Loong Yan dim sum restaurant to open in Mount Pleasant, SC

The decision to expand will help the couple service more South Carolina residents, some of whom routinely drive from Summerville and even Columbia just to dine at Chef Loong, the couple said. While the Mount Pleasant outpost may feel more upscale following a full renovation of the now-150-plus seat space, Yan and Lin said it will be just as affordable as its West Ashley sibling. 

Even as food prices, especially beef, skyrocket, Yan and Lin want guests to be able to get in and out of Loong Yan for $25 to $30. 

Though the menu hasn’t been finalized, Loong Yan will feature a similar offering as Chef Loong, which serves pan-fried, steamed and soup dumplings, as well as noodles, scallion pancakes, bao buns and more. Beer, wine and sake will be available, and eventually, the restaurant will offer fresh-made gelato. 

Yan, who leads the culinary operation, said that the Mount Pleasant spot will lean more heavily into its dim sum experience, which is driven by the dumplings her and a team of chefs painstakingly roll by hand daily. Diners who visit the new restaurant will receive a peak behind the curtain, for a glass window near the well-appointed entryway offers views of employees filling, folding and pinching the plumped half-moons. 

“We want to really make sure all the customers can have a really high standard,” Yan said. “I think it’s the respect for the work and food that brings a really high quality of the food.” 

The food at both restaurants draws on Yan’s upbringing in China, where her grandmother operated a noodle shop. Dumplings are a vessel for bringing people together, especially in Northern China, they said — that’s why they want Loong Yan, which is equipped with two private dining rooms, including one with a circular table centered by a Lazy Susan, to be a family gathering place. 

“We see (ourselves) as a part of the community who serve the local people,” Lin said.