Earlier this year I had the pleasure of writing about Kung Fu Noodle for Columbus Monthly‘s Best New Restaurants feature (you can read it here!). Owner Dennis Zhang started Kung Fun Noodle in Dayton and expanded it to Columbus in mid-2024. It took over an open storefront on Godown Road off Bethel, next to the institution Los Guachos.
Kung Fu Noodle’s space is fairly sparse, with a collection of four-top tables scattered throughout and a mix of wall decor with no consistent theme. But that’s all secondary to the fact that Kung Fu produces some excellent noodle dishes, and distinguishes itself with its hand-pulled noodles.
The hand-pulled noodles are the big feature here, but don’t hesitate to skip around the rest of the menu. A good starting point are these delightful spicy wontons in a Szechuan peppercorn sauce.
Or the steamed dumplings.
Or the soup dumplings filled with a rich broth.
The spicy potato chips are covered in a heavy cumin-rich sauce. The flavor’s quite good, although the texture wasn’t our favorite – a little soggy and heavy.
The noodle dishes offer the option to use their house-made hand-pulled noodles, and we highly recommend choosing that every time (even with the small up-charge). The dan dan noodles are an easy first step. They’re soaked in a fiery sauce and covered with ground pork.
The owner recommended the Lanzhou beef noodle soup, the signature dish from his hometown in China. The hand-pulled noodles are combined with slices of beef and veggies in a clear broth.
Don’t skip the stir-fried noodles, too, like these chicken stir-fried noodles. It’s all well-seasoned, and the hand-pulled noodles have such a wonderful texture.
Aside from the noodles, one of my favorite dishes was the hot pepper pork over rice. It’s a beautiful dish with a delightful seasoning. It brings the heat, but it’s not overwhelming.
Add Kung Fu Noodle to your list of Chinese places to frequent! It sounds like they’re positioning themselves for growth, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more stores around Columbus. I, for one, welcome that!
Kung Fu Noodle is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Kung Fu Noodle
5225 Godown Rd.
Columbus, OH 43235
(614) 564-9825
Web: kfnna.com
FB: Kung Fu Noodle North America
IG: @kungfunoodlenorthamerica