. There was no room for conversation, no attempt to engage. It felt more like a defensive ambush than a dialogue.

But to be honest, the issue wasn’t about authenticity anymore. It was about how they handled feedback, especially from Asian diners. As someone who has grown up eating all kinds of Chinese food, including plenty of Americanized versions, I think my friend would’ve been more accurate writing “not tasty” rather than “not authentic.”

The Bang Bang Chicken was a perfect example of poor execution. The chicken breast was dry and stringy, though there are many easy ways to keep it moist. It was drenched in an overly sweet chili sauce and paired with bitter cucumber that threw the entire dish off. The Dan Dan noodles were equally disappointing. The noodles were mushy, perhaps to accommodate gluten-free diets, but the topping was a red wine-braised minced beef, which felt out of place. And again, there was that same bitter cucumber. Do they even know what makes Dan Dan noodles what they are?

What’s frustrating is not the “fusion” or “not authentic” concept. It is the way the restaurant leans into an Orientalist aesthetic, designed to appeal to Western diners with trendy visuals and exotic cues, while showing little openness or respect toward Asian guests. When someone who actually understands the cuisine offers feedback, the response is avoidance, deflection, or hostility.

I am not against experimentation or creativity. But when it is done carelessly and feedback is dismissed by those who might actually know better, it becomes a missed opportunity. That, to me, is what’s truly...

Ping pong has a wonderful atmosphere, good service and great food.

Well decorated and low lighting make for a very romantic setting. They have a wall of Windows which opens the smaller dining room up considerably.

The service was excellent, attentive, and somewhat helpful. They were quick to refill drinks, but the wait time for food was about 30 minutes, which is fine considering the food was so tasty.

The eggs rolls are simply incredible. they are flaky and not over done. Insides actually have meat as opposed to 90% cabbage. You also don't feel disgusting after consumption. Big plus in my book.

The general tsos was average, but what Chinese place honestly has remarkable general tsos. It was over breaded, but to their credit was still crunchy and fresh. Hotter than average, which is welcome, but not truly remarkable for the what they charge.

Also have ordered delivery and pick up. Delivery was late and the quality seemed lacking. I understand that's how delivery works, but it was disappointing. Food is great, just too expensive...

Food was great and came out really fast. I give this restaurant a lower rating because the service was very bizarre.

Hostess sat us without a reservation, which was very kind, considering it was just before dinner rush. However, she did not let us know that we could only use the table for an hour. Without this being explained, our server kept coming to our table to take our plates even when we weren’t finished. She came around to us around every 10 minutes. It was not even close to closing and we felt like we were being rushed out. She checked twice after two minutes to see if we put our card out to pay, when she just gave us the check.

Had someone communicated the rush to us or that the table was reserved at a certain time, they would not have gotten this rating. It was so subversive. We did not get a clear explanation for why they were rushing us until I asked flat out. If you couldn’t seat us or if we had a limited time, it would have been nice to let us know. Maybe we could have gotten a reservation or come back...