lao peng you
about the restaurant
We finally crossed off Lao Peng You from our list of restaurants to visit. Lao Peng You is located on Chicago Avenue, just a few steps west of the Chicago / Damen intersection. Lao Peng You is known for their handmade noodles and dumplings. They are a Chinese restaurant serving regional, authentic dishes that cannot be found at the everyday Chinese American takeout. In fact, Lao Peng You is a trendsetter in Chicago with bringing distinct Chinese dishes in a modern atmosphere. The restaurant’s menu and aesthetic reminded me of Brooklyn, NY.
their menu is broken down into seven sections
Dumplings: they had a variety of dumplings with different fillings to select from. Dumplings are served in a broth with fresh aromatics such as ginger, green onion, and cilantro.
Noodles: these came in the form of noodle soups, cold noodles, and dan dan noodles.
Small Plates: these are your shareable plates including salads, vegetables, and meats,
Rou Jia Mo: this is your Chinese hamburger. Similar to dumplings, these also had a variety of fillings to select from.
Bing: Bing is bread. This version were essentially stuffed flatbreads.
Dou Hua: This section of the menu features silken tofu a few different ways - savory, sweet, and spicy.
Drinks: Features iced and hot teas
reviewing the dishes in detail
The pork and dill dumpling made us rethink how to elevate a common food like a dumpling. Very rarely have we had dill with Chinese dishes and flavors before. I also typically do not eat dumplings in a broth, but the broth really infused additional flavor into the dumplings and overall was a great replacement from your typical gyoza dipping sauce.
Dan dan noodles. These were delicious. Pro tip is to ask for a pair of scissors to cut the noodles apart as they are unmanageable without. We also made sure to mix the sauce with the noodles since the good stuff in dan dan noodles collects at the bottom of the bowl. If you’ve never had dan dan noodles before, it’s a mix of a peanut sauce with szechuan peppercorn which creates a tingly sensation in your mouth. The dish is typically made with ground pork and topped with scallions and crushed peanuts. Both the eggplant and dou hua dishes were served in a savory broth and topped with cilantro.
Overall, we did really enjoy the food and ambiance at Lao Peng You. It’s rare to find these dishes at other restaurants in Chicago. The flavors in every dish relied heavily on the use of Szechuan peppercorn and chili oil leading us to hypothesize that a base sauce is used across their menu with slight additions based upon the particular dish. Our visit has inspired us to cook outside the box. I can definitely see myself getting cravings in the future for Lao Peng You’s food.
