PHOTOS BY LAUREN SEPHTON
When it comes to authentic, high quality Asian dining with wonderfully balanced classic dishes and an ambiance that is unmatched, HakkaChow Asian Eats ranks as the best of the best.
The Chung Family first opened their doors in 2014, and has continued their family legacy of offering irresistible Asian eats using fresh ingredients by partnering with local businesses, and utilizing local resources whenever possible! Jonathan Chung, Sous Chef and Marketing, has traveled the world sampling dishes to stay up to date on the latest trends as well as inspiring new ones that you’ll only find in The Triad’s very own HakkaChow. Each dish is carefully crafted evidence that the Chung family is committed to providing their customers with nothing but the best!
Our afternoon began with quite the surprise. And a pleasant one at that, if I may add. Kimchi Cheese Fries – aka an appetizer to satisfy a crowd! Their housemade rustic French fries are topped with kimchi for added crunch and spice, baked cheese, roasted garlic for a sweeter flavor, spicy mayo, sriracha and fresh scallions. It’s great for the family and perfect for an after-work pick-me-up!
Next up on the menu of appetizers was their Kobe Beef Dumplings, whose flavor blew me away. Inside the dumplings you’ll find soy-marinated ground Wagyu beef with shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and sweet potato noodles. They are served both steamed and fried, but may I personally recommend trying them fried? When the dumplings are fried, they become crispy and create this perfect contrast with the soft, flavorful fillings inside. It is plated with their soy-ginger dipping sauce and Korean hot sauce for your choosing.
And lastly, we were served their fried calamari. And while this is a staple on many restaurant menus, this one stood out from the rest! Each calamari is lightly dusted, fried, and tossed with garam masala creating a medley of spices. Served with their sweet chili sauce and spicy aioli makes this dish hyper flavorful.
Moving onto the entrees…we had the opportunity to taste their Angry Kani Rice Bowl that was akin to a poke bowl, but more complex and layered with delicious textures. The spicy baked crab salad was topped with melted mozzarella cheese, wonton crunch, crispy shallots, and fresh scallions on a bed of spring mix and sushi rice, drizzled with Siracha and hot lava sauce, and topped with two shrimp tempuras for an exceptional meal!
And because you can’t come to HakkaChow without at least once trying their made-from-scratch sushi, next up was their Aburi Salmon Rolls and Sea Ocean Rolls. To say they were astounding in flavor would be an understatement. The Aburi Salmon Rolls are an inside-out roll filled with kani salad and cream cheese for a soft, mildly sweet component. They are topped with salmon and flame-torched with Korean hot sauce and spicy mayo, then garnished wth green onions. The Sea Ocean Rolls are a maki roll filled with salmon, tuna, yellowtail, white tuna (escolar), kani, asparagus, and green onion, then topped with wasabi sweet soy and masago for an unforgettable taste.
To round out this amazing meal in the sweetest way possible, we had their iconic Fried Bananas. The ripe bananas were lightly battered and crusted in their housemade panko for the perfect crunch, then topped with a rich vanilla ice cream for extra creaminess. It was served with a drizzle of chocolate and caramel sauce, garnished with candied walnuts, and called you by name!
Nevertheless, HakkaChow Asian Eats is a treat that can be enjoyed on all occasions! Thank you to the Chung Family and all the friendly faces at HakkaChow for an amazing and flavorful afternoon. If your stomach is grumbling like ours was after reading this, head on over to HakkaChow Asian Eats and tell them the Forsyth Mags Foodie said hi!
Hakka Chow Asian Eats is located at 615 St George Square Court in Winston-Salem. Visit them online at Hakka-chow.com and on instagram.
