Budai Gourmet Chinese Restaurant

I've finally found my favorite Chinese restaurant! I went with a friend today and ordered the mini shrimp dumplings, ma po tofu (extra spicy), salt and pepper short ribs and beef stew in clay pot. Everything was so good and flavorful! The mini shrimp dumplings were soft, tender and tasty. The ma po tofu had little bits of pork in it and was full of umami flavor and soft tofu. It's the best I've had so far in NM. Salt and pepper short ribs were super tender inside with a light and crispy exterior and perfectly seasoned. There was no prim and proper way to eat them, so we just dug in. The beef stew in clay pot was impressive! It came sizzling to our table and the aroma!!! So flavorful with tender beef, Napa cabbage and clear glass noodles on the bottom. So very good! We had just missed the lunch rush. The service was polite and efficient. Our server seemed to be happy to see us enjoying our food so much. Very nice guy. We were so happy to be seated at a comfortable booth. So many restaurants seem too modern and almost sterile. This place has a warm and comfortable feel. This is a place we'll go out of our way to visit again. I can't wait to take my husband next time!

This little gem serves something very special....soup dumplings. Yes, they are smaller than usual however, the size allows for a full mouth bite size. The sauce is bomb. And they serve in stainless steel which is more sanitary than the bamboo steam things. If you're a new Yorker missing Chinatown, this is your place!

If you’re trying to satisfy a real Asian appetite such as Szechuan or similar and you like certain ingredients not found on the menu just ask the wife “Miss Elsa” and her amazing chef, husband to prepare for you your favorites- there probably going to spank me when they read this but those two owner operators have been preparing for me almost weekly my favorites all in one entree. Unbelievable is all I can say besides tasting delicious. What a great discovery. Check out this tucked away little piece of culinary Heaven you won’t be disappointed. See you next week for my usual! Try Budai “the bomb” Restaurant in the far north center with Sprouts and Petco.

I'm literally hooked on a dish they prepare especially for me. That's correct - they may not like this too much, but the owners will prepare something for you if they have the ingredients to do so. I'm stuck on the eggplant, chicken (no Broccoli) add a few bean sprouts and not too spicey! The absolute bomb dish! These owners will do everything to make you what you want. And the quality is amazing. If you want the very best in Asian food, look no farther than Budai. Open their front door with a hard pull and come taste the best in Albuquerque.

Food (garlice sauce squid) was very tasty. Service was a little lacking but to be fair, they have signs up stating they are short on staff and to please be kind. To explain, I was never offered water or given my check until I went to register. Room temp was uncomfortably warm but that could just have been me. Overall, it was good food and the people were courteous enough.

Our family really appreciates BuDai. We organized a large family meal for a Friday night, and Elsa, the owner arranged reserved seating in her small dining room. We had pea sprouts, spicy flounder fillets, and soft tofu. The Xiao Long Bao we’re delicious. We’ll keep going back for the food and family.