The Kung Pao Test: Best Wok

I had been hearing buzz about how great Best Wok's Kung Pao Chicken was so here I am.

Best Wok

19 148th ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98007

You've probably seen this sign if you commute on 148th.

 

Kung pao chicken lunch special $7.25

Came with choice of side and soup I got egg flour soup and shrimp toast

I substituted for fried rice for $1

I did not ask for extra spicy

Total bill $9.04

 

 

Service: very friendly. We'll staffed. Manager/owner present. He chatted with another customer for quite a while, there are obviuouLy regulars. Kitchen is not visible. Rather large room restaurant style. Looks like it used to be a Denny's or IHOP

Tea: Just alright. Steeped til dark, but not too flavorful. Free. Szichuanese Cuisine, still wins on tea.

 

Initial bite of egg flour was good. Very tasty but I'm biased I love egg flour soup. Pretty salty, very hot. If I ate fast I could have burnt my tongue.  Obviously a big pot of soup ready in the kitchen (not a bad thing).

 

Fried rice was good. Not much to say about it, but I think it was above average.

The shrimp toast was not so much toast as it was fried dough. It was tasty but very greasy.

 

Initial bite of Kung pao was ok.  Not sweet at all like the last two. It was not whatsoever spicy. This was a unique Kung pao in a couple ways. First there were no veggies at all, just meat peanuts and a couple dried peppers. Second, it was very heavy on the soy sauce. It was very saucy in general. Overall this was an interesting one, but I don't think I have the need to try it again.  

My impression of this place is that it is very classic American chinese, almost 80s style. I would like to come again and try some other things for this reason.

 

Spice level: None. Anyone could eat this.

 

Ingredient quality: good. Chicken was good.

 

Would I come again? Honestly, probably not. Not out of dislike, but there are just so many places, I would rather try something else. If a friend wants to come here I definitely will though.