Flaming Wok- Mandarin and Szechuan in Santee

Flaming Wok has closed

mmm-yoso, the blog, is what you are reading.  Kirk is still not feeling like posting and Cathy does feel like posting. 

Hello again.  We were hungry, did not want to drive, yet had a taste for something Asian.  Down the street, next to Albertsons, for more than 17 years. 

Flaming Wok used to be kind of really neat to walk in and watch.  The woks were right there behind glass, with flames.  Kind of why they named it that way.

They have remodeled.  There goes that photo.  Now it is just the name of the place.  

Nice, decor, but, what is wrong with this photo?

FORKS!!!!

OK.  I am done. Just a little pet peeve.  The food is good.

I like how the menu has superimposed drawings of  the general categories- chicken, shrimp, eggs, cow.

We started with our usual, three ingredient sizzling rice soup.  ($6.95) It comes in a large bowl and  is ladled out into the smaller bowl seen here.  We each got about 3 small bowls of soup from the large one. Sizzling rice squares, a rich chicken broth, shrimp, chicken nd beef, along with water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and pea pods.  The peas were crispy fresh and the meats were juicy and flavorful, with the shrimp being quite large and sweet.

I got the vegetable egg foo young ($7.25)- a huge portion, kin of ended up shaped like it was cut on the bottom of the wok, filled with bean sprouts, shredded onions, shredded carrots , crispy crust on the outside and light and fluffy on the interior.   Served with a sauce that was gelatinous/made from beef bones.  Not salty, but deep rich in flavor.  All of this reheated well the next day.

The Mister wanted noodles.  Special Upside Down Pan Fried Noodles ($9.75).  Thick rice noodles, cooked and fried until crispy.then placed on top of the stir fried beef, chicken, pork and shrimp in a thick gravy with broccoli, carrots, onions and water chestnuts.  The noodles had a nice "bite" even when drenched in the gravy.

It is a nice, local, delve into good fresh Mandarin Chinese Food without the drive to Convoy Street.

Flaming Wok 9888 Magnolia (at Mast) Santee 92071 (619)596-3749  open 7 days 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Comments

[Trent]

Looks like they may have good wok hei, although it'd be nice to still be able to see their flames. Were they pumping serious BTUs back in the day?

[Cathy]

Great flavors here Trent. It is not Americanized Mandarin, despite the forks; it is very rich deep flavored food. The flames were as tall as the chef. It was really fun to watch.

[Liz]

Hah, funny about the forks in an Asian place. Totally unrelated, we are going to legoland tomorrow, know any place to eat around there? tks :)

[Cathy]

Hi again, Liz...forks are my biggest hangup, although if I am handed one only because I am White, that is when I get upset.
Anyhoo- for a plentiful breakfast, large lunch sandwiches or hot meals and/or a substantial dinner. I-5 North to Palomar Airport Road (the giant windmill), turn east(right). At the light turn right(go south)and just a little ways down you will see Tip Top Meats on your left. It is a grocery store in the front part and restaurant is to left at the end of the store. Menu is up near ceiling. You order, pay and pick up when they call your number. Get your own table or booth and coffee and water. It is a Meat Store. If it is breakfast, son't play games, get th Big John. It is like $6 and you get all the meats you can eat (bacon, sausage, ham, brats) plus 3 eggs, potatoes and toast. The sandwiches are huge. Dinner comes with choice of home made soups, salad, potato, kraut (just get half and half). More Old Country German in flavors. It is good and not expensive. If you want to splurge, you get a steak that you pay market price for from the meat counter and get them to cook it and all the sides for an extra $2.

[Steamy Kitchen]

Egg Foo Young?! I didn't know restaurants still served that crap!

I agree w/you re: forks. No self respecting Chinese restaurant would put forks out!

;-)
jaden

[Cathy]

The EFY is kind of really good here, SK. I know its a basic "leftover" sort of meal, but sometimes... We try to get it as our protein/veggies and 'third dish' when we go out. Flaming Wok is very local, has been here a long time and is kind of 'exotic' fare in this small town..and, unfortuntely, the forks fit in. More people would use them than chopsticks.

[Liz]

Cathy: We went to Tip Top Meat after legoland. I got the prime rib, husband got #1 and an Amber Rock, and our son got a plate of french fries. HAH. So good, so stuffed. We got there around 6pm, people just kept coming. There was one break, which we took advantage of it and got a piece of chocolate cake to share. :) Wish we live closer. next time, we are bringing a cooler to bring home some sausages.

[Cathy]

Hi, Liz- It is always that busy because on Fri-Sat-Sun after 5 or whenever they have the Prime Rib. It is the rest of the menu the rest of the week. The first time we ever went (long ago, since the Prime rib meal was $4.95 and exactly the same size as you got) it was a Friday and just before the Prime Rib started. The line for food was backed up into the food aisles...we did not understand and everyone kept telling us to go ahead of them. We had excellent food (sausages and saurbraten) but on our way out, we saw the plates, with the rib bones, and knew we would have to return.
I keep a styrofoam cooler in the back of one car and have one of those thermal flat bags in the back of the other; you never know. I am so happy you found it and liked it!

[toisan]

I just had to laugh at the forkin' comments. There ain't many Asian folk in Santee (aka sans teef). Your pictures are convincing enough to make me stop and try the restaurant. The egg foo yung looks really good, actually.

[Cathy]

I am so glad you commented on the photography, Toisan. I try to show some kind of detail about the food and, even though kind of common, we usually get egg foo young as the 'plate for the table'. Flaming Wok has really good food, just none of the atmosphere you might expect. NOW, as for "sans teef"...I need to get back to reading the latest issue of the Daily Californian, with the article on page three about how everything at Roswell, New Mexico really did happen... :)

[od2]

This sounds like I remember it. My wife rally liked the combo plates.

[Cathy]

Hello and welcome, od2. You and your wife should go back and enjoy the Flaming Wok again. The food has always been prepared well here.

[jake Tompson]

The flamming wok has terrible service. We waited an 45min recieved our soup. I was just about to walk out and the appitizers came. We waited 20 more minutes, got up, we offered to pay for what we ate and it was 22 bucks. They did not offer to compensate for the bad service. Not once in between during that 1hour and 15min did she check on us, refill a drink or pick up a dirty dish.

[cathy]

Wow, jake, when did you go there? It must have been very crowded and busy. I've only seen it that busy at lunchtime, when everyone orders the specials. If you ordered soup and appetizers, it must have been from the dinner menu and I know there are usually 4 people working the floorand one on the cash register at all times. With all of 16 tables, it would seem they would notice if someone was waiting so long. You are very patient. Sorry it was a bad experience. How was the food?