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Golden Wok
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Harlem1770 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10031
(212) 281-0808
- Nearest Transit:
-
145th St (A, C, B, D)
145th St (1)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
- Alcohol:
- None
3 reviews for Golden Wok
When I first moved to New York, I ordered Chinese food at least twice a week: cheap, flavorful, filling and cozy on a cold winter evening, part of the charm and romance of living in the city. After about a year, I pretty much cut Chinese take-away out of my diet: too salty, too oily, too heavy with garlic.
Last night, however, my wife and I had a hankering for some, and we ordered from Golden Wok on the strength of the previous two reviews. I didn't have a menu, but that's OK since every Chinese place has the same menu, and I happened to have one or two stashed away. We ordered chicken chow fun, Hunan beef, and hot and sour soup. The total came to $11.50.
Delivery was quick, about 20 minutes (we live only a couple blocks away, I think), and the food was piping hot. They didn't give us chopsticks, but I probably should have asked for some when I placed the order.
The food was great! Much better than other cheap Chinese, in my experience. The Hunan beef was spicy, like it should be, and so was the hot and sour soup (one of the few items that always varies considerably in flavor and quality from one restaurant to the next). My wife and I were both very happy.
It's now the next morning. Normally, I would have woken up parched with thirst, reeking of garlic, and with the stench of old Chinese food heavy in the air in my apartment. I would have thought, "Oh no, what did I DO last night? I ordered Chinese food! Why? WHY???" Ordering Chinese delivery is always something I've regretted the next morning.
But not with Golden Wok. The food was not unduly salty, it was not swimming in oil, and my apartment does not reek. I'm actually looking forward to eating the leftovers later today or tonight. With any other Chinese place's food, the thought of re-heated leftovers would make me gag (sorry to be gross, if you're reading this review right before you order your own dinner). Not with Golden Wok though.
Golden Wok: I like it, and I hope you do too.
I.love.these.folks.
I say that because I expected it to be a nightmare like the one is a few blocks down at 145th and Amsterdam. It's not.
It's still the sort of "move 'em in and move 'em out" attitude you'll get in a place like this, but the food? It's really good. I know liver isn't everyone's thing, but I like the stuff. I was having a craving and working from home last weekend. Being new to NYC, I had no idea where to go. However, with this being NYC, I knew that there was a restaurant somewhere within 30 minutes that delivered and served a liver dish. I went to the http://Menupages.com, ran a search and Golden Wok came up on the list. I realized it was just a few blocks south of where I live, so I decided to just walk over and order.
They're not the friendliest. There is only one table in the place and opposite the table there is a fleet of bikes used by their delivery guys.
I tried to stay healthy since their liver dish is fried. With that I ordered steamed rice and vegetables and steamed dumplings. If you purchase something over $10 you get a free can of soda too. The friend chicken livers? Excellent. The steamed rice and veggies? Excellent. The steamed dumplings? Horrible. I'm used to Korean style dumplings that have thinner wrapping. The serving amount? Huge. It took me two meals to finish off the chicken liver and rice. It took me three meals to finish off the steamed rice and veggies. The dumplings again, weren't good, and are still in the fridge. I figure I'm going to just peel the too thick wrapping off, nuke the meat and throw it in a soup or something like that.
You don't go here for the quality of service, you go here for quick and good food. You get it too. They also deliver. It's just that it's so close to me, it's easy just to call, walk over and pick it up.
I'm glad they're here. I'll be eating there a lot.
What does a Jewish mother make for dinner? Reservations at a Chinese restaurant! Like most jokes there's a grain of truth there. I mention this because I've been eating Chinese food since before I can remember. I love the stuff but I also know they are not all the same. This is why I am pleased to tell y'all about Golden Wok. It's one of those uptown bullet-proof glass joints. You know, with the faded pictures of the food, the gross linoleum floor and perhaps two tables max. I just ordered a sesame chicken lunch special with homemade iced tea and pork fried rice for $6. Sure, this place ain't fancy high-end dining but it was SO YUMMY! Often in these kinds of places the chicken is gross, gristley mystery-meat. Not so here. There was enough quality chicken to feed two. The pork fried rice was also terrific. Yay I have a new (to me) delivery joint in my 'hood!
