Fong Chong Restaurant

09/11/08

It's no fluke!

by GothLoliJ at Citysearch

This place is a gem.

Seriously.

My husband and I went back a second time so I could determine if this place was good, or if we had just caught the workers on a good day.

As it turns out, this place is GOOD!

Once again as we entered, we told to sit where we like as our water, tea and menus were brought to us. We promptly ordered our favorite dim sum and as we waited I looked around to examine the place again. There were more people this time, a few couples, a family or two and a few people eating alone.

Our dim sum was again hot and delicious. My husband's order this time was perfect and I even indulged in seconds.

A waiter or waitress was always nearby making sure we had food, water and tea.

And before the family left, the little toddler was offered a bag of toys so he could grab one.

Our price at the end was a little more expensive but here was our whole meal for $21; Char Sui Bai x2, Har Gow x2, Sui Mai x2, an order of rice and some tea (sorry if I misspelled anything!).

I still can't wait to go back! This is close to my school so this place is going to be my weekly lunch place.

-J

• Pros: Dim Sum, price, good with kids, good with groups
• Cons: Nothing!!

03/31/08

I love Fong Chong

by Gorjess8 at Citysearch

So, I don't speak Chinese so I go to Fong Chong. I have been there at least 15 times in the last 4 years. Not a million, but enough to write a review. I don't know what some people expect of Dim Sum, but I just expect carts, people offering me food from the carts, and eating the food off the carts. I don't need waiters in tuxes with towels on thier arms, it's DIM SUM people! Fong Chong is inexpensive, has a huge "dining room", and yummy. The only time I have had a hard time getting a seat is around 11-12 on the weekend.

01/06/08

hot tea surcharge

by pdxkaruna at Citysearch

Did a comparison jaunt with House of Louie same day.

Went there Jan 6th in the afternoon.

Ordered the Pork Shu Mai, and the Steamed BBQ Steamed buns. They have a polaroid flip book of items to order if you cannot make up your mind.

They both arrived beautifully.

However, the floors were filthy, they looked like they weren't swept for days.

Only one word or caution, they will charge you 1.00 for tea as opposed to the .40 from House of Louie.

If you don't like tea, refuse it when it arrives at the table to avoid a surcharge.

I would come here again, for those two items.

I was able to tell my server that I didn't order it, and she didn't charge me after I protested.

• Pros: great dim sum
• Cons: cheesy decor

01/01/08

Definite Find for Out of Towners

by cyndyc007 at Citysearch

While a lot of other restaurants were near empty, the full to capacity environment in this one caught our out of towner eyes. We ended up sharing a table with some locals who were more than enthusiastic in sharing their Portland experiences with us. We couldn't have been more pleased with the food, especially when we got the bill. What a great deal! We'll make it a regular after our move to Portland.

• Pros: Great Food for a Great Price
• Cons: Cafeteria Atmosphere but Who Cares

08/28/07

Don't know what y'all are talking about...

by devilsprague at Citysearch

A couple of co-workers and I went for lunch yesterday (Monday). We arrived at approximately 11:30, and received very attentive service, even as the lunch crowd thickened. The food was hot, delicious, and there was a wide variety available. The carts came by so often, and everything looked so good, that we got waay to much and had to take things to go. We have a very limited amount of time for lunch, and we were in and out of there fast and full! Contrary to earlier reviews, this place seems to have cleaned up their act, at least on my visit there. I only wish they had the Dim Sum at night!

• Pros: great food, fast service, reasonable prices
• Cons: Could be parking, since it is downtown, but we had no trouble on our visit.

08/24/07

Yum yum dim sum!

by spunkeone at Citysearch

I've had dim sum at a few places in Portland and Fong Chong's is the best deal. Sure the atmosphere is sorta hectic and not pretty to the eye, but the food more than makes up for it. My favorite is the ha gow (shrimp steamed in wheat starch dough wrapper) and the shrimp and chinese chive dumplings. I agree with the other reviewer on the foil wrapped ginger chicken! The only bad thing is you have to get there during the lunch rush to get the most variety. Take your time eating and wait for the servers to bring out new trays of food so you can sample more of them. If you don't see what you want ask and they will try and bring it to you. Please remember also that many of the servers don't speak english as a first language so go easy on them. One lady has been there for years and she's my favorite, but she's sometimes hard to understand. Be nice!

my favorites: ginger chicken in foil, ha gow, pork siu mai, chinese chive and shrimp dumpling, baked humbao, steamed and fried fun gor!

• Pros: lots of variety for lunch, great prices
• Cons: loud and crowded

05/02/07

My FAVORITE place!

by melonsky at Citysearch

My boyfriend and I absolutely love this place. My boyfriend's father lived in Hong Kong for 18 years and says Fong Chong is the most authentic food he's had anywhere in America. They serve dim sum all day and the servers are very friendly. If they don't have something on the cart they will make it for you if you ask. We typically stuff ourselves silly and the bill for both of us is around $20 or less. It is basically our weekend "getaway" in terms of food.

In response to an earlier review written by laura16, where she wrote ---"We had ordered the sticky rice wrapped in a leaf, but had the chicken sticky rice wrapped in a leaf brought to us. It tasted horrible and had one of those small hot dogs in it."--- I have ordered the same thing and did not care for it either, HOWEVER traditionally, that is how it is made (cooked with Chinese sausage, chopped Chinese mushrooms, chopped BBQ pork ...) of course, the recipe varies depending on the cook's preference, but basically she got exactly what she ordered.

Bottom line, I would highly highly recommend this place. Be sure to order the ginger chicken wrapped in foil, it is absolutely delicious.

• Pros: Ginger chicken!!! prompt seating, great variety of food.
• Cons: Have to pay to park, but its worth it because the bill is cheap.

07/12/06

Never Fails

by naomsters at Citysearch

Sure it's not the prettiest place with the fanciest decorating. Sure it could use some touching-up and the waitresses can't speak English very well, but they do a fine job, (I have been coming here since I moved from Japan 11 years ago and the waitresses that were there then are still there now)!

Fong Chong serves traditional street food from southern China which my relatives in Canton ate many years ago. It's not Chinese food that has been infused with American food. This Deen Sum is traditional and flavorful. In particular, I suggest the sticky rice wrapped in a grape leaf, the steamed hum bow, (look for white steamed buns) and ha gow, a whole shrimp in rice wrapping.

Even though many more of Portland's Asian population, including myself, are starting to go to 82nd, (which also has many, many good restaurants), I still think people should not forget about the original Fong Chong's, which is the most inexpensive, filling, tasteful food I can think of. I don't suggest Fong Chong's to people who are germaphobes and people who are all about atmosphere, but if good food is what you care about, then go!

• Pros: Great, inexpensive, traditional food
• Cons: Not the prettiest place

01/13/06

Good dimsum Cheap reminds me of places in KowLoon

by ddrake at Citysearch

The dim sum here is great. They even have a lot of options that I never ran across even while living in Hong Kong. Prices are very affordable. Two can eat too much for only $20. The place is basic in decor, like most good dimsum restaurants in Hong Kong, and the dimsum is diverse, hot, and tasty.

For dinner, you've gotta' try the Bai Hua DouFu (White Flower Tofu).

• Pros: Taste, Price

01/27/05

Always good, sesame balls

by jester_mcdaddy at Citysearch

Love Dim Sum, the sesame balls, the shu mai, the ginger baked chicken, the hum boas, all soo good.

• Pros: clean, good service
• Cons: parking