I finally ordered food delivery for a quiet birthday meal instead of walking into a restaurant and sitting it out with friends or family.
Last year, I was content with K drama as my fare and watching Coffee King until the next day. This year, with all the lifestyle alterations sinking in, I finally made an order to Wickd Wok to try food delivery instead of feeling the ambience of a physical place. Come to think about it, home-based kitchens are safer havens but in the vast social media ocean, photographs and videos may not be enough to get the adventurous eaters to try the food. But here is an Asian food fusion of sorts cooked in the perfect cooking vessel, the wok.
I once toured the kitchen of tycoon Lucio Tan where my favorite Chinese chef, Chongloy, stir-fried the private meals for the Tan family when they were in town. The deep circular holes on a plaster topped surface with a vent that sucked out the smoke from the flames and burning sesame or peanut oil were awesome. The legendary Chinese high flame stir-frying of almost all the delicious oily food happened in the unusual custom-built kitchen where only the favorite chefs prepared the cravings for authentic mainland cuisine could be had. This is my take on woks and the food magic these bring. The rounded bottoms widen the reach of the heat,and the food can easily be swirled and tossed, claims a website. This is why food stir-fried in a wok is different from those meals stir-fried in a flat pan. Besides, this food retains its dry even flavors in each grain of rice, meat, or vegetable.
Mee goreng is fried egg noodles of Indonesian origin or pancit to the Pinoys. This is a little spicy and on the sweet side, has chicken, tofu cubes, potato bits, tomato quarters, bok choy, and green onions. Unlike the regular rice noodles, this has the egg noodles that don’t stick together but can you imagine the textures of potato and tomato in the dish. It seems odd but not quite because they taste so good together. The taste of the noodles is different too. This must be tried and eaten in the box for the added charm and extra warmth. Throw in the chopsticks for the complete meal ala China.
Cashew chicken should be a must too. Chunky chicken breasts with broccoli flowers and cashew when cooked together produce a nice mix of juices that make a wonderful sauce of sorts. It must also have some chicken broth that moistens the meat and veggies. The cashew that has turned chewy is perfect with the fried rice that is almost sticky. The chicken breast lovers are going to enjoy this tasty rice meal.
Pork char sui has its sweet and salty charm. I am imagining the blow torch that is passed over the glaze in the cooked pork loin with bok choy before it is placed in the box. There are crispy bits when biting into the tender slices of the meat because of the crystalized sugar. It brought me back to my samgyupsal experience in Romantic Baboy. The pork parts were like the pork neck or moksal slice. Tender and tasty pork loin is best in this dish that also adds a different mix of flavors to the fried rice.
Beef broccoli had the oyster sauce charm in the dark sauce. The steamed broccoli flowers and the sesame seeds that were added for flavor allowed the taste of the beef to dominate the meal. There is something about good beef that is totally different from other meats. Although, the fried rice that this is served with this has the same ingredients as the other dishes, it must be the juices of the meat and broccoli that flavors the rice and gives it a difference. Beef lovers should find this great.
Classic siomai gets a thumbs up anytime. Pot stickers or steamed dumplings in Asia are delightful because you get the surprise of what is inside. To me siomai is an adventure. I like trying the street versions and testing the commercial ones as well. This one is a good adventure and will not disappoint. The chili-garlic sauce is their concoction. This is good enough for a rice meal too. I wonder if there is a fried option, I guess it is doable.
Shanghai rolls are amazing too. I had to try this because it was worth the crispy and sweet-sour bursts of the texture. This is a version that is truly Wickd Wok. The sweet-sour sauce that accompanies it is a must. This is what happens when taste buds expect the food pairs.
There is Krupuk or kropeck the Chinese version. These are good too for people like me who like crispy and crunchy things.
There’s more to this deal at Wickd Wok. Find them on Facebook and get your rice box meals. Promise, they get to you on time. I forgot to say that fried rice fans will just enjoy this to the max, here’s a shout out to Leo Pugal.
Allow me to add some street food adventures of Baguio. You must try the crispy dried squid at Mines View Park sometime. This is grilled to perfection by Riza and Neri with the perfect vinegar dip or with chili if you must. Only in Baguio do you take a trip to the park to eat this treat.
What about the potato twirls of Maribel? These crispy versions of potato are hard to enjoy because you chase the falling parts with each bite. This is a perfect walk down North Outlook Drive towards The Mansion.
Happy Father’s Day to everyone who plays dad, enjoy one of these Baguio goodies.
