Food Critic - China Wok

China Wok

97 E 1000 N

Chinese food is consistently the most popular ethnic takeout option in America, and second or third overall behind pizza and possibly burgers, depending on whose numbers you trust. It’s even more popular than Mexican, Indian, or Thai, and for good reason. China is a vast territory, with hundreds of distinct cultures, many with documented histories going back 3-4000 years. This makes China quite possibly the oldest continuous civilization on the planet. And that depth and diversity are brilliantly displayed in their cuisine. Yet many Americans only ever see a sliver of it. You see, what we call “Chinese” food here is overwhelmingly Cantonese, originating from the Guangdong province in the far south of China. There are a few non-Cantonese dishes, like moo shu, that have gained popularity in the US, but not many. To confound the issue even more, Americans tend to view Chinese cuisine as cheap takeout, so we rarely acknowledge the millennia of mastery that have produced the flavors and textures that make us crave it so intensely. I’ve always considered China (along with India and Mexico) to be one of the three great

original cuisines of the world, and I could go on for days about its history, evolution, artistry, and countless virtues, but I will refrain. However, if that interests you, there is a fantastic documentary called “The Search for General Tso” that is well worth a watch. With that said, let me tell you about our latest restaurant adventures.

Shrimp Egg Foo Young – The eggs and gravy both needed salt. Shrimp was beautifully cooked, and the eggs had perfect texture, which tells me they used a little oil and either some corn or potato starch in the slurry. I could use some more chunks of green and white onion. Overall, pretty good once you add a dash of salt.

Pu Pu Platter – I’m tempted to penalize them half a star for the unappetizing name on their appetizer, but I’ll give them a pass. The Pu Pu Platter is a mixed platter of 7 different appetizers. It’s also a mixed bag of highs and lows. The shrimp toast is great, love it! Bacon-wrapped imitation crab is a bit mushy with slightly flaccid bacon - swing and miss there. Teriyaki chicken is pretty dry, and I didn’t get any sauce with it. The chicken finger was a little overcooked, but very crispy and properly salted, and came with the standard bright red sweet & sour sauce. The cheese wontons seem baked, not fried, and the filling is a bit sweet, with no scallions or any flavors other than cream cheese. The cha siu pork (my favorite Chinese dish of all time) was very dry, and the sauce was not too flavorful. Lastly, the fried shrimp was a little overcooked, but very crispy and properly salted. Overall, I’d just order individual appetizers instead of the combo platter.

Pork Egg Roll – It was fried a little too dark, but super crispy. The filling has great texture, which tells me they’re not just buying frozen egg rolls and reheating them. You can always tell a freshly made and properly cooked egg roll because the cabbage inside will be very firm, but not quite crunchy, and it will taste about halfway between raw and cooked. These egg rolls nailed the flavor. If they pull them from the fryer about 30 seconds earlier, they would be perfect.

BBQ Sparerib – Chinese spareribs are always a little chewy and dry, but this one was maybe a little more so. The sauce was great but could use a little 5-spice.

Chicken Wing – This is a dim sum classic, and China Wok does it right! By the time I ate this wing, it was already cold, but it was still crispy. The interior is salty, moist, and tender. Dip it in any of the sauces that come with your food and it’s better than any wing Colonel Sanders ever turned out.

Chicken Lo Mein – Disappointing. There wasn’t much chicken and the noodles were badly overcooked and mushy. The flavor was good, but with the texture and lack of chicken, it was not worth it.

Pu Pu Platter Pork Egg Roll

Szechuan Beef

Ham Fried Rice – Nicely salted, but it needs more of literally everything. I didn’t even see any egg in there, which is odd for fried rice. If you take the time to compose a bite with every component, it tastes great, but you’ll only get a few bites before you’re left with just rice.

Szechuan Beef – Nicely salted with just a little bit of heat. I could honestly use more heat. The veggies and beef are perfectly cooked. Great flavor!

Orange Chicken and Cherry Chicken – I’ll review these both together because they tasted almost the same. It’s just sweet & sour chicken. It tastes fruity, but you’d never be able to guess which fruit. That said, it’s delicious! Cooked nice and tender, with well-salted, flavorful sauce. I could use a little hot pepper on the orange chicken, but overall, nicely done.

House Special Moo Shu – I’m a bit of a moo shu snob, and I’ve made it at home many times. That makes me simultaneously very critical and very appreciative of restaurants that serve it. China Wok does it well. Let’s get the criticism out of the way — it’s missing the golden lily buds that add such an amazing fragrance to the best moo shu. But I get it, lily buds are a bit pricey, so not everyone uses them. There were nice chunks of woodear mushrooms, and the sauce had a rich, mellow flavor that everyone loved. The spring pancakes are nice and thin with great chew. We all agreed this was the best dish on the table.

House Special Moo Shu

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