Wok of Flame 顺利饭店 — Restaurant in Davis

#1 June 2023 You know how most Chinese restaurants have the same food? Some are super greasy and others seem a bit fresher, but even the really good Americanized Chinese restaurants are never fantastic?

I think I found the place they are all emulating, and the chefs at Wok of Flame definitely didn't give away their REAL recipes.

I had a dinner combo. They come with soup, an appetizer, and a common side of fried rice, chow mein, etc You know the drill. What you don't know is that even if the dish you want isn't on their list, they will turn any entree in the menu into a meal by just adding a few dollars to the menu price. How great is that?? . So, tonight I ordered BBQ Pork Egg Foo Young and got to make it a combo. Here are my highlights:

The Egg Foo Young was perfectly cooked with a fantastic gravy - strong and flavorful - which is why they didn't need to down the eggs in it.

The BBQ pork fried rice was excellent. It wasn't overly greasy and the flavor was full but not overpowering.

But honestly, it was the homemade sweet and sour sauce that captured my attention. Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of Sweet and Sour. But this one has me rethinking that. It was naturally sweetened, not cloying, with what I'm guessing was pineapple juice. But it has this added note, a subtle spiced flavor that you can smell and taste. It's familiar but I still can't figure out what it is. I asked the server to ask the kitchen about a special ingredient. She came back and told me that the chefs told her that this sauce, like everything else here, is made with love.

Of this, I have no doubt. But I think I'll just ask the next time I visit. Eventually I'll figure out this mystery!! 🧐

#2 March 2024 I've returned. This time I went for the Sweet and Sour Pork so I could enjoy that sauce. As expected, it was fantastic. These little crispy deep fried bits of battered pork are FANTASTIC. I got the Singapore Style Noodles and Green Beans in Garlic Sauce to go. I can't wait for...

Everything was good, and I think it comes down to preferences, so my 4 is possibly others' 5. My dinner partner really liked the lo mein and dynamite beef; I quite liked the cashew chicken and deep fried potstickers. On the flip, I didn't care for the former two, while he didn't really go for the cashew chicken and thought the pot stickers were a bit lacking in flavor (which is fair, they were well-stuffed with chicken but not many veggies to be seen, but that suited me just fine; the accompanying soy vinegar sauce had green onions in it).

I enjoyed the hot sake (I suggest smelling it a bunch before drinking, and drinking it at different temps; it has a strong floral aroma but only a nice, vague hint of it in the taste).

Server was very attentive and friendly. Dining area is spacious and was nearly empty (as might be expected on a Monday night). Dishes were delivered quickly and hot and as ordered (though we did not request any modifications, so no data on that).

Might seem pricey, but it's served family style, and we have enough leftovers to feed both of us again (twice probably, but I'm a light eater these days). A single dish would easily be enough for an individual in most cases, and they have customizable combos for groups of...

Wok of flame is a tremendous establishment, not least because of their dynamite chicken and fantasic green beans. And don't even get me started on the quality of the green tea - absolutely fabulous. Green beans and green tea go together flawlessly. One thing I would suggest to fix is the various sauces provided- especially the rooster sauce- it made me pass tremendous gas a few minutes after trying it. But anyway, the dynamite chicken recommended by my waiter did indeed taste like a bomb (as he suggested), and came out like one too. Once I combined the chili paste with the aforementioned g-beanz, I was transported to a blissful mental state I imagine Kerouac was in when penning "On The Road." As confucius once said, "meat should be eaten in moderation" ... so the green beans are an ideal meal and stand on their own. I'm kind of regretting not getting the hot and sour soup...my son Alec seems to be quite enjoying it and his whole demeanor seems to have been elevated to a transendental level. Amazing to witness. And the best part was the attention to detail, particularly when i came to the tremendous service which ensured that my water glass was always full - a necessity to cool down the flavor explosions taking place in...