Serving up fresh, flavorful and bright dishes inspired by East Asian recipes, Oolong Asian Cuisine is a delightful Dubuque lunch or dinner spot for Iowans and out-of-towners alike.
Located in a vintage storefront building in Dubuque’s Old Main Street Historic District, Oolong Asian Cuisine is a quaint space with small bar seating, a few booths and a long communal table for larger groups or just meeting new friends. Guests will immediately marvel at the beautiful Turkish glass lanterns, handmade in China, adding a soft glow to the already relaxed atmosphere.
The space was completely renovated by chef/owner Ken Lin. Chef Lin grew up in China and came to the United States in the early 1990’s, working at restaurants in Chicago. He moved to Dubuque in 2000, taking a job at Hy-Vee, which helped him learn English. He’s proud of what he has created in Dubuque and works hard to be respectful of East Asian cultures, its recipes and all-natural ingredients. His menu is creative and bursting with flavors, using as many local products as possible. Beef and chicken bones that create the base for various dishes come from O’Connell Organic Acres and much of the meat and protein comes from family-owned Cremer’s Meats and Grocery. There are no cutting corners at Oolong.
Start with a few sharable appetizers like rangoons with real lobster, curry French fries or fried vegetable spring rolls with Thai chili sauce. The real star of the starters is the braised pork belly bao – braised with sake, soy sauce, fresh garlic, onion and ginger. Pure melt-in-your-mouth perfection!
Entrees include a combination of Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and other East Asian flavors like pad Thai, Thai curry, Thai basil stir fry and miso ramen with Japanese wheat noodles, chicken broth, braised pork belly and various vegetables. A must-eat and chef’s favorite is the pho (pronounced “fuh”). This Vietnamese rice noodle soup includes house-made beef bone broth, sliced beef, meatballs, scallions, cilantro and bean sprouts with Thai basil and jalapenos on the side. His tried-and-true recipe is best enjoyed by dipping the beef in a side of sriracha-and-hoisin mix, keeping the integrity of the 12-hour cooked broth pure and clean.
Meals can be enjoyed with a nice selection of hot, iced or milk teas, soda, wine or beer. There are five choices of sake on the menu or choose three for a chilled sake flight.
Finish your Oolong Asian Cuisine experience with pandan coconut rice pudding or, our favorite, the sweet treat of Vietnamese iced coffee.
Oolong Asian Cuisine is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m.; closed on Sundays and Mondays.
For more information, visit loveoolong.com
145 W. 11th St.
Dubuque, IA 52001