Rulin, a family-run Chinese restaurant, is set to open near Union Square in Manhattan on Tuesday, January 20. The menu draws from traditional Chinese cooking techniques and regional flavors.
A Chef’s Journey From Finance to Food
Rulin is run by husband and wife Lane Li and Chris Wang, who changed their careers from finance to pursue their shared love for food. Lane’s cooking is informed by experiences from her childhood in China and later in Flatbush. She balanced culinary training at the Institute of Culinary Education with a finance degree. It was after the birth of her son, Jackson, named Rulin in Chinese, that she decided to take a leap and pursue a career in the food industry full-time. The decision led her to launch Noodle Lane at Smorgasburg in 2011.
Its success resulted in a physical location in Park Slope in 2023, followed by her project, Rulin. Covering 950 square feet, the restaurant provides 38 indoor seats and 12 outdoor seating arrangements. With interiors designed by Studio Jari and lighting by Studio Atomic, the eatery features focused-beam lighting over the tables.
The hand-pulled noodle counter makes the preparation a performance for the guests. Located at 15 East 13th Street in New York, Rulin will open Tuesday through Sunday for dinner from 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM, followed by lunch.
Chinese Comfort Classics With an Upscale Touch
Through Rulin, Lane is offering an upscale take on Chinese comfort food in Manhattan, similar to what she cooks at home. The restaurant will blend regional flavors with refined techniques to redefine Chinese cuisine in New York.
Some of the menu highlights will be Sour Apple Salad, made with corn, lime, and celery; and Lanzhou Style Beef Noodle Soup featuring turnip, chilli oil, braised beef shank, and scallions.
Other dishes also include Country Duck Canape, made of pickled turnip, crispy rice, and soy garlic vinaigrette; Dan Dan Noodles with Sichuan vegetables, lap yuk pork belly, and chilli oil; and Shiitake Mushroom Skewers served on Binchotan charcoal.
As Rulin prepares to open its doors near Union Square, the restaurant brings a personal vision of Chinese cuisine to Manhattan.
