Speedy Goodness

By Jun Wang

China Chef

Location: 3193 Peters Creek Pkwy # I, Winston Salem, NC 27127
Phone: 336-650-9223
Offers: Take-out
Cuisine: Americanized Chinese Cuisine
Signature Dishes: General Tso’s Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Sweet & Sour Chicken
Year of Establishment: 2003

Known as “Twin City”, Winston Salem is a vibrant multicultural mix of people from all around the world. Diversity has played a huge role in bolstering the city’s thriving culinary scene. Boasting trendy restaurants and stylish shops, Winston Salem also has a number of take-out eateries worth trying out. One must-try take-out eatery is China Chef which has separated itself from the pack by offering mind-numbingly delicious offerings at a reasonable price.

Like many takeout eateries, China Chef serves heaping portions of American style Chinese standards like Egg Foo Young, Fried Rice and General Tso’s Chicken. Of course, being located in Winston Salem, North Carolina means China Chef’s “standards” are a tad different than the “standards” of restaurants in New York or San Francisco enjoy. But different doesn’t mean worse. In this case, China Chef has altered its menu to better suit the tastes of the local market.
 
The homemade sauces delivered in dollops atop entrées are brimming with flavor. It is a truism that in Chinese cuisine—a sauce, gravy, or simple glaze can make or break a good meal. While nearly all the Chinese restaurants in the US offer similar Americanized Chinese fare, their taste differs because of each restaurant’s own special homemade sauce. These homemade sauces are always a product of years of hard work and trial and error. Nothing is worse than a lumpy sauce that tastes too much like flour or cornstarch. It really calls for delicate skills to make the kind of sauce that will turn an ordinary dish extraordinary. Drawing upon nearly 20 years of experience, owner Kenny Wang has created delicious sauces that will be sure to have you coming back for more.

Be sure to check out favorites such as the Boneless Spareribs, General Tso’s Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Spring Rolls and Lo Mein. Among these dishes, the General Tso’s Chicken receives the highest acclaim.

If someone asks what the most popular Americanized Chinese dish is, most people will probably think of General Tso’s Chicken. Its presence on the menus of almost every Chinese restaurant in the country speaks volumes to how much people enjoy the taste of this dish. Some even consider it be the symbol of Chinese cuisine.

China Chef’s interpretation of this classic dish wouldn’t be that special, if it wasn’t for their homemade sauce. The chicken is lightly battered and coated with cornstarch then fried to a golden color. Matched with fresh broccoli, the result is a flavorful combination of tender and crispy chicken chunks lying on an attractive bed of green broccoli.

Other popular house dishes include the Crab Rangoon. The dish consists of generous portions of crab and is served in crunchy bites—it’s a surefire crowd pleaser. The Beef with Broccoli is also very popular, and the chefs only use the best beef in its preparation. Don’t forget the Bar-B-Q Spare Ribs. It is grilled in an oven to maintain its juicy and tender texture, and later topped with BBQ sauce, adding yet another level of flavor and moisture to the meat. 

As people become more sophisticated and selective in their dining preferences, they seek out healthier food options. To keep up with current trends, China Chef now offers steamed or boiled dishes to those who request a dish with a lower fat and salt content. Also, there are also various vegetarian dishes to choose from. 

However, no matter what customers order, they can be sure that the ingredients used are the freshest available and that the cooking oil used is of the highest quality. Mr. Wang always checks to be sure that all of the produce, meat, and seafood used are fresh. Additionally, he guarantees that absolutely no MSG is added to any of the dishes.

Not compromising on food quality is one simple step that makes all the difference. Restaurant owners around the world go to markets each day to buy ingredients, but now it may not be necessary as so many food supply chains have started to look for ways to provide their clients with greater convenience without sacrificing freshness. Taking advantage of this, Mr. Wang has chosen some reliable suppliers to supply the restaurant with the freshest and highest quality ingredients available. In addition, all produce is thoroughly checked and refrigerated immediately to guarantee freshness.

Like other take-outs, China Chef focuses on speedy service. Mr. Wang and his small team prepare all of the ingredients in advance of receiving telephone orders. That translates as doing everything, including washing and/or peeling various foods as well as measuring ingredients. Usually, an order is prepared within 5~10 minutes.

If you stop by China Chef on a weekday during lunch hours or between 6:00pm-8:00pm, you’ll hear phones ringing, the sound of cooks stir frying orders in the kitchen, and also see orders being packed. Yet, even with all the apparent “chaos” all around you, you’ll notice that in actuality, orders are being taken and prepared in a very efficient manner. There are never long lines of customers waiting for their orders because Mr. Wang has trained his team to work together.

Being able to run a tight ship is one reason why Mr. Wang is now able to enjoy watching his restaurant’s sales grow. It’s been a tough road for Mr. Wang who had toiled for years in the restaurant business before finally achieving the type of stability that others only long for. When he first stepped on American soil, Mr. Wang had no choice but to get work at various restaurants in New York, and later North Carolina. Beginning from scratch, he toiled for long hours as a busboy, a kitchen assistant, and then a cook. However, the dream of opening his own restaurant still seemed far off until 2003, when fortune smiled on him in the form of opportunity.