Opening Alert: Bing Bing Is Bringing Dim Sum to the Bar Crowd

Now ready to go on East Passyunk, you won't find any carts or tally cards at Bing Bing Dim Sum — in fact, you won't even find them open during the morning hours most people associate with dim sum feasts. (At least not yet - daytime hours are planned for the weekends a bit later, once things get off the ground.) What you will find inside is another vibrant art explosion and the same sort of imaginative variations on classic Asian dishes you'd expect from the team that brought you Cheu Noodle Bar. Better yet, you'll also find a pretty killer bar.

Finally open as of Monday, February 16 at 5 p.m., the follow-up to Cheu is notably roomier than its predecessor, but the vibe and design follow similar themes. Hand-painted light fixtures hung above the bar were blown by chef Ben Puchowitz's brother, glass artist Zach Puchowitz. Murals cover two walls: A black and white mash-up of dumpling characters and the Bing Bing logo come from Jon Billett, while a more colorful scene by Mike Wert and Val Volken frames the kitchen. In the bathroom, shadow boxes set against frenetic wallpaper display clay dumplings, folded by Ben and fired by his mother. Local sculptor and furniture designer Andrew Jevremovic was responsible for custom wood- and metalwork throughout, and built the booths and bar incorporating vintage pieces.

A dedicated bar with four taps, helmed by bar manager Max Sherman, means a much lengthier and more ambitious drink list. In addition to beer, wine, and excellent housemade Sichuan ginger beer, look for cocktails that match the studied and exploratory spirit of the food. A few large-format mixed drink options are available, punch-style, and are a good bargain at $35 for a pitcher hefty enough to serve six people.

The kitchen is open from 5 p.m. to midnight daily, while the bar will remain open until 1 a.m. (Look for daytime weekend hours to be added in the coming weeks.) Here's the opening menu.

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