Style El Dorado County and Foothills; October 2018

eat & drink
DINING SPOTLIGHT
Iron Wok
Orange Chicken
Pot Stickers
Mongolian Beef
A Feast of Fortune
by SHARON PENNY // photos by DANTE FONTANA
Popular Elk Grove Chinese restaurant Iron Wok has moved
into new digs on Main Street—taking over the space that was
formerly Taste of Europe—and it’s already clear that EG’s loss
is Placerville’s gain.
If you visited the former incarnation of this space, you’ll find it
transformed. Laminate flooring, a warm, muted-yellow coat of paint,
tasteful art, and white linen tablecloths have really amped up the
interior to a level that’s both refined and inviting.
My husband and I dined in on a Saturday evening expecting a quiet
dinner. To our pleasant surprise, there was a steady stream of takeout
orders and plenty of patrons filling the tables around us—including
some loyal regulars from their previous locale. Having only opened in
June, it’s refreshing to see a new business getting so much local love.
Serving traditional Chinese comfort food favorites that you know
and love, Iron Wok’s menu has enough variety to please everyone in
your party without being overwhelmingly intimidating.
For starters, we ordered pot stickers, and they arrived just as they
should: crispy-bottomed, plump, and bursting with flavor-packed pork.
Dipping the dumplings into the accompanying vinegar, hot oil, and
“THE CHICKEN
FEATURED HUGE
CHUNKS OF GOLDEN-
FRIED, ALL-WHITE
BREAST MEAT BATHING
IN A SAVORY, HOUSE-MADE
SAUCE THAT HAD JUST ENOUGH
HEAT AND SWEET AND ACTUAL
PIECES OF DRIED ORANGE PEEL.”
soy sauce made for the ultimate
mouthwatering morsel.
For entrées, we sampled the
orange chicken and Mongolian
beef with steamed rice. The
servings were generous
and—like any good Chinese
restaurant—worth its salt: We
had enough leftovers for the
following day’s lunch. The chicken featured huge chunks
of golden-fried, all-white breast meat bathing in a savory,
house-made sauce that had just enough heat and sweet
and actual pieces of roasted orange peel. The beef—with
its tender slices of wok-seared, melt-in-your-mouth
meat; light, flavorful marinade that wasn’t at all syrupy;
and addition of colorful, perfectly al dente onions and,
scallions—was equally excellent.
If Iron Wok isn’t already on your restaurant radar, you
should definitely make an effort to change that ASAP.
With fresh fare cooked using plenty of TLC, and fast,
friendly service, you won’t be disappointed!
HOURS: 11 a.m.-8
p.m. (Sunday, Monday,
Wednesday, Thursday);
11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday-
Saturday); closed
Tuesday
TRY THIS: Pot
Stickers, Vegetable
Egg Rolls, Wor Wonton
Soup, House Special
Fried Rice, Orange
Chicken, Ma-Po Tofu,
Mongolian Beef, Mu
Shu Pork, Walnut
Prawns, Beef Chow
Fun
DRINKS: Beer and
wine
TAB: $$
HEADS-UP: Special
combos available all
day (choice of entrée,
soup, egg roll, and
steamed rice or fried
rice); patio; numerous
vegetarian options;
level of spice can be
customized
Iron Wok, 545 Main Street, Placerville, 530-903-3358
64 styleedc.com // OCTOBER 2018 // /styleedc /stylemediagroup /stylemediagroup /stylemagedcf