When one of Karachi’s hottest (no pun intended) pan-Asian restaurants, Chop Chop Wok, opened its doors in Z block, Defence here in December last year, it was bound to draw attention and, subsequently, footfall. After all, a popular, much-hyped eatery had come to town and Lahore, including myself, just couldn’t sit around and watch.

Known for its noodle and rice bowls cooked in punchy sauces, Chop Chop Wok arrived in the city at a time when many pan-Asian restaurants had gained foothold after their fair share of struggles and built loyal customers over the years.

Lockdowns and many smart lockdowns later and fresh restrictions looming, I made my way to the restaurant with as many precautions as I could ensure, sanitising my hands right after settling down on a table.

Inspired by Japanese ramen bars, the interior is casual, simple, minimal in tones of white, green and brown – the whitish grey walls are offset by light brown wooden furniture and fresh green plants looking out the large glass window at the foot of the chic wooden staircase. There are long wooden tables and benches celebrating communal dining on both the ground and first floors as well as separate tables and booths, a sushi bar on the upper floor and live kitchen downstairs with upbeat house music keeping you entertained. And if you happen to sit in the spacious first floor hall, you just may feel the ground beneath you thundering every time someone runs up the staircase.

On to the menu, it begins with their famous ‘three-step wok’ that lets you create your own bowl: first, you choose the base from among noodles, rice and veggies; then the sauce from a range of Asian flavours; and lastly the meat.

There are a handful of sides, soups and salads; the ‘wok special’ section primarily has the standard (or as they say, massy) Asian fare; a couple of soupy noodle bowls; ‘wok fit’ for the weight watchers; lots of sushi options; a host of drinks and tempting desserts.

I started off with miso soup, teriyaki wings and crispy calamari. A clear, earthy broth with lots of seaweed and tofu, the soup was warm and comforting for a sunny winter afternoon. The calamari was fresh on the inside and went really well with the spicy chilli sauce on the side, though would have been even better with a little less of the thick, crispy coating. The chicken wings, it seemed, were just boiled and lathered with a thick, brown, salty, shiny glaze and sprinkled with sesame seeds; could have been juicier.

A bright spicy coconut curry that hit with each spoonful, egg noodles, soft prawns and tender pieces of chicken, lemon and boiled egg made a large, gratifying bowl of Curry Laksa. Also, the orange and green curry in a black bowl looked pretty as a picture.

The Red Snapper in 3-Flavoured Sauce had a meaty crispy snapper fillet buried under a Thai salsa sauce that was supposed to be spicy, sour and sweet, and delivered a balance too, but lacked the kick. It was served on the side with white rice. Those into mild Thai food might fancy this.

And no pan-Asian dining experience is complete without some sushi. Hence, I got the Rising Sun Roll that had salmon, crabstick, avocado and cucumber sprinkled with sesame seeds; and some really fresh tuna and snapper nigiri.

I regret being unable to have a dessert, so might just have to pay another visit soon. For diners looking for some extra spice and crunch in their food, crushed peanuts and a red chilli and garlic paste are served on every table.

So, is Chop Chop Wok just another pan-Asian joint among the many that dot the city? That remains to be seen, but the place has managed to create a buzz, to be fair. It just needs to remain consistent because while my experience may have been satisfactory, a friend had recently complained his calamari was so chewy and tough that he couldn’t go beyond a bite.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2020