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WOKING OUT!
Golden Wok fit for Chinese feast
Golden Wok in La Grange Park is about as low-key a Chinese restaurant as there is.
It is nestled in a mini-row of stores in a predominately residential neighborhood. As restaurants go these days, it is nothing fancy or glitzy.
Just inside the entrance is a compact area often lined with folks waiting for a table or carryout. It leads to a pair of dining rooms dressed in basic Oriental artifacts and soft shades of green. Some 120 diners are accommodated comfortably.
That plain and simple description in no way should be interpreted as critical. We like the no-frills, unpretentious feel of Golden Wok. We also appreciate the businesslike efficiency of the waitstaff, which serves the right order at the right time with a minimum of fuss.
We should also mention that there's a second, more brightly decorated Golden Wok in Glen Ellyn. Both share the same food, menu, and prices. This review, however, focuses on the La Grange Park site.
The restaurant may not win any awards for design, but when it comes to food, the rewards are plenty. Cantonese and Mandarin specialties are well prepared, delicately seasoned, and generously portioned.
One listing - Szechwan shrimp - could be too fiery for conservative palates. Other than that, everything sampled was right on the mark.
Egg roll, the Chinese delicacy Westerners know best and order most often, can be either good or bad. There's no middle ground.
Golden Wok's version is very good, one of the best around. The wrapper is dark brown, crisp, not greasy, and packed tightly with shredded cabbage, pork, shrimp, and mushrooms. What really makes it click is the finely tuned flavoring.
Pot stickers, another sterling starter, come six to the plate and also are first-rate. Pan-fried and steamed, the plump beauties are nicely textured and not gummy. The pork forcemeat filling is moist and fragrant with right touch of ginger.
Chinese soups vary from light to heavy, simple to complex. Among Golden Wok's half dozen, the egg drop excels. Shreds of egg mingle with snow peas, carrots, baby corn, water chestnuts, and mushrooms in a clear, light chicken stock.
Several of these same dishes are offered in a sumptuous weekday lunch buffet, plus a deluxe Sunday spread in Glen Ellyn. --C.P. Pecoraro, Suburban Dining, Life Newspaper
THE GOLDEN WOK SHINES
Looks are typical, but not food
There is no better advertising for a restaurant than a satisfied customer.
We selected the sweet-and-sour chicken and the Golden Wok chop suey from the A category and couldn't have been more delighted. A dinner for two translates to a dinner for four: You will take home a large doggie bag. The Golden Wok chop suey should not be missed. Many other restaurants are fairly skimpy with the meat, but the Golden Wok chop suey was loaded with meat and shrimp. It was a taste treat. The sweet and sour chicken rated the same A+. Pineapple, green pepper, and tomato surrounded large portions of all white chicken. It was a perfect combination with the Golden Wok chop suey. --Jim and Carol Mullen, Suburban Dining, Chicago Sun Times
When
we moved to Lombard it took a few trys to find good Chinese. After a
couple of terrible Chinese restaurants we found the Golden Wok II and
have never ordered out from any other Chinese place. Whenever my
"chinese food buddy" comes to my house, we head over to Golden Wok for
the buffet, which is pretty darn good. At the time of writing this they
are on vacation and I am totally bummed that I cannot have my Chinese
food fix until tomorrow night!
You can never go wrong with the beef fried rice or the Mui's special. I
think they have the best crab rangoon that I have ever tasted too.
Chicken fried rice is a little dry (the chicken) that is why I switched
to the beef, but all around I have never had anything there that I
didn't like. Service is quick and everyone there is very nice.
Pros: Great meals for a decent price
Cons: They aren't located right next door!
Best Egg Rolls Anywhere
10/17/2007 Posted by sierra220
i
started eating at this restaraunt about thirteen years ago, when I
lived in Lombard, Il. I have NEVER stopped going there. I travel all
the way from Forest Park to eat Chinese food. I can not find any other
restaraunt that compares to them. And I have tried to find a closer
one, but I can't. So my family and myself have no problem taking that
thirty five minute trip at least every other week for dinner. The wait
staff are wonderful and very polite. They NEVER push anything extra on
you. I always leave there with four extra orders of egg rolls and fried
wontons. If you get a chance please try this restaraunt, you will fall
in love.
Pros: thumbs up !
Movable meals:
Takeouts. Catering for up to 300. Delivery in LaGrange Park to La Grange Brookfield, Westchester, Lyons, Riverside, North Riverside, Loyola, and Hines. From Glen Ellyn to Lombard, Villa Park, and parts of Wheaton.
Tidbits:
Service bar
Off-street parking
Gift certificates
Smoking section
Wheelchair accessible
Reservations:
Definitely on weekends
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(708) 354-3930
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