Tucked off in a little corner of North Austin is chef William Wong’s classic Chinese restaurant New Fortune 2 (12300 Ranch Rd 620 N Austin, TX 78750). It’s a hole in the wall establishment that would be easy to drive by in pursuit of a place much flashier, but flash isn’t what New Fortune 2 is about. Once you walk past the restaurant’s unassuming exterior and crack open their doors – you will find some of the best Dim Sum in the city.
We headed over to New Fortune 2 to try out their weekend Dim Sum cart service. Dishes included soup dumplings and golden shrimp balls – all served from metal carts that rolled by our table. If you are a fan of classic Chinese Dim Sum, this is the restaurant for you!
The Environment
New Fortune 2 is the type of place that feels familiar even if it’s your first time visiting. The interior’s wooden detailing and warm lightning invoke a sense of clam. This is a restaurant you settle into, with it’s cushioned seats and circular tables. The atmosphere is supplemented by the Classic Chinese and floral decorations are scattered throughout New Fortune 2. It’s beautiful while not being overbearing. The restaurant feels like home – the perfect place to enjoy hand-crafted Dim Sum.
The People
The hospitality at Fortune 2 was a highlight of our visit. The staff were so kind and attentive – especially the cart pushers – who explained each dish in vivid detail when they stopped by. The restaurant was packed to the point where almost every table was full, but the workers still made time to strike up conversation with everyone we saw. There was a real authenticity at New Fortune 2 that is rare to find nowadays. The whole meal was a dance between us, the staff, and the surrounding tables. What we chose to eat was often inspired by what we saw others get and what the staff recommended, and let me tell you, the results were delicious.
The Food
We started off with the Golden Shrimp Balls, Pan- Fried Pork Dumplings, Pan-Fried Basil Chicken Dumplings, Egg Rolls and Szechuan Green Beans. The dumplings were pan-fried to perfection and the filling was earthy and savory for both the pork and chicken options. The shrimp balls had a nice crisp and really punched you with that shrimp flavour the second you took a bite. Our favorite of this first batch had to be the green beans. The Szechuan sauce was fiery without being overpowering and the vegetable had just the right amount of crunch.
Next, we tried out the Soup Dumplings, Stemmed Rice Noodle Roll w/ Shrimp, Baked BBQ Pork Buns, Sesame Balls and Pineapple Buns . The pork buns were the highlight for this round. The soft, fluffy exterior of the bun mixed perfectly with the warm pork filling. This dish was gone within a couple of minutes. The last thing we tried were the sesame balls – a red bean paste filled desert that is as light as it is sweet. Everything we ate at Fortune 2 was amazing. Go try it to see for yourself!
Final Thoughts
New Fortune 2 is a home-spun dim sum spot in the heart of Austin that you can’t miss. Whether your a dim sum super fan or have never had the Chinese small plate experience before – this is the place for you. The cart experience is like no other, and allows you to sample so many different dishes in one sitting. We had a great time trying out all the different food New Fortune 2 had to offer, and will definitely be back soon…