Back in March, my friend Denise Heidel wrote Forsyth Woman’s cover story on Hakka Chow Asian Eats, and I was so jealous! Of course, as she reminded me, I am the one who got to go sample their menu when it was time to do their Rosey’s Review. And TA-DA! We’re here now! And I have to say – Hakka Chow Asian Eats is one of my favorite restaurants in Winston-Salem for great Asian food. But I have my regular favorite. Yes, I may be a restaurant reviewer but sometimes a dish becomes your favorite, and it’s hard to break away from it. (Incidentally – my favorite dish is the Thai Red Curry with Beef. De. Licious.)
When I go on my restaurant reviews, however, I ask the restaurant to choose what they want me to sample, and as much as I love my regular favorite, I must admit that I’ll be mixing things up in the future!
First up – we sampled two appetizers. My go-to appetizer is typically the Hakka Lettuce Wrapsbecause I love how fresh and light they are… And I don’t feel guilty eating them before a meal! But Sous Chef Jonathan Chung brought out Egg Rolls. These are so much better than any egg roll I’ve ever tried. Made with marinated pork and vegetables, they are hand-rolled and taste amazing. They aren’t greasy as so many egg rolls are, and they are served with two sauces – a hot mustard which is divine… and a Vietnamese dipping sauce that is so incredible. Both sauces are made in-house and add a wonderful complement to the egg rolls!
We also sampled Hakka Chow’s Crab Wontons. There’s no room for anything less than the best at Hakka Chow, and that includes real, fresh crab meat in their Crab Wontons. As the chef explained to me, many restaurants use imitation crab meat; Hakka Chow does not. The wontons are filled with authentic crab meat, celery, scallion, and spices, and it’s served with a lemongrass sauce. The wontons are beautifully crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. I highly recommend!
Our entrees were next, and we sampled Korean Beef Bulgogi. Heaven on a plate, my friends! This is a meal designed to feel decadent. Tender beef has been marinated in soy-based sauce and grilled to perfection. Served with grilled onions and mushrooms, this dish comes with a side of brown rice or white rice. Honestly, though, I forgot about the rice at first. Every bite was bursting with flavor! It’s a must-try for your next visit.
Since we’re all friends, I’m going to let you in on a little-known fact about your favorite restaurant reviewer – once upon a time, I was a vegetarian, and during my 13 years of vegetarianism, I never liked tofu. Though I eat meat again, Hakka Chow just changed my mind on my long-time disdain for tofu. Szechuan Style Tofuis like nothing I’ve ever tried. The tofu is made to order, so it is served fresh every time. And because it’s wok-seared, it’s crispy and served with a mix of peppers, chilies, carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, and scallions. This is a wonderful dish for anyone to try! I’ll definitely be ordering it again! If, like me, you’ve never been a tofu fan, trust me on this. It’s fantastic.
We wrapped up our Hakka Chow experience with a tour of the Sushi menu, starting with the Fire Crunch Poke. Pronounced poh-keh, the Poke Bowls are a Hawaiian staple… a raw-fish salad that is growing in popularity in Los Angeles and New York. It’s thanks to Chef Jonathan’s travels and commitment to bringing new, innovative trends to Winston-Salem that we have it in our community!
This particular Poke Bowl had tuna sashimi mixed with avocado, jalapeno, a mix of spices, and a spicy wasabi-cucumber aioli. All of this was served on a fresh bed of spring mix salad with a side of crab salad and sushi rice. Fresh, crispy wontons topped the bowl and, frankly, it was almost too pretty to eat. It is a refreshing and unique menu item and is unlike anything else I’ve tried. For a sushi lover who wants a different twist – here you go. It was so popular at our table, my friend who joined me ordered another one to take home to her husband! An important thing to note was an observation by my friend… Sushi isn’t always the most graceful dish to eat; a Poke Bowl helps for those who love sushi but have a hard time biting into a larger piece. The tuna was cut into manageable bite-sized chunks.
The Sushi menu at Hakka Chow Asian Eats is arguably the freshest sushi in town. Chef Jonathan Chung has impeccable standards. He will only serve the freshest fish and refuses to compromise on the quality. His standards have set the bar high for sushi lovers. And for our review, we were given the Nigiri Chef’s Special. This platter is gorgeous. Colorful, vibrant, artistically arranged. Much thought goes into the presentation. The platter offers nine assorted nigiri options, and because it’s the chef’s special, it’s never the same platter twice!
But what I can tell you is that we sampled sushi made from white tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and tuna… and every bite was exceptional. Bonus – every Sunday is buy one, get one half-priced sushi!
Hakka Chow Asian Eats is a favorite in Winston-Salem for good reason – the owners care. They’ve put together a diverse menu that is inspired by a variety of cultures and culinary delights. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and if you’ve got room – I highly recommend the Fried Bananafor dessert! YUM!
Pay a visit to Hakka Chow Asian Eats soon! And be sure to tell them that Rosey sent you!
