A New Chapter for a Tucson Restaurant Family
Bamboo Noodle House plans to open soon at 2920 N. Oracle Rd., which previously held El Chinito Gordo. The team awaits final approval from the Pima County Health Department, which may happen as soon as within days.
[Editor’s note: photos were taken during a preview lunch held at Bamboo Terrace in November.]
Deep Roots in Tucson Dining
Couple Lenny and Blanca Mark co-own Bamboo Noodle House. Lenny is a native Tucsonan with deep family ties to the local Chinese restaurant scene. His grandparents once owned the now-closed China Palace on Miracle Mile. His parents opened Bamboo Terrace in 1983, began running the restaurant before 2000, and officially purchased it from his parents in 2012.
Blanca grew up in Zápopan, Mexico and moved to the United States as a teenager, later becoming a U.S. citizen. Together with partners Mark and Felicia Bonillas, the Marks also opened El Chinito Gordo.
A Concept Built on Family Food
The idea for Bamboo Noodle House traces back to Mark’s father. He once wanted to open a small noodle shop and named it before the concept even existed. When the family revisited the idea, the name stayed.
After the Marks closed El Chinito Gordito, they ultimately decided they were exhausted and held off on Bamboo Noodle House and focused on Bamboo Terrace while they recharged, Lenny said.
“In October I took a personal trip to Wilcox with some friends and had a chance meeting with Dave Furmanski of Empire Pizza and Nick Heddings of Arizona Pizza Company, Upper Crust, and Ugly But Honest Pizza,” Lenny said. “We built a quick friendship and to keep it short, they both had a lot to do with reinspiring me with opening up the BNH concept. We have since become good friends.”
The menu reflects dishes Mark grew up eating at home. Many never appeared on earlier restaurant menus. Others come from customer favorites at Bamboo Terrace. The goal centers on food shaped by generations of family cooking.
Noodles and Soups Lead the Menu
Noodle soups anchor the menu. The signature hot Won Ton Noodle Soup features a bouncy traditional shrimp and pork filling. Mark said his family once drove to California just to find this style.
Additional noodle dishes include lo mein, chow fun with flat rice noodles, and Cantonese chow mein with pan-fried egg noodles. Guests can add pig feet to soups for extra richness and texture.
House-made dumplings, BBQ spareribs, and pork ribs round out the appetizers. Chef’s specials include Mongolian beef lo mein, sesame chicken, orange chicken, and beef with broccoli, all served with steamed rice.
A Space Designed by Local Creatives
The restaurant occupies a 4,882-square-foot space with 133 seats with plans to add patio seating in the future. The buildout took about three months, with minimal conversion needed after the prior tenant closed in May.
“We really wanted to capture a true Chinese vibe for this new concept, but also showcase our Tucson roots and also just roots of Chinese people as they settled into the USA and became a part of American culture,” Lenny said. “Although not complete, we will be adding photos, showing some of our history in Tucson and the USA in general.”
Felicia Bonillas and her firm, The Bloom Collective, led the interior design. Mark Bonillas and MStudio Architecture also contributed. Family members Blanca Mark and May Mark offered creative input.
The team plans to display photos highlighting Chinese American history and the family’s Tucson roots. The decor aims to reflect both heritage and place.
Drinks, Tea, and Comfort
Bamboo Noodle House offers hot teas, including oolong, jasmine, and green. Premium teas include chrysanthemum and rose. The menu also lists boba tea, soft drinks, and beer selections from Chinese, Mexican, and American breweries.
Bamboo Noodle House will operate from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, and noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Lunch specials run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The business phone number is 520-822-8776. The website and social media accounts remain under construction.
“BNH is the best of what the Mark family has to offer Tucson,” Lenny said. “We are secure in our Chinese identity so we are not out to prove to anybody that we are a ‘real’ or ‘authentic.’ We want people to walk through our doors expecting to eat delicious food that has been cultivated from generations of Mark and Gin families adapting from Chinese heritage and embracing and earning our American heritages.”
Bamboo Noodle House is located at 2920 N. Oracle Rd. Keep up with Bamboo Noodle House on Instagram.
For more openings, visit our Tucson restaurant openings coverage. Explore more longtime local favorites in our Tucson Chinese food guide.
