If you’re looking to fuel up between all your Big Island adventures, jet on over to Ling’s Chop Suey House. Located at the Puainako Center, this small eatery services all the top Cantonese favorites in huge portions. They have Char Siu, Shrimp Fritters, and everything in between plus their signature dish, the Crispy Chicken. Then, they plate it up with filling sides, like white rice, cake noodles, or sauteed veggies.
Want to make it quick? Just order from their steam table. Since it’s all already made, you just choose what you want, and then get your food in hand without any further wait. So, it’s perfect for when you just want to grab your food to go and head out to your next destination.
You’ll start your steam table journey by choosing rice, noodles, or half and a half to serve as the foundation of your plate. Then, you must decide if you want to enjoy one, two, or three main entrée selections. Want four or more? Each one is an extra charge.
Although their steam table entrées change at any given time, you can usually choose between Pork Sour Mustard Cabbage, Egg Fu Young, Chow Mein, Orange Chicken, Steam Pork, Crispy Won Tons, and Beef Bok Choi. You’ll get one scoop of each entrée you choose, allowing you to savor the flavors in an instant.
When you simply cannot decide what to get, treat yourself to the Pupu Platter. This dish lets you get a taste of all the fan favorites, including Egg Rolls, Crispy Wontons, Shrimp Fritters, Shoyu Chicken, Char Siu, and Crispy Chicken, of course. Since it comes in such big portions, you can add an order of Ling’s House Fried Rice and make it a dinner for two.
Ordering off their menu will result in a bit longer wait, although they tend to work fast no matter what. You’ll just want to grab a seat nearby to wait it out. If you’d rather not wait inside, call in your order before swinging by the restaurant.
Their most popular items are:
Crispy Chicken
Whenever you order the Crispy Chicken, you get to enjoy a fantastic crunch on the outside completed by tender, juicy chicken inside. They make this dish by breading boneless chicken and then frying it until golden brown. After that, they chop it all up and put it on the plate with either rice or noodles.
Dai Chop Wei
Despite their name, the Dai Chop Wei chop suey is not their signature dish, but it’s still well worth a try. They create this dish by sauteing pork, chicken, and shrimp until cooked to perfection. Then, they fry mixed veggies until they’re tender before throwing the proteins back into the mix.
Char Siu
Whenever you’re craving bold roasted meat, don’t hesitate to go with the Char Siu. The chef starts preparing this dish well before you walk through the doors by roasting the meat low and slow. As that cooks, they put a rich barbecue glaze over the top, and then slice it thin once it’s done. You can get either white rice or noodles on the side.
When paying by credit card, they do not have a way to leave a tip. So, be sure to bring enough cash for a tip, so you can offer fair compensation for quality service. Since their team doesn’t make it a priority to put aloha into all they do, you’ll need to use your best judgment on how much to provide. But it’s nice to have just in case they manage to wow you during your visit.
Insider Tips:
-They shut down their steam table 30 minutes before the restaurant closes.
-You’re welcome to substitute fried rice or cake noodles for the white rice for an extra charge.