No muss, no fuss.
My favorite types of restaurants are the ones where I can go in, stomach grumbling and have my food in mere minutes. No. I'm not talking about fast food — I'm talking about Happy Wok. At this Chinese restaurant, you'll go in hungry and come out happy.
Located on College Avenue, next to the Lyric, Happy Wok is within walking distance of campus and downtown hotspots. It is quite common to see customers sitting in the window, stuffing their smiling faces.
As I walked up to the eatery, it was lunchtime and the place was packed. I thought to myself: This place must be good.
I walked in, placed my order and waited. As I looked around the restaurant, my first thought was … blank, like the walls. Plain white walls with minimal decorations were the theme of the room.
I expected to sit for a while before my food was ready, but within a few minutes, I heard my number screamed across the room. Happily surprised (and a little scared), I quickly went over to the counter and picked up my stuffed Styrofoam containers.
Happy Wok offers an extensive menu, featuring almost any Chinese food favorite imaginable. In my opinion, the best time to go is during lunch. For $3.99, you can order a lunch special, served with rice. I ordered the sesame chicken and mixed Chinese vegetables.
The vegetable dish included mushrooms, onions, peppers, snow peas and broccoli. The medley was sautéed in a light sauce with hints of a nutty flavor. The pork fried rice, fresh and soft, tasted fabulous when I mixed it with the sauce from the vegetables.
After tasting the vegetable dish, I expected the sesame chicken to be just as good. However, I thought the chicken was a little bit dry and unusually crunchy.
I was surprised to see a drink fridge with cans of soda for $1.00. I thought that was a bit pricy for a can that people could get for 50 cents in a drink machine. But they were the only drinks available, so I ordered one.
All in all, I liked the food and general atmosphere of Happy Wok. The employees didn't look as happy as the name suggests, but the customers seemed very satisfied. I would pick this place to take a regular lunch, surrounded by my fellow hungry peers. Quick food and decent prices, Happy Wok is a sure thing for a quick bite.