By Lindsay Anderson

Special to The Post

 

Recently it was the first day of spring.

My destination was Wo Fung Noodle Express, a place I’d never managed to spot despite having been in the area dozens of times.

That’s why readers’ recommendations are so important!

They point out places I’ve become blind to, even in the heart of Food Street.

It’s a casual place with menus on the tables, and a cashier near the door where you give your order and pay. 

It was just the right place to arrive after being in a storm; I spread my damp jacket out on the bench seat next to me, and no one cared that I looked like a pathetic, sad, soaking wet puppy.

My friend Joel joined me for dinner, and a kind couple next to us recommended we try the fried chicken wings and cart noodles.  Sold and sold. 

We got six fried chicken wings ($8), Joel ordered the satay beef noodles ($5), and I had the cart noodles with udon, marinated egg, tofu skin, dumplings, and a Bavarian smoky, which I knew I’d have to order as soon as I spotted it.

On the cart noodle menu you have a choice of noodles (a buck extra for udon), then you pick two toppings ($5), three toppings ($5.75), or four toppings ($6). 

It’s like a simplified, even more inexpensive version of Cattle Café.

The food came out quickly, and was the perfect antidote for a cold night.  The large chicken wings were everything that’s good about deep-fried food – salty, crunchy, golden brown, and juicy inside. 

If you eat meat, these are a must-order at Wo Fung.

Joel said his beef satay noodle bowl was spicy and good; it was topped with thin slices of beef and a generous amount of satay sauce.

I really enjoyed my bowl of udon.  The broth was simple and not overly salty, and each of the toppings were just right, including the dumplings.

The combination of egg and Bavarian smoky made it kind of taste like breakfast! 

There were also stalks of gai lan in there – a nice amount of green to combat the deep-fried chicken wings.

There was a TV in Wo Fung playing some terrible show from the Food Network, but this only added to the awesomeness of the whole experience.

It felt like we were eating takeout in a living room (albeit with some strangers) while watching bad TV, which is just the right way to spend a rainy Wednesday night.

For many reasons, Wo Fung is a way better choice of fast food than McDonalds – it’s probably cheaper, there are real vegetarian options, there are real vegetables involved, you get to watch Bobby Flay critique some home chefs’ version of ceviche, and there are chicken wings.

It may not have been the most Spring-like meal, but it’s sunny today and there’s still plenty of time for that. 

In other words, many more cherry blossoms to come…

 

Lindsay Anderson is dining out at 365 Richmond eateries in 365 days for Tourism Richmond. The Asian Pacific Post is featuring excerpts from her blog each week. See www.365daysofdining.com for Anderson’s blog.

 

 

Wo Fung Noodle Express

8400 Alexandra Road, Richmond 

604-284-5635

Cash only

Vegetarian options available (check they have a vegetarian broth before ordering)