If the world of Chinese restaurants can be divided between those with chopsticks on the tables and those with silverware, Wing Wah Restaurant in Pikesville is a knife-and-fork kind of place.
Tucked among storefronts on the 500 block of Reisterstown Road, Wing Wah serves generous portions of moderately priced, mildly flavored Chinese fare.
It has a neighborhood feel to it, starting with the signs on the entry doors that warn you not to park in the nearby Jiffy Lube lot, lest you be towed. Wing Wah has its own parking lot behind the restaurant. Most of the regulars at Wing Wah seem to come and go from the restaurant's back door, placing their cars safe from the tow truck's hook.
The Cheung family has owned the restaurant, I was told, for 27 years. The front page of the menu is adorned with snapshots of some of the restaurant's loyal customers.
The decor is minimal: decorative fans on the walls, reddish tablecloths and a fish tank featuring frolicking koi. Booths line one wall, tables are scattered through the room. The restaurant does serve alcohol, but customers may bring their own. Reservations are not required, and dress is casual.
The highlight of our meal was the serving of soft noodles, yat gaw mein. These thick noodles were covered with a slightly sweet brown sauce, topped with your choice of chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. We had the chicken, which at $7.25 could have been a meal in itself. Our foursome split this dish as one of our appetizers and still had leftovers.
In general, appetizers at Wing Wah were more appealing than the entrees. Ever since a visit to Taiwan last summer, where chopsticks reign, I have had a yen for steamed dumplings. The serving of vegetable dumplings, eight for $6.25, was pleasing, but a long way from the delights of Taipei. The half-serving of barbecued ribs, $4.35, delivered the usual sweet, porky flavors expected of this dish. Again the portion, six ribs, was unsparing. The vegetable spring roll was inexpensive, $1.25, but undistinguished.
The best of our entrees was the moo shu pork ($10.55), a dependable if not exciting way to eat pork and pancakes dotted with plum sauce. The Szechwan beef was beefy but lacked fire. The orange chicken was also mild-mannered. The house special, sauteed scallops, shrimp and chicken with chicken vegetables ($13.75), was gummy.
The portions were not just large, but extra large. The night we were there, many of the patrons who had dined in the restaurant left toting bags filled with remnants of the evening meal. The restaurant also has an extensive carryout menu.
Service was prompt, friendly and adept at maneuvering the bountiful plates of food on the table.
On the menu •Barbecued spare ribs - $4.35 half order,
•Egg foo young, vegetable - $7.35
•Hot and sour Soup - $2.25 a cup
•Roast pork yat gaw mein - $7.25
•Boneless duck - $10.55
•Roast pork with bok choy - $9.95
•Broccoli with garlic sauce - $9.25
•Hunan beef - $11.25
•Sweet & sour shrimp - $11.75
Wing Wah Where: 509 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville
Call: 410-653-0606
Open: 11 a.m-10 p.m Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m-11 p.m. Friday & Saturday; noon-10 p.m. Sunday.
Credit Cards: MC, Visa, Amex
Appetizers: $1.25-$8.75
Entrees: $7.95-$14.95
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