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I came across Woon Kitchen while I was perusing restaurants on Instagram late at night, because I am a night owl. The story of Keegan Fong on the IGTV video below immediately caught my attention. His mom, best known for her moniker Mama Fong, was born in Shanghai, moved to Hong Kong when she was little and then Woodland Hills (San Fernando Valley) at the end of high school. Keegan Fong, son of Mama Fong, was born and raised in LA and grew up on his mom’s delicious food, a blend of Shanghainese and Cantonese food. However, the dish that stood out the most to him growing up was her mouthwatering noodles.
Keegan says in the video: “I haven’t been able to find the same noodle dish anywhere”.
Woon Kitchen started out as a pop-up noodle shop and they sold out every time at every event. In 2019, they opened up a permanent brick-and-mortar location in the historic Filipinotown area of LA.
COVID NOTE: It’s a shame I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of this place from the inside. Hopefully, once they allow indoor dining again, I can go back and sit down and take in the beautiful surroundings! Keegan has a background in fashion, which shows in the impeccable attention to detail in the interior. From the touches of feng shui to the foyer table with family pictures, eating at Woon will indeed feel like you’re eating at a friend’s house.
While I was on my way to Woon Kitchen, it almost felt like I was going to a friend’s house whose mom was going to cook an amazing meal for me.
All the food you’ll find at Woon is what Keegan grew up on, which further proves his unwavering dedication to the restaurant. Even the cooks are part of the family. Hanging in the kitchen, there are polaroid pictures of each cook and Keegan always makes sure to include them on their Instagram. Not only is he a hands-on restaurant owner, but he makes sure to create an inclusive work environment where everyone, from the front of house to the back of house staff members, is treated like family.
Look at the outdoor business sign! 10/10.
This was a complimentary meal. I specifically requested the Veggie Noodles.
I’ve seen reviews of people saying that the portions are small and the box it comes in might seem small, but there are actually a lot of noodles in there! Well…compared to a Chinese family-style restaurant in San Gabriel Valley, Woon strikes the perfect balance in filling you up without stuffing you. I’m the first person to get overwhelmed when I want to try a Chinese restaurant in that area because I’m thrown off by the family-meal portions. I work near a Ding Tai Fung location and, as much as I want to order fried rice and dumplings, I always stick to the fried rice because there is no way I can eat that plus 8 dumplings, which is the minimum order.
At Woon, the portions are the perfect amount for one person, which I really liked. The reasonable sizes also give you freedom to explore the menu and be more adventurous in your order. The menu is very minimal and the items you’ll find were picked by Keegan from his mom’s recipes — very simple, no fuss.
The veggie noodles were thick and slightly chewy in the best possible way. Every bite was packed with so much flavor from the savory sauce. The veggies it came with — bok choi, shiitake and oyster mushrooms — were nicely sautéed and melt-in-your-mouth fresh. I thought the noodles were perfect as they were, but it’s highly recommended to add in a little bit of the hot sauce they give you to amp up the flavor. The noodles were really light, which is due to the fact that they’re also vegan for this particular dish.
I’m not vegan, so on my next visit, I will probably order the beef noodles, which are also a favorite. I mean… look at the picture below. If it’s your first time and you’re not vegan, I would recommend pairing your noodles with their pork belly bao. If you’re vegan, they offer fried tofu fishcakes, salads, soy veggie wraps and gai lan, which is Chinese broccoli. In the mains, you can also get fried rice, but again, the star of the show at Woon’s are Mama Fong’s famous noodles. Also, do not skimp on the fried bao ice cream! Certain menu items can be modified to gluten-free upon request.
Update: I came back for the beef noodles and wow! The veggie noodles were excellent, but I liked these so much better as they were more substantial. The beef was cooked to perfection. If you’re not vegan, you will not go wrong with this dish! Yes, the noodles tasted as good as they looked!
Woon Kitchen is more than just a restaurant. It’s the camaraderie and the strong emotional bond Keegan fosters with his customers. In IGTV videos from last year pre-COVID, legendary Mama Fong could be seen greeting customers at their tables. This, alongside everything I mentioned above, make Woon Kitchen a one-of-a-kind restaurant.
If you see Keegan, make sure to say hi!
2020 was a very trying year for businesses, specifically for the Asian community that has been the target of senseless hate crimes. On March 7th 2021, Keegan and his friend, Emily Koh, who co-owns the natural wine brand Pinkies Up (which can also be found at Woons on Wednesdays), organized a bake sale called The Pinkies Up x Woon Bake Sale Against Anti-Asian Violence. The sale took place at Woon’s outdoor patio and all of the proceeds went to organizations such as APENEJ, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, APIENC, Asian Law Caucus and Stop AAPI Hate.
Since Keegan is an LA native, it would be remiss of me not to ask him about his favorite places in LA, and what it was like growing up in La La Land as a Chinese-American.
Besides Woon of course, what are your favorite places in LA?
I always find myself most consistently happy after eating a Banh Mi sandwich from My Tho Banh Mi. Also, it’s extra special whenever my mom brings my Taiwanese breakfast from Huge Tree Pastry in Monterey Park. Other than those SGV (San Gabriel Valley) staples, I can never get enough of Dune in Atwater or Agra Indian Cuisine in Silverlake.
What was your experience growing up as a Chinese-American in LA?
Growing up, I obviously wasn’t as aware of my identity as I am today. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and went to a predominantly Asian/Chinese high school. However, it was really interesting because the town was very white conservative that started to be taken over by the influx of Chinese immigrants due to the respectable school system. I found myself bouncing between Asian friends and white friends, but as I got older the people around me became less and less Asian. It wasn’t until I left for college in San Diego that I realized I missed a lot of what LA had to offer in terms of my culture and identity. I started to miss my mom’s food and all the Asian restaurants in SGV that were so accessible to us. I had taken that accessibility for granted and it really weighed on me in San Diego.
What do you love the most about LA?
There’s a lot to love (and hate, of course), but I think the best thing about LA is the access to so many different cultures and opportunities. This is one of very few cities where you can go to the beach, walk the Venice boardwalk with all the crazies, swing by Koreatown for some lunch before catching a show at the Greek Theater and then ending the night at a Chinese banquet style restaurant eating lobster from the fish tank.
Has this post worked up your appetite for Mama Fong’s delicious noodles? The address is 2920 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026.
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday from 4 pm to 9 pm.
Note: Woon Kitchen also caters.
