Grub Scout: WokChow brings plenty of sizzle to fast-casual Asian dining

There has definitely been a trend toward the fast-casual dining model in recent years, as evidenced by chains like Moe’s, Salsarita’s and Noodles & Company. Even in the Asian submarket, we’ve seen names like Ghengis Grill and Wok Hay spring up, and now WokChow has joined the mix, specializing in fire-seared dishes offered with a pricing structure designed to give full-service restaurants a run for their money.

The Grub Spouse and I grabbed an early dinner recently at the recently opened WokChow in Bearden, where, upon entering, we found ourselves the lone customers. I took immediate notice of the dining areas’ contemporary Asian motif, which is conveyed primarily through architectural features and bright colors rather than through traditional restaurant decor.

The menu is laid out on a nearby wall just inside the entrance, and smaller, lighted versions are displayed for easy reading immediately in front of the two counter stations designated for ordering.

The starters consist of familiar items like lettuce wraps, calamari and egg rolls, and egg drop soup and hot-and-sour soup are also available The WokChow house salad features mixed greens with cabbage and other veggies, while the warm duck salad is built upon a spinach base.

There is also a handful of rice and noodle-based dishes, but most of the fare is found in the entree section. The selection runs the gamut from spicy chicken, honey chicken and kung pao to moo goo gai pan, ginger broccoli and Cantonese duck.

Entrees range from $6.50 to $8.75, but those who want more decision-making power can go with the create-your-own-bowl option for $7.50. You pick a base of rice or noodles; choose beef, pork, chicken or shrimp as your protein source and then choose as many of five vegetables from a selection that includes red peppers, snap peas, almonds, sprouts, pineapple and bok choy. Four sauces are available to complete the picture.

Not wanting to put that much thought into our meal, The Spouse and I stuck with the main entrees. The Spouse was enticed by the Peppered WokChow, picking beef over chicken in this dish that is prepared with a tangy sauce, onions and bell peppers. I thought the Mongolian WokChow sounded great, and I picked chicken over beef or pork. The meal is made with green onions and mushrooms, all fire-seared in a dark garlic sauce.

Although we usually aren’t bowled over by most desserts offered in Asian-food restaurants, we couldn’t help but notice WokChow’s selection of fried banana spring rolls, chocolate chip cookies and carrot cake, all of which are homemade. The Spouse is a carrot cake fiend, so we tacked that onto our order.

We found the service to be friendly and accommodating, and our meals were prepared in a timely manner and delivered sizzling to our table. The entrees were offered in fair portions for a reasonable price, and I was pleased with both. The Peppered WokChow definitely had a zippy, peppery flavor, and The Spouse’s choice of brown rice was a good one. I loved the blend of veggies, grilled chicken and garlic sauce that went into my Mongolian WokChow, and the side of fried rice I opted for was outstanding.

The carrot cake was generous in size and a worthy effort, although I think it was a shade dry from having been refrigerated. Otherwise, I considered WokChow well worth our time, delivering tasty wok chow for a modest price.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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