Legendary Dallas Noodle Chef Charlie Zhang Finds a New Home at The Hill
Music Influences and La Mian Steal the Show at Wok Star
BY Billy Fong // 08.13.21
Chef Charlie Zhang providing some noodle pulling entertainment (Photo by Monika Normand)
The moment I heard that the preview event for Wok Star Chinese would have an ’80s theme, I quickly signed up. Listening to some Pet Shop Boys “Where The Streets Have No Name” and the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep To Brooklyn” while indulging in some classic Chinese noodle dishes accompanied by pan-fried buns seems like the formula for a perfect evening (at least for me).
The new Walnut Hill restaurant from local food and drink veteran David Romano is decorated in the standard black-and-red palette of many Chinese establishments, but a large focus wall here is filled with oversized portraits of icons including David Bowie and Mick Jagger. What fun it is to be slurping up some soup dumplings under the watchful eye of Debbie Harry.
The usual cast of characters can be found on the menu (yes, you can have your General Tso’s chicken or beef with broccoli), but the true stars are the dumplings and noodles. The kitchen is in full view from the dining groom, so plan on watching chef Charlie Zhang (the legendary Dallas noodle chef, formally of Royal China) pulling noodles — true artistry to witness IRL — and preparing dumplings of every variety: steamed, soup, and perhaps our favorite, pan fried.
A highlight of the options we had that evening was the combo stir fried la mian. It was a delicious combination of hand-pulled flat noodles, egg, chicken, beef, shrimp, Taiwanese cabbage, scallions, onions, and carrots — all prepared with their signature brown sauce.
Also, if cocktails are on your mind, a curated selection of cocktails is waiting for you. We tried the Radioactive which came with a dramatic smoke bubble covering the top of the glass and we were intrigued by the Bohemian Rhapsody, which is made with peanut butter whiskey. Plus, Wok Star offers a happy hour with $2 off glasses of wine and bottled beer as well as half-price cocktails.
To go along with those libations you can take advantage of discounted items from the menu like their golden prawn balls and bacon fried rice.
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