Kung POW! — Restaurant in Portland

I’m going to put all the cards on the deck and be completely honest. Not just about my experience but how it ties into my life. I looked at my banking app and the balance stated $28. I order broccoli with chicken. Only $14. I walk into the restaurant, she swipes my card, and tells me only $6 came out. I still owe $8. I told her I’ll go check my car to see if I have any money. I didn’t. So so walked back in and just asked if they wanted to refund the $6 I paid. They were polite, and they said they are going to. I wished for the food. It’s always embarrassing.

I had $500 2 days ago from a loan I was able to get. I had to buy heroin with it to control my pain and keep me from withdrawal. I gave a drug dealer $300, and he was supposed to give me 6 grams but he gave me 3 grams and said the guy he got it from shorted him. It’s a lie. He owed rent money and what am I going to do? The transaction was already done. He used my money to get it in the first place because I don’t have any connections.

I don’t have anything because I have to buy heroin every month. To keep me from wd but mainly to control my severe pain. See im a 100% disabled Iraq War Veteran. I was severely injured in Iraq, and I’m really in poor condition. The VA prescribed me oxycodone and dilauded for about 8 years. The dosage would go up and down but I was taken care of. My pain was for the most part. See I can’t experience the pain I feel without pain killers. It’s so agonizing and I’d rather be dead.

Everyday I fought the VA for just basic treatment. One day out of almost a decade I took a drug test and failed. The reason I failed is because I took extra pills that month and ran out early. I thought I’d be clever and I asked a guy I new if he could piss in a bottle for me? He said yep. I gave the VA his piss and it shows positive for meth. How could this guy do this to me for $20? I was told they couldn’t prescribe me pain treatment medicines anymore and I never went back. I emailed a doctor a year ago but they discouraged me from coming in.

It’s horrible. I’m bawling my eyes out right now because I receive $3,400 a month but I don’t even have a TV because I pawned it to buy heroin. I have nothing. I’ve pawned everything.

I’m supposed to be at college right now but I screwed up and got the start date wrong and couldn’t register because I was late. I don’t even have the ability to tell my wife though so I’ve been sitting in my car parked down the street for 3 hours.

I hate what heroin does to my body. I’d give anything to be on pain pills again. My health is severely deteriorating. I look gross. I have no friends. People look at me like I’m a weirdo. But I don’t want to be in pain. I can’t live like that. But I probably won’t live for much longer anyway.

This is my life. I wanted that Chinese...

UPDATE: Bummed, but this place has lost a few steps. XLB (soup dumplings) removed from the menu - probably too difficult to do consistently. The quality of the other dumplings has skidded. Pot stickers very tough/doughy, with dry overcooked filling. Sichuan dumplings not spicy, no chili oil present.

The mains were okay; I'd like to see more color on the brussels sprouts. Pork belly is still crispy and good, but that one note is a lot to hang a restaurant on.

The main dining room (on Glisan) is very hot on hot days. The adjacent room to the north is a bet better. Not many diners there at 7pm on a weeknight... but the food was still kind of slow. The staff is still very positive and friendly, which is great. It is great to have another option near the stadium for Timbers/Thorns pre-funking!

The zodiac cocktail list is a cute idea and the drinks are well made. Tap list is short but well-curated.

The food is solid if a little goofy. They are "modernizing" typical Chinese fare, so there is lots of pork belly and other trendy twists. The XLB (soup dumplings) are good -- the first time they were a little fragile but the second time they were great. The other appetizers/dumplings are pretty good, not perfect. Wonton soup is very solid. Szechuan dumplings in hot oil and potstickers are not as delicate as you'd get in "real" Chinatown, the siu mai are kind of unwieldy. But it's great drinking food. Mu shu was solid; nice delicate pancakes.

As for mains, my favorite so far has been the pork belly (haha) ma po tofu pot.

The service is great, from the hostess to the friendly servers, runners/bussers, and even the jovial chef who pops in to say hi. Everyone is very positive, welcoming, and accomodating. No "Portland Hipster" vibe, like you don't belong here cuz you're not cool enough. Their game is on point in terms of timing, tracking orders, etc.

Frankly it's kind of spendy for Chinese food, but the location, good vibes, and outstanding service put it over the top for multiple...

man, the eternal dilemma: pork belly brussel sprouts or mabo tofu (with ground pork)? two amazing dishes I can NEVER get enough of.

this place is pretty dead most of the time, except for take out and delivery; the front counter is straight up jumping but the wait staff have little to do. so fabulous place to go with a large party and no reservation (except prob timbers/thorns nights).

my only qualm with this restaurant is its practice of not including white rice with an entree that needs it. it's like 2 bucks (I think) added on, and the unconventional and the weirdness of this policy bugs me. I'd love to hear the owner's rationale.

that said, portion sizes are huge, the veggies and meats fresh and never overcooked, like they are at so many Chinese restaurants, and prices are relatively inexpensive. I love the look main at their nearby competitor, Ling Garden (though the freshness of the chicken, especially, seems to have become suspect) but the quality and prices here is generally better--this is more fusion, in a good way, than it's neighbor. and don't even get me started on the other nearby competitor, August Moon. other than paying more because of tacking on right, Kung POW beats them both.

I'm not much for sweet and sour but I've gone with people who have had dishes with their cherry sauce who think that's fantastic; also, Judy's Noodles get some significant love. But for me it's all Brussels/mabo,...