King of Wonton & Noodle - Chinese, San Francisco

1936 Irving Street, San Francisco CA 94122

(415) 682-9813

Parking: street parking

Last Visited: October 17, 2010

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 2 stars

Service: 2 stars

Price: $ to $$

King of Wonton & Noodle first caught our eye because of a television commercial. The commercial showed a man traditionally making noodles by seating himself side saddle on top of a long bamboo stick and then using the stick to flatten the pasta dough. Handmade noodles are always rather eye-catching when you see it being made - something about seeing it all made in front of you - and we had to make our way to Irving Street.

Upon our arrival, we found the restaurant to be more like a busy cafe. The kitchen is open, but you won't actually see any noodles being made. The tables are really close together and you find that at the larger tables, you'll share the table itself with another party. During all three of our visits, it was pretty noisy and bustling. While the most recent visit didn't require a wait, the first two times I went, there was about a ten to fifteen minute wait.

During my first two visits, I ordered noodles - after all, they are called King of Wonton & Noodle. Once seated, you'll receive hot tea in a stainless steel mug shaped like a wood barrel with a handle. The tea itself isn't particularly flavorful, but you can order traditional hot milk tea and other Chinese drink options.

- Dumpling and Shrimp Won Ton Noodles in Soup - While a good portion, after having the real deal in Hong Kong, this dish is just okay. The noodles are not as al dente as they could be, but the wontons and dumplings are large if that's your preference. The broth is good. Value is good. $5.95

- Beef Stew Won Ton Noodles in Soup - Similar to the description above, but with beef stew instead of dumplings. The beef stew is very tender and flavorful from the five spice used to make the stew. Again, good value and very filling, but not the best dish. $5.95

- Beef with Vegetables Pan Fried Noodles - The running theme of abundance continues into the pan fried noodle dishes. The beef isn't the most melt-in-your-mouth, but it's a nice sauce. There is a whole lot of bok choy cooked with the meat and all of it tops fried noodles. I thought this was good and preferred this dish over the chow fun listed below. Good. $7.99

- Black Bean Spareribs with Chow Fun (Wet Style) - I'm not sure this one is even listed on the menu. Usually, it's black bean beef with chow fun, but our dining companion asked for it and she got it. The pork spareribs were a little tough (not the best cut) and cooked with red and green bell peppers. There were also pieces of onion too. While the sauce has good flavor, it tends to be a bit on the thick side. The chow fun is also more clumpy than it should be - while it's hard to cook chow fun so that each piece of fun separates from itself, this one was clumping into chunks. Choose the noodles instead. $7.99

- Shanghai Style Dumplings (12) - This was one of the specials listed on the wall. There are some other dumplings available (not sure what the difference is), so the staff will ask which one you want. The dumplings were filled with pork and vegetables. Served with black vinegar, they tasted okay, but not wow.

My overall impression of King of Wonton & Noodle after several visits was that it is a good deal, but the food is just okay. It's so incredibly busy that there isn't a lot of space to maneuver considering the tables are so close together. It's often hard to get the attention of the staff for tea refills or other needs, and they seem far too busy to come back to you once food is served. If you're super hungry and want a good deal, then it might be just the place for you. If you're really into wonton noodles, then you probably won't be satisfied with the quality. Note that credit cards aren't accepted.