WenChang Dumpling Restaurant — Restaurant in San Francisco

New favorite Chinese restaurant! So far have only ordered to go.

Chow mein - 5/5 though didn't have as many veggies as I thought it would. Noodles were perfect. Crab puffs - 4/5 The one thing that didn't travel as well. A little tough, but the flavor was good. Sesame chicken - 5/5 SO CRISPY. People mention in the reviews how crispy it is, they are not exaggerating. How?! How is something sitting in a sauce and then transported in a to go container still that crispy? It's like a miracle. I'm so excited to try the other chicken things now. I was worried that this dish would be too sweet for me, but the spicy red flakes give it the heat to balance it out and make it pretty perfect. Veggies in garlic - 4/5 - Solid option. Pork soup dumplings - 3.5/5 I think my expectations were too high after all the other amazing food we've had here. These were good, but just not as good as other things we've ordered. Hot and Sour soup - 5/5 - Hot and Sour soup is my go-to soup when I'm sick, and this one has the perfect level of spice to hit you in the back of the throat and make you forget you have a sore throat. I'm excited to know I have a such a good hot and sour soup so close...

When I was in highschool my favorite restaurant to eat at was Nan King Road Bistro. The owner was the friendliest guy ever and the food was absolutely incredible every single time without fail. Every dish was a symphony of perfection.

When it closed, it was as of a piece of my heart closed forever, too.

So, when I decided to look up a quiet, unassuming Chinese restaurant that I frequently drove by, Wenchang Dumpling Restaurant, and saw that they had a mind-boggling 4.9/5 stars on Google reviews, I immediately thought back to Nan King Road Bistro.

Imagine my absolute euphoria when, reading through the glowing reviews, I read a response from the owner saying that in fact...

THIS PLACE IS THE SAME RESTAURANT!!! They just moved due to the exorbitant rents of 9th and Irving!

I just got home from my first visit to Wenchang. My friends and I ordered wonton soup, honey sesame chicken, black pepper steak, crab rangoons, shrimp dumplings, and green tea.

Everything was as amazing as I remember! Large generous portions of piping hot homemade food- true...

Update: The staff refunded the order amount.

I made a pickup order of sesame fried chicken and chose spicy level. I appreciate that, despite my early arrival and multiple pickup orders from other clients, the staff prepared the takeout at their earliest convenience. However, I was disappointed to see that when I opened the to-go bag, the plastic lid was broken. I wasn’t sure if the broken piece was left in the kitchen / preparation area, because it was definitely not in the bag when I checked. Alas, it was inside the food. I unknowingly bit a chicken piece only to feel the plastic. It was only a part of that plastic piece—who knows if I had eaten the rest of it already… I felt very uncomfortable I didn’t end up finishing the dish. Additionally, the dish was not “spicy” that I opted for, so overall, quite a disappointing experience. I wish the restaurant did a better job because this could’ve gotten dangerous. I’m still uncomfortable just thinking about what I could’ve eaten. Hope this doesn’t occur to...