The wok at full flame
Chow mein and rice
Chow mein with proper wok smoke, Singapore vermicelli, special fried rice with char siu and prawns, egg fried rice and chips cooked in fresh oil.
Noodles and rice are where a takeaway shows whether it can cook. Ours go into a wok on a burner that roars, so they come out with the smoky edge the Cantonese call wok hei.
The chow mein uses fresh egg noodles from a supplier in Cardiff, beansprouts, onion and spring onion, tossed with light and dark soy until the noodles catch. Singapore vermicelli is thin rice noodles with curry powder, char siu pork, prawns and peppers.
Special fried rice has char siu, chicken, prawns and peas, and the egg fried rice is made with yesterday’s rice, which is the only way to make it properly. Chips are cut fresh and fried in clean oil, changed twice a week.
What you get
- Fresh egg noodles, never dried
- Rice cooked the day before for fried rice
- Chips cut here, oil changed twice a week
- Plain chow mein and boiled rice for the children
- Vegetable chow mein cooked in the vegetable wok
What it costs
Chow mein from £6.80, special fried rice £7.50, egg fried rice £3.60. Every number and price is on the menu page.
Allergies: please tell us about any allergy or intolerance before you order. Our kitchen handles all 14 major allergens, so we cannot promise any dish is free of traces. Ask for the allergen sheet; it lists every dish.
Questions about chow mein and rice
Why is your chow mein darker than some?
Dark soy and a hot wok. It is how it is done in Hong Kong; ask for "light" if you prefer it paler.
Do you do salt and pepper chips?
Yes, number 126, with chilli, onion and five-spice salt. Hot, and very good with a curry sauce.
Are the chips gluten-free?
Chips are fried in a shared fryer with battered food, so we cannot call them gluten-free.
Your usual number, cooked when you order it.
Ring the shop or build your order online: collection in about twenty minutes, delivery across Pontypool from £2. Same numbers since 1994.