After more than two years at Wash. U., we were beginning to wonder if we would ever find great Chinese food in St. Louis. Then we tried Wong’s Wok. Serving food that is delicious and flavorful and not too heavy or greasy, Wong’s Wok is one of the best Chinese restaurants we have eaten at in this, or any, city. Though delivery isn’t available, the Loop-adjacent location makes it just a short walk or shuttle ride away from campus, and dining in is the best option for fresh, delectable food.

Wong’s Wok, now located on Melville, used to be hidden inside the Loop Market and was forced to move when Racanelli’s decided to take over the whole space. This explains why we had never seen it before and why we decided to take a look at the menu. The offerings, for the most part, are traditional—chicken with broccoli, sweet and sour pork, Hunan beef—with a few more interesting options, like golden onion shrimp, in the “Chef’s Specialties” section. While at first we were skeptical about eating in the small dining area, the interior was surprisingly bright and welcoming. Although the incredibly cheap prices are a huge plus, the cash-only policy can be somewhat inconvenient. This is made up for by the option to order from the less expensive lunch menu any time of day (it costs $0.25 more during non-lunch hours), which has many of the same dishes and includes white or fried rice and an appetizer. After ordering a large amount of food for a small amount of money, we sat down to wait for our meal.

Whether eating in or taking out, that wait is a very small one; every dish was ready in a matter of minutes. Appetizers like the egg roll, fried wonton, and wonton soup were all very good and complemented the entrées well. The most popular dish was the pork with broccoli, which everyone agreed was absolutely excellent. The pork was succulent and the broccoli was perfectly cooked. Also exceptional, the chicken with mixed vegetables includes tender chicken and vegetables like baby corn, water chestnuts, carrots and mushrooms. Both parts of the dish were great and the sauce was a delicious accompaniment. Another chicken dish, Hunan chicken, tasted similar and was equally good. The beef entrées, like beef and broccoli, are also excellent options. The meat was savory and cooked very well. The fried rice, available plain or with vegetables, chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or ham, manages to be flavorful without being too heavy. Finally, the lo mein, while good, was slightly greasy.

Wong’s Wok offers exceptional food at even better prices. The only drawbacks include not delivering, not accepting credit cards and closing relatively early every night. However, these small negatives pale in comparison to the excellent dishes and speedy service. We recommend that anyone who loves traditional Chinese food try Wong’s Wok whenever the mood strikes.

4.5 out of 5