Lao Wang Noodle House, which has served as the literal matriarch and patriarch of Denver’s soup dumpling scene for a quarter of a century, will close on Feb. 15.
For much of that time, it was the only — or one of the only — places in Denver for xiao long bao, a kind of Chinese steamed dumpling served in bamboo baskets. Xiao long bao are unusual in that there is hot soup inside the thick dumpling wrappers, along with pork or other ingredients.
Glenn Asakawa, Denver Post file
Tse Ming Wang, left, who died in 2021, and his wife, Chun Ming Wang, opened Lao Wang Noodle House, 945 S. Federal Blvd., in 1999. (Glenn Asakawa)
Soup dumplings have grown in popularity over the past dozen years with the viral rise of the Taiwanese soup dumpling chain Din Tai Fung. In the past two years, they have become much easier to find locally after the opening of at least two dozen dumpling restaurants.
Lao Wang, owned by Tse Ming Wang, who died in 2021, and his wife, Chun Ming Wang, who still runs it, also serves potstickers, dan dan noodles and other dishes. The couple moved to Denver from Taiwan in 1985, and many of the recipes were designed by Tse Ming.
“I am not a restaurateur, and mom is getting older. She is slowing down, and it is unfair to her having to run a busy restaurant by herself,” said the Wang’s son, Danny Wang, who has been operating the restaurant with his mother, 84, and his partner, Frances.
Danny Wang, who formerly owned Caution Brewing in Denver, has been trying to find a business partner who could help take on the brand and continue operating the restaurant (possibly as part of a brewpub) in a new location. So far, negotiations haven’t worked out, but Danny said he is still open to the idea in the future.
“The way it is run now, it was designed for them and them alone,” Danny said, adding that the couple didn’t have any employees and always wanted to keep it that way. “Since Dad passed away, we have been trying to figure out how to keep his legacy alive. And the joy that mom gets from serving uniquely good food.”
The restaurant, at 945 S. Federal Blvd., is adored by many people across the city for its simplicity and its food. But it has never been known for classic hospitality. Rather, words like “abrupt” and “unwelcoming,” left in reviews, encapsulate Lao Wang’s take-it-or-leave-it ambiance.
But that’s also why many people loved it. “It’s like stepping into a 1960s hole-in-the-wall experience,” Danny said. “It’s what they wanted.”
Until it closes, though, Danny said he knows the little spot will be busy — and apologized in advance. “If there is a line, you may get turned away,” he said. “We won’t be able to do takeout or seat incomplete parties. But we’re going to do the best we can.”
