A Lobster Deal With Lots of Options

Located in Niu Valley Shopping Center, Lung Fung Chinese Restaurant prides itself on its large, regularly updated menu featuring authentic Chinese cuisine as well as valued customer feedback. According to manager Eddie Ma, customer input about Lung Fung’s dishes is very important.

“We are always updating the menu — featuring different cooking styles — and we also follow the trends of what people like right now, such as healthy food with no MSG,” Ma says. “It’s hard to do 100 percent no MSG with Chinese food (because of the sauces), but we try to follow what customers like so they can request that.”

Lung Fung’s innovative dishes set the eatery apart from others, according to Ma.

“A lot of restaurants do really traditional (dishes) but I always try to do something new,” he says. “I always choose to ask the customer what they like; if people like it, we most likely put it on the menu.”

This theory of operating by customer feedback, coupled with the eatery’s banquet menus, led Ma to create a special, dine-in only “open menu,” in which customers can customize their own party menus. According to this menu, customers receive one free choice of either a lobster or an order of Walnut Shrimp with the purchase of any four entrees.

“With the holiday season coming, we want people to choose their own menus for parties,” Ma says. “While we do have set banquet menus, this menu is more open; customers can choose their orders.”

The “open menu,” as Ma refers to it, is categorized by appetizer, soup, seafood, casserole, fowl, beef/pork/lamb and vegetable entrees. Customers can pick any four of these items to receive the free lobster or Walnut Shrimp. Appetizer choices include Crispy Gau Gee ($8.95; 10 pieces) and Chinese Chicken Salad ($9.95), soup options include Hot & Sour Soup ($10.95) and Crab Meat with Fish Maw Soup ($13.95) and casserole choices feature dishes such as Satay Shrimp with Long Rice Casserole ($14.95) and Lamb Brisket with Bean Curd Casserole ($12.95). Seafood entrees range from Jumbo Tiger Prawns with a Special Sauce ($16.95) and Clams with Black Bean Sauce ($13.95) to a Fish Fillet with Salt and Pepper ($14.95) and Clams with Wine Sauce ($14.95). A variety of chicken, beef, pork, lamb and vegetable dishes also are offered, including Minute Chicken ($10.95), Crispy Chicken ($11.95), Salt & Pepper Pork Chop ($11.95), Mongolian Beef ($11.95) and Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce ($10.95). This “open menu” is comprised of the most popular items from the eatery’s regular menu.

“I see most people order (these dishes) from the regular menu, so the ‘special open menu’ concentrates on the popular items,” Ma says. “We do a lot (of our dishes) with garlic chili; it’s like our signature ingredient. We have a Pork Chop with Garlic and Chili ($12.95) and a Crispy Garlic Shrimp ($14.95). We make so many items with garlic chili.”

While Lung Fung has always promoted its “open menu,” Ma encourages customers to take advantage of the free lobster or Walnut Shrimp deal, especially as the holiday season approaches and people plan for Christmas parties. Not only does Lung Fung provide a variety of banquet menus — in addition to the “open menu” — but the eatery’s location is ideal for large parties, as there is ample free parking.

“A lot of people choose from this special menu because of the lobster,” Ma says. “Some people don’t want to touch the shell because it’s too messy; that’s why we keep the option for people to have the Walnut Shrimp instead of the lobster. A lot of places sell lobster for $10.95 with the purchase of another dish, but we do it our own way here. It’s good to have a party here (at Lung Fung); you don’t have to worry about inviting a lot of guests (with all the open space).”

For customers who opt to order from the eatery’s regular menu, Ma recommends that you view the complete selection on Lung Fung’s web-site. The restaurant has a huge selection of entrees, including many seafood dishes.

“We are a neighborhood business trying to serve the neighborhood better,” Ma states. “We changed from a chop suey restaurant to one that features more seafood and Chinese cooking.”

Lung Fung Chinese Restaurant