speedo232's Profile
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Recommended by a time-share salesman for it's not-on-the-menu lobster special, we decided to try it. It's in the extensive heretofore unknown to us Asian section, straight west of the Wynn. ----- |
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I was there today; I was there last week and I go at least once a month. I have been going to Wo Hop (downstairs only!) for maybe 10 years. I don't know where to begin after reading these "reviews", so I'll just ramble with stream of consciousness. The food is excellent. I have never had anything bad. Our typical meal is won ton soup (small, which is big enough for 2); egg roll; spare ribs; roast pork chow fon; and something else, today chicken with black bean sauce. We saw a long line as we approached and considered going someplace else. Hop Kee, right there on the corner where we have gone occasionally - smaller portions, more expensive, much larger space, so no wait usually: nah. New Green Bo (Nice Green Bo?) on Bayard - used to go there, sometimes a line: nah. Dim Sum a Go Go on East Broadway - excellent - we go there every few years, much more expensive: nah. Joe's Shanghai - great dumplings, frequently a line: nah. Noodletown - went a couple of times - good, but nothing special. Big Wong - someone told us they have great spare ribs. We tried it once and they were horrible - small and cold. Upstairs Wo-Hop - never tried it, often thought about it when the line at downstairs was long. It was pretty crowded today, but nah. Many other places we have tried: nah nah nah. We always come back to Wo Hop. The waiters are very friendly, the excellent tea (in glasses) and water is refilled regularly, and if you ask, you can have a pitcher of ice water and a pot of tea. The portions are large. We almost always have something to take home. We don't often share a table, but today we did, with a couple from Seattle, who were there because of Wo Hop's reputation. We once met Jerry Stiller there, who sat at the next table. Our picture is one of hundreds on the walls. My old favorite was Lin's Garden, mentioned in a song on Paul Simon's first solo LP. At that time there were two factions: Lin's Garden and Hong Fat. We liked them both (this was in the 60's) but preferred Lin's because the duck sauce was served in large plastic ketchup-type containers and Hong used those little dishes, which never held enough. They had signs in Chinese all over the walls, which we assumed were dishes that only the Chinese would like. Amazing to remember, but I discovered Wo Hop, not by recommendation, but because of a t-shirt purchase. We went to a warehouse in Williamsburg, where one room was devoted to t-shirts that were over runs from school teams, bar mitzvahs, etc. Well, for $2 I bought a Wo Hop shirt. Many months later I said, "Let's see if this place is still there and check it out." We did and the rest is history. Now tell me: How can a restaurant do business for 70 something years and attract people from all over the world (last week we saw people from Germany and Milwaukee) and have people stand in line up the stairs and down the block, if it stinks and has lousy food? On second thought, don't go there. The line will be shorter. ----- Big Wong Wo Hop Hop Kee |
