Met up with some peeps in Chinatown at Wo Hops last Tuesday night when it was 103 degrees! Oy! If I had balls I would have sweat them off! It was the only night that my NY native friend who lives in San Francisco could go so 10 of us each brought a bottle of vino (a plus being byob) & stuck to our seats for what I consider some old fashioned, NY comfort food.
Here's the Zagat Review for Wo Hops on 15 (downstairs) 17 (street level) Mott St. 10013
This "old time" Chinatown "fixture" (since 1938) obliges the "budget-minded" with "killer" Cantonese chow served into the "wee hours"; although it's a "dinky" basement "hovel" with "grudging service", "there's a reason" for those "lines" in the stairwell.
Actually, the Zagat review is pretty spot on & I don't agree with all the reviews in the guide. I arrived late so they had already finished their appetizers & ordered the entrees. I figured since I wasn't that hungry from the heat I would nibble what they ordered but did make sure to get an order of egg rolls. I took the 2nd one home for Howie. They were...ok. They weren't greasy to the touch but they should really change their fry oil more often. You can tell from the color & flavor that it needed a change. I still managed to inhale it. God I missed NY Egg Rolls even if they suck!
Unfortunately, it seemed that every dish they ordered had Shrimps! Shrimp with Cashews, Shrimp Egg Foo Young, Shrimp with Vegetables, Chicken & Broccoli in a Black Bean Sauce (I never thought I would be glad to see Chicken!), Razor Clams in a Spicy Black Bean Sauce & some Steamed Bok Choy & White Rice. I am not an Egg Foo Young Fan but it's one of my Mom's favorites. It's basically an omelette with shrimps covered in a gelatinous but tasty brown gravy & it had good flavor. I could only eat a couple of bites though. Very greasy. The other dishes to me were just...ehh but the Razor Clams had a nice spicy edge in contrast to the other dishes.
Also, if you like big portions you won't be disappointed. The portions are very generous. The craze now a days is Family Style like at Carmines & other Italian restaurants but Chinese Restaurants have always done it & it's always fun to order a bunch of different things to share. If I was ordering I would have balanced it out with maybe some BBQ Spare Ribs, Mongolian Beef & some Fried Rice or Noodles or both. They ended the meal with slices of the sweetest oranges I have ever had in a Chinese restaurant & delicious, crispy fortune cookies although I wasn't thrilled with the fortune: "Trust him, but still keep your eyes open." Hmmmmm? Very interesting. Hey, Howie came from Queens to pick me up that night & ate his egg roll on the Williamsburg Bridge. He agreed. Egg Roll, ehhhh but he inhaled it! I guess I can trust the dude.
I really missed NY Chinese food more than anything when I lived in Chicago & LA. Even more than pizza & bagels believe it or not! I guess it was all those Sunday family dinners when I was a kid in the '70's that makes it more than food to me but rather a little slice of nostalgia!
In a nutshell, Wo Hops is still pretty darn good for the money! If you have friends or family visiting NYC & they like Chinese food & want a real NY experience definitely take them to Wo Hops! Even if it's a large group you will be shocked at how little it costs to eat a ton of better than average & definitely better than other cities Chinese food. Sorry other cities! They sell beer but you can bring in vino which is awesome just don't go when it's crazy ass hot outside! I could definitely see myself during the holiday season going into the city to do some shopping & ending my day at Wo Hops. Go in the fall or winter for sure & hey people who are getting married...I think it's a great spot for a truly affordable Rehearsal or Out of Towners dinner that won't leave you in debt!
ej eats
