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Our dinner at The Hummingbird’s Kitchen Lunar New Year Pop-Up celebration reaffirmed the fact that the food scene in Bozeman is absolutely top notch. Over the past month we have enjoyed multiple outstanding meals at Izakaya Three Fish and Shan, both of which I have written up before, and last night we had the pleasure of finally making it to one of Chef Linda Huang’s much acclaimed feasts. The Hummingbird’s Kitchen is not a conventional restaurant, rather a series of unique events scattered throughout the year.

I had heard the buzz about Chef Linda’s authentic Chinese cuisine for a long time, but was never able to coordinate my schedule to attend one of her special events. When I saw the email come through regarding the Lunar New Year celebration I jumped on it and reserved our spots (as luck would have it it was also our 34th wedding anniversary); our expectations were high.  

We received an email several days prior to our reservation which contained details regarding timing and parking logistics, as well as the reminder that we could bring our own drinks. We showed up right on time (6:15) with some bubbly.

The Hummingbird’s Kitchen is located on a residential street in Bozeman and is a warm and welcoming environment. There are two large tables set around a big open kitchen (I believe there was seating upstairs as well), but we ate downstairs, sharing our table with a friendly party of five; I was fortunate to enjoy a terrific view of the kitchen.

There are a total of three helpers who support Chef Linda and they couldn’t have been friendlier whether greeting us at the door or serving course after course of deliciousness.

Chef Linda is originally from Shanghai, and moved to Bozeman about 10 years ago at which point she quickly realized that her new hometown was starved for healthy, high- quality authentic Chinese cuisine. Coming from a long line of professional chefs, she was more than qualified to be the one to enlighten us, consistently abiding by the mantra that the key to great cuisine is simplicity and the use of the freshest ingredients.

Our 9 course meal was the ideal vehicle to showcase both her delicious food and effervescent personality. Once the parade of dishes started it seemed each one was even better than the last. While you are seated at a communal table, your food is primarily served family style just to your own group with Chef Linda providing a quick explanation of ingredients and technique.

First up was a small selection of apps to whet out palate. The wood-ear Mushrooms were especially delectable.

Next up were fried-to-perfection crispy Radish Cakes served with a thick syrupy soy sauce and spicy chili crisp. 

Following the Radish cakes it was time for the main courses starting with Steamed Beef with Five Spice Rice Powder. While it is not possible to make dietary accommodations I had no trouble eating around the meat courses, loading up on what I could enjoy and sharing my overflow with my husband and son (they were stuffed at the end of the meal). After our first few bites Chef Linda came around with a sampling of the Five Spice Rice Powder to smell. I enjoyed the sweet potatoes, and my guys thought the beef was incredibly tender and tasty.

The next course was one I could partake in, Sister Song’s Fish Stew, a centuries old classic much beloved by ancient Emperors. It was light and delicately flavored, and satisfying While not particularly photogenic it was yummy.

Next up was the much anticipated Peking Duck which was served alongside tender homemade pancakes, condiments, duck sauce and topped with crispy skin. I sat this course out but the consensus was it was sublime. I believe Chef Linda has a special Chinese duck oven, she is not messing around!

One final course that I avoided was the sautéed pork belly, Hong Shao Rou, a classic dish from Shanghai that happens to be a favorite in our house. I served myself a large scoop of white rice while they concentrated on the pork. They were reaching saturation but still persevered.

I was in luck with the next course, sautéed bok choy with soy beans and mushrooms. I was in veggie heaven. I even shared a little with the guys.

Following the greens it was time for dessert, something I happen to love which is not generally available in most Chinese restaurants, Sweetened Red Bean Soup with sweet rice flour dumplings. So good!

I am not exaggerating, by the end of the evening we were completely stuffed (I can only imagine how full the guys were after eating my share of the Beef, Pork, and Duck), but we were satiated and happy. We were impressed by the entire evening, it flowed so smoothly, the food was outstanding, and the interaction with Chef Linda was memorable.

I cannot wait for the opportunity to return. Aside from being alerted to upcoming evenings on IG, you can sign up for emails on her website. The cost of the dinner was just $120 per person and was worth every penny, though we did leave an additional tip for the hard working and very pleasant staff. If you are in Bozeman, or traveling there and your schedule coincides with an upcoming dinner, do yourself a favor and sign-up, maybe I’ll see you there!