He Said, She Said

It's the end of the month...and guess what's due...another He Said, She Said for Carrie and me. Here’s how it works:

• We went to the same Houston-area restaurant at different times.
• It's our first time eating at the restaurant.
• We read no previous reviews.
• We write our reviews separately.
• Once written, the reviews are not changed.

Daniel Wong’s Kitchen
4566 Bissonnet Street
Bellaire, TX 77401-3102
http://www.danielwongskitchen.info/

He Said Atmosphere: (1) Star
Let’s see…where do I begin? Just walk through the door and you’re blasted in the face with a smell that’s reminiscent of my sixth grade gym locker. That sure does get the stomach growling. Random pieces of art are crookedly hung on the walls. The general look of the restaurant is that of a two-star, 1980’s Florida hotel room. Only reason this place didn’t get zero stars is that I fancied a few pieces of art.

She Said Atmosphere: (2) Stars
Don't expect much in terms of atmosphere here. Kind of a strip-mall feel...random artwork, lattice walls...not much to write home about. I was slightly disturbed by the dirty 70's highchair we were given for the baby and the description my husband gave me of the bathrooms (which are through the kitchen). Enough said.

He Said Menu Selection: (5) Stars
Very unique ingredients for a Chinese restaurant…crawfish, turkey, lamb, okra….just to name a few. Maybe I’m a bit sheltered, but these are items I’ve rarely, if ever, seen on a Chinese restaurant menu.

She Said Menu Selection: (5) Stars
With 78 dinner items, it's hard to give Daniel Wong's anything but 5 stars. And, the website indicates that if your favorite Chinese item is not on the menu, please ask for it. Does it get any better than that?

He Said Taste: (1.5) Stars
We ordered one cup of won ton and corn chowder each. Average…nothing special. We followed that up an order of Garlic Lovers’ Pork, Good Morning to You, and Crispy Hermann Park Duck with Vegetables. There were elements of every dish that were appealing (mostly the vegetables), but every dish as a whole just lacked in certain areas. The chicken in the Good Morning to You was thinly sliced, tender, and very tasty. This dish included whole okra…which I think needed to be cut into pieces. The pork dish was ok, but salty. The Crispy Hermann Park Duck was the real head-scratcher. Beautifully prepped veggies were the star. The duck was awful…tasted as if it was gunned down in Hermann Park and dragged into the restaurant. In all fairness, maybe I’m just not familiar with this type of duck preparation.

She Said Taste: (4) Stars
We started with an order of Crispy Spring Rolls and Crispy Crab Puffs. Yum! Clearly, Daniel Wong's has their grease at precisely the right temperature. Spring rolls and crab puffs were crispy, as advertised, and not at all greasy. The menu stated that the crab puffs are made with fresh crab and since I could not detect any strange red imitation crab, I'll believe them. Gotta love that! Following our server's recommendation, we ordered the #74 (Rib Eye Steak Kew with Fresh Green Beans) and the #75 (Stir Fried “George” Shrimp with Fresh Garlic and Onion). Both were very good. The steak was cut into bite-sized chunks which was a welcomed change from the usual paper-thin steak served in most Chinese dishes. My only complaint was the fat visible on the steak. I will readily admit that this is more of a personal issue, as I generally perform surgery on my meat to eliminate any traces of fat. What did I expect on a rib eye at a Chinese restaurant, right? Anyway, the steak was perfectly cooked and well seasoned, as were the green beans. The shrimp dish was good, but not outstanding. Good flavor, but rather greasy, and because it lacked any veggies (except onion, which really doesn't count), I felt a little gross after eating it. Regardless, we finished off both entrees for dinner the following night. I love leftovers!

He Said Service: (5) Stars
Great service…nice people…liked the kids.

She Said Service: (4) Stars
Fast, helpful service that passed my two tests – made a recommendation when asked and refilled my drink without being asked. And, oohing and ahhing over the baby didn't hurt, either.

He Said Pricing: (3) Stars
Maybe a $1 more per entrée than the usual Chinese restaurant, but I attribute that to a more exotic menu.

She Said Pricing: (4.5) Stars
$2.50 for two spring rolls, $3.75 for 6 crab puffs and $13 each for our entrees. Most entrees were$8.50 - $11, but even $13 was good, considering we got two meals out of each one.

He Said Overall Opinion: (2) Stars
Good service and nice elements to certain dishes are not enough to rate this restaurant as even average. Given the wide variety in menu selection, maybe it’s just about ordering the right dish at Daniel Wong’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that…and doubt I’ll ever go back.

She Said Overall Opinion: (4) Stars
Good food, large portions and friendly service make Daniel Wong's a winning establishment. However, I would probably opt to make this a take out location, as the décor and grimy highchair left me unimpressed.