The Chiang House may be a pile of smoldering ruins, but the Flaming Wok ensures that authentic and affordable Chinese cuisine still can be found close to the University.
The cozy eatery, conveniently located right off Route 29 about three miles from Grounds, offers a range of options for the picky eater, from vegetarian entrees, to traditional Szechuan cooking, to Japanese tempura and Korean barbecue.
The simple exterior of the Flaming Wok belies the exquisite interior decor.
The patron is greeted with a spacious interior of faux marble tables that nicely complement the plush red carpeting. The walls are covered in tasteful artwork from all three cultures, and one can spend a significant amount of time just taking in the interesting surroundings. Soft music plays in the background, but does not intrude on the customer's conversation.
The lighting shines from lanterns on the walls, and at dinnertime the whole restaurant is dimmed to produce a more romantic atmosphere.
The best thing about the menu is that it offers something for everyone.
The prices are quite reasonable and allow the diner to choose between a meal comparable in price to takeout and more expensive dishes appropriate for dates and special occasions.
The appetizer menu nicely kicks off the dining experience. The cheapest item on the menu, the egg roll, costs $1.25, while larger appetizers such as the hearty special soup ($5.25) are designed for two and are significantly more expensive.
For $5 one can order six spare ribs covered in a tangy sauce. This dish is too messy for a date, but it still has an excellent flavor and nicely contrasts with soups. These ribs are pretty strong, however, and we wouldn't recommend them to a novice.
The hearty special soup, a house specialty, definitely was a good primer in traditional Chinese cooking. Thick with vegetables, it also included chicken, beef, shrimp and egg. Served steaming hot, its aroma was sweet and pleasant.
The highlights of the appetizer menu were the steamed vegetable dumplings ($5.95). This meatless delight benefited from impressive presentation, as it arrived wrapped in seaweed inside a covered bamboo basket. The six dumplings inside would have been large enough to serve as the first course for an entire family. The dumplings themselves were delicious, but the house sauce that accompanied them was the star of this dish.
For a dollar less, this most popular appetizer can be had with pork. The dumplings take about 20 minutes to cook, so don't order it unless you're willing to stay for the long haul.
The specialty of the Flaming Wok is the stone barbecue ($15.95), a style of cooking that appears nowhere else in the United States, but has a long history in Chinese cooking. This dish includes shrimp, beef, chicken, onions, carrots, cabbage, snow peas and a range of sauces from an ordinary brown sauce to a very sweet house concoction. If at least two patrons order this meal that includes miso soup and white rice, the cook actually will come out to the table and cook it on stone slabs embedded in the tabletop.
The more enterprising diner has the option of cooking it himself, an enjoyable experience perfect for students on dates.
Similar accommodations are made if two or more order Korean barbecue, which comes with rice, miso soup, lettuce and assorted vegetables. Prices for this entree range according to the main ingredient, from $10.95 for pork to $26.95 for seafood.
The service is prompt and courteous. On typical weeknights seating is immediate and the wait staff gives more than adequate attention to the diner. Customers unfamiliar with Asian cooking will find the waiters to be helpful in suggesting more popular dishes. Drink service especially was prompt.
Throughout the meal, we were unable to finish our sodas because they constantly were being replaced by new ones.
For those unwilling to pay premium prices, the Flaming Wok offers standard chicken entrees such as garlic chicken and sweet and sour chicken from $7.75 up to $8.50 and beef dishes averaging $8.75. Seafood is a bit more expensive, falling in the $10 range.
Alternative foods also are available. Vegetarian options do not cost significantly more than dishes that include meat, and though the selection is not as vast, the Flaming Wok offers an acceptable menu for all customers. An extremely limited diet menu offers alternatives for the health-conscious for prices comparable to the regular menu.
The more intrepid and experienced connoisseur will appreciate the diversity present in the sushi menu.
From tuna to eel, the choices of sushi and sashimi offer an impressive opportunity to experience different culinary traditions not available at restaurants frequented by the University community. Prices for these delicacies begin at $2.75 and can become quite expensive depending on the ingredients.
The Flaming Wok has been in existence for only 10 years, but the professionalism of the wait staff and the caliber of the cooks usually are seen only in restaurants with longer histories.
The dining experience is made sensational by the ambience's complement to the menu. So whether you like Japanese, Korean or Chinese cuisine, the Flaming Wok has the food for all tastes.
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