Cikajang Street is slowly turning into a hotspot for F&B establishments. Just when you thought the growth has halted after the launch of popular players a few years ago like BEAU, Mister Sunday and Kopi Kalyan, out come new additions to the merry neighbourhood.
If the name Ling Ling sounds familiar, it’s because the restaurant was technically a well-established spot in Kuningan before going on a hiatus. And now, Ling Ling has officially found its foot back in the business with a renewed attitude and atmosphere without forgoing what makes them popular in the first place: dim sum.
Indeed, regular patrons of Ling Ling would know just what to order here. During lunchtime, white-collar crowds often feast on their fast and wallet-friendly dim sum. Classic choices like siew mai and har gao are of course on offer, but their other options go beyond the basic dishes often found in typical run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurants. For starters, the cheung fan comes in five options of fillings, from prawn to enoki mushroom. And also the dumplings, be it fried or steamed, and buns in a variety of fillings that include the offbeat green tea custard.
For those who come with a monstrous appetite (who consider dim sum simply as a snack), may find comfort in knowing that Ling Ling too, serves other substantial dishes. If you’re not in a hurry, proceed your way to the Crispy Aromatic Duck Leg (comes with mandarin pancakes) that is best shared with friends. Rice-person would do well with their heartwarming Claypot Rice (butter rice, chicken, shimeji), meanwhile Fat Duck Noodle (hong kong noodle, duck fat, duck gravy and roast duck) will please avid fans of noodle.
Clearly, the new Ling Ling has gone through a major change, even with its interior. Resembling a warehouse with a glass façade, the interior of the establishment is a sprawling space that is dressed in concrete. Its low-key theme only disturbed by the pastel-dominated murals of whimsical mountains and the icon of Ling Ling: a cheeky red fox.
Thanks to that, the new Ling Ling has definitely attracted a more diverse crowd; from cheery mothers and their kids to time-strapped businessmen – the establishment is always busy dishing out dim sum, especially during the peak hours. While there’s never a wrong time for dim sum, it’s best to reserve a table ahead of your visit. But good news for night owls – Ling Ling serves until 2 am on certain days. So if you happen to awake in the middle of the night and have a strong craving for a jolly good dim sum, you know where to look.