Wok & Roast Chinese BBQ Restaurant – 349 Broadview Ave, Toronto, ON M4M 2H1
Country: China      
Must-try dish: Peking Duck (two courses)
Seating: Indoor seating only. 
Dinner guests: Island Dan, Pornstar Sam & Wortzy
The high: Many dishes on the menu excited us, and it was difficult to make a choice. 
The low: We thought we would have leftovers but we ate most of the food! 

Several items on Wok and Roast’s menu excited us, and it was tough narrowing down the dishes that would be on the roster for the evening. The original intention was to get the two course Peking Duck, and we were otherwise open minded from there. Eat the World TO was a Peking Duck virgin before this meal so we walked into the restaurant with rumbling bellies and high expectations. 

Wok and Roast is one of two places in East-end Chinatown that decorates its front windows with cooked ducks and other meats ready to be enjoyed in both half and full portions. Once ordered, the duck is coursed out. The first course serves the crispy skin that you add to a small wrap and add carrot, cucumber and hoisin. It’s similar to a taco. The crispier the skin, the better. The second course arrives shortly after, and it’s a plate with a mountain of juicy pieces of duck meat served with sautéed carrot, peas and celery. You want to do both courses to be able to taste the different parts of the bird. 

Something barbecued, something with rice, and something with noodles were the next obvious criteria in our decision-making. A close second in deliciousness to the Peking Duck is the Signature BBQ Pork. The dish is tender slices of sweet and savoury marinated pork and grilled. That plate was empty very quickly. 

Chicken Fried Rice is a classic that easily accompanies every other dish on a Chinese menu. Although it’s never the absolute favourite, it always has to be included in an order. This one was fluffy and had a mild taste that took on other sauces and toppings. 

Our noodle pick was the XO Sauce Beef Fried Rice Noodle. It’s one of the chef’s recommendations and offered a unique flavour that came from the sauce that pairs well with the beef. 

Our server recommended the Beef Egg Foo Yong to diversify our picks. It’s an omelet topped with grilled pieces of sliced beef and mushrooms and topped with a gravy. It’s more dense than some of the other dishes that we ordered since the majority of it is protein.  

The Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy was our attempt at having a vegetable. It was a saucy palate cleanser that was one of the lighter dishes in our order. Equally, the Deep Fried Wontons with Sweet and Sour Sauce had the same effect. The texture was similar to that of a potato chip, so dipping the wontons in the sauce was both interactive and delicious. 

Despite being only five people, we were given the largest table in the restaurant, which was helpful in housing all the plates without feeling too much clutter. There was also a massive lazy Susan in the middle that made it easy to pass dishes along, or take seconds as the culture of family–style sharing is strong at Wok and Roast. 

The entire menu is worth visiting Wok and Roast for, but be sure to order the duck because not everywhere serves it! You might as well also play a game with your fortune cookies if you’re in the right company – read your fortune out loud and then add “in bed” for a few laughs. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)