Wangs Kitchen is back. And the new restaurant on TTK Road which opened a couple of weeks ago, we hear is the first of ten outlets planned for Chennai this year. We stopped by for a taste of their all-new revamped Indo-Chinese menu with a side of nostalgia. And before you ask, yes, all the old time favourites from your childhood are still on the menu — from Sweet Corn Chicken Soup to juicy Chicken Lollipops. Over lunch, we get chatting with Sriram, senior parter at Blue Koi, who tells us that plans to resurrect the iconic Indo-Chinese brand since it shut during the pandemic have been ongoing for almost a year. “Beyond the 40-seater neighborhood outlet format, the biggest change has been in the overhaul of the kitchen,” he says. Redone recipes, sauces and higher quality ingredients like the premium long grained Basmati used for the Fried Rice, are some of the bigger shifts.
Old meets new
We get a firsthand taste of what he is talking about as we tuck into a mix of the classics like our all-time favourite Chicken Manchow Soup, which is familiar and comforting; as well as, new entrants like the Instagrammable Tibetan-style momos in a bed of Thai Red Curry. Definitely give this one a go, especially if you’re in the mood for Thai curry, but don’t want to do a heavy meal with rice. Meanwhile, there is also a Soggy Red Noodle on offer, which is as promised, noodles drenched in a creamy Thai curry. Both get a thumbs up from us!
Wonton more
We also recommend the Crispy Corn packed into mini wonton baskets. Golden and crunchy, these hit the spot and will have you coming back for more even after you’ve started on your mains. Next, we dig into Chilli Garlic Fried Rice with Kung Pao Chicken, which definitely takes us ‘back to the good old days’ as the tagline promises. Dessert reflects a similar sentiment with crisp balls of Fried Ice Cream to be popped in one go and scoops of vanilla topped with darsan, a flat crunchy noodle, finished with a drizzle of honey.
Open from 11 am to 11 pm. Meal for two at INR 600 approx.