Back when they were still around, even though I never thought their food was particularly amazing, I used to visit the ABC Cafe that was here fairly often. Not regularly by any means, but certainly for one of the handful of go-to dishes I had discovered. Of course, it didn't hurt that their prices were rather budget friendly and they stayed open late into the night. Fast forward all of these years later and my experience with Fung Wong is almost entirely flipped - their breakfast options are what sparked us to come back again and again!
Compared to its predecessor, Fung Wong looks and feels way more modern and clean. Similarly, the menu is a both larger and far more varied. In addition to their breakfast offerings, which includes jook, toast, and (noodle) soups, they also have a wide slate of Hong Kong cafe staples (baked dishes, risotto), HK BBQ meats, lunch specials, fried rice, noodle dishes, and a collection of family style options, like what you'd see at your typical neighborhood Chinese restaurant. Plus, they even have some house specialty dishes as well!
-- BREAKFAST COMBO #C1 - Soy Sauce Chow Mein with Pork with Preserved Egg Porridge...$11.95
The Soy Sauce Chow Mein was largely forgettable, especially since it was served cold (I imagine they just portion out for a huge tray). The jook, on the other hand, was great. There was a fair amount of the preserved egg and porridge's consistency was just right.
-- STEAMED BLACK RICE NOODLE with Shrimp...$7.95
Far and away, the best thing I've had here. It's essentially the same as your more traditional Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll, but with a slightly nutty flavor. Plus, the noodles were super tender and the shrimp had delicious sweetness to them.
-- BREAKFAST COMBO #B1 - Satay Beef Noodle Soup & Hong Kong Milk Tea...$11.95
My first time having a dish like this and it wasn't too shabby! The beef was mostly fine, the noodles had a nice bite, and the broth packed a punch of flavor, especially with all of the onions and peppers. Also, it's hard for milk tea to stand out, but I liked this one (not heavy on milk).
-- STEAMED BLACK RICE NOODLE with BBQ Pork...$7.95
The shrimp one was better, but that speaks to how impressive that one was rather than any problems this one had. For me, I just like rice rolls with shrimp better, as the taste of the BBQ Pork never comes out as well (loses it's crisp edges, for example).
-- SPICY WONTONS (6pcs)...$9.95
Literally correct, but not what I expected either. The wontons were pretty good, but I was hoping this would be slathered with chili oil rather than the same sambal sauce that sits on every table.
-- SCRAMBLED EGG & SHRIMP CHOW FUN...$16.95
This wasn't as good as what I used to get from one of my old go-to lunch spots, but this wasn't bad either. The portion was generous and came with a fair amount of shrimp, but there wasn't enough of the satay sauce/seasoning in it.
-- TWO ITEM BBQ RICE PLATE with Roast Pork and BBQ Pork...$15.95
Nothing special, but nothing truly awful about this either. The skin on the Roast Pork could've been crispier, but it was juicy and seasoned well. As for the BBQ Pork, it was moist, though, it could've used a bit more char on the edges.
-- POTSTICKERS (6pcs)...$10.95
The taste of this was pretty standard, which is fine, but I don't think it's worth the money. While the filling had a decently porky flavor, the amount of it felt disproportionate to the size of the wonton (lots of dead space inside).
-- BEEF STEW & WONTON NOODLE SOUP...$14.95
Wontons? Great. Noodles? Good. Soup? Solid. Beef Stew? Possibly the worst I've had. The meat was so incredibly tough and dry, it felt like I was chewing on rubber. Even the portions with some fat that are usually tender were rather chewy.
Beyond the food, the best thing about Fung Wong is probably the convenience. While there tends to to be a short line for breakfast on the weekends, it's never that long of a wait and the crowds thin out as the day goes on. By dinner time, there are always tables free and the service isn't bad either. The only thing really missing are the late night hours that ABC Cafe used to keep (they'd close at 3a and reopen at 7am), especially since most places in the Sunset close relatively early.
Regardless if Fung Wong stayed open later, though, it wouldn't make me more likely to come back for dinner. Despite having only tried a handful of things from their regular dinner menu (and almost none of their HK Cafe options, for that matter), I can't say any of them has given me the urge to come back to try more. Rather, if/when I do return, it's far more likely that it'll be for their breakfast menu. read more