Everyone is Going Bang Bang for Bing Bing

Jade Shrimp Dumplings

Cheu Noodle Bar founders Ben Puchowitz and Shawn Darragh opened Bing Bing Dim Sum in mid-February. Finally a fun place to get dumplings outside of Chinatown, and it hit East Passyunk with a splash - 250+ people served nightly since opening, according to Shawn. We first attempted to visit two weeks ago on Wednesday to find a 45 minute wait, much too long for the pregnant wife. We went back again on a Saturday, arriving 30 minutes after their 5:00 pm opening and it was already jammed, though we were able to snag two seats at the bar.

Dealing with such demand while working out the typical new restaurant kinks has been a struggle, Shawn admitted, and it showed in some of the initial menu items. Adding to the challenge, Bing Bing has to live up to the success of Cheu, bringing that distinct-but-indescribable Cheunish twist on noodles to the traditional, beloved dumpling.

Dumpling hunters would be wise to leave their comparisons to Chinatown-favorite Dim Sum Garden behind. That’s not a convenient excuse, but rather a deliberate deviation from the need for authenticity that will help align expectations with Bing Bing's interpretations of dim sum.