A very controversial meal from linglingsbne (you know it’s bad when they don’t let anyone tag them)
✨karage chicken
✨(chairman) pork belly bao
✨samurai fries
Lings lings is a very disappointing food establishment in fortitude valley, Brisbane. They have such great ideas - super fun cocktails in soup bowls and great deals - however this is very much overshadowed by their racism and reaction to the situation.
If you haven’t heard already heard their now altered menu used to be filled with extremely problematic and derogatory items. Titles such as “sum ting small” playing into stereotypes of desexualisation of Asian men and also making fun of people who speak English as a second language also shown in their cocktail “wang da wong number” and even hypersexulisation of Asian women and terms like “MiSo Horni” and “sucki sucki”.
Obviously these play into harmful stereotypes and are not acceptable, but what I think is worse than this is that even after being given feedback and criticism alike they took months to do anything about it and they never even issued an apology. (See @rebrand_linglingsbne ). Changing the menu is great - it’s extremely important - and I’m grateful they did but they should have issued an apology. They should have stepped up and recognised their mistake instead of sweeping it under the rug.
On an actual food note, the food was good, better than the standard you’d expect from a late night bar. The venue itself is fun and loud. Drinks are overpriced, especially the fun ones, but that’s pretty expected.
As a born and raised Singaporean I’m embarrassed that I ate here in the first place and didn’t recognise the problematic features of the restaurant, but I’m glad that things have changed, although I’m not sure I’ll ever support them again.
What do you think? Is their new menu a redemption in your eyes? Will you be giving this place a go? Let me know!
