Midtown Lunch

Wok Works opened its doors officially yesterday to a hungry crowd. The space is small, so seating is limited, but the team does a decent job at moving the line. Of note, in terms of decor, were the “living walls” of plants. I guess I could be more observant because I only noticed them once they started dripping on me. But enough of the plant life, on to the food.

There are three buns to choose from; pork belly, shrimp, and beef ($6). I tried the beef. The marinade was great, but the texture wasn’t perfect- it was both too chewy and didn’t have enough char. The bun itself was not strong enough to withstand the moisture of the meat and pickled shallots.

From the “sides” menu I tried to brussels sprouts and the green beans ($4 each). The brussels sprouts have a spicy ginger soy sauce on top that I enjoyed but were not as crispy as I hoped.

The green beans supplied the blistered texture the brussels sprouts lacked, but I didn’t love that the chillies were left in the serving. Roasted cashews were supposed to be in there, but I didn’t find them, they would have been a good touch.

Wok Works special gargantuan woks are mainly there for your noodle needs. We picked the “wok noodle” with shrimp and bok choy and selected the spicy Szechaun sauce on top. It is definitely a convenient way to get your protein, carbs, and vegetables. The sauce was vinegar heavy, which I usually like, but it didn’t have a ton of depth. I was most pleased to find that although the noodles looked like they would be soggy, they were not- in fact that had a very pleasant, bouncy texture.

The Kelvin Citrus Tea slush is awesome- it’s Wok Works blend of tea, lemon, and mango. Worth the brain freeze.

Wok Works needs some time to get in to its groove; I think many of my issues are easily fixable. I am ready and willing to give them another go in a few weeks for a re-do.

Wok Works, 1935 Chestnut Street, 215 644 9127