A Contrast to Surroundings, House of Wong Offers Diversity of Dishes

Suburban shopping plazas, dominate towns from coast to coast. 

But House of Wong, located in precisely such a plaza among recognizable chain stores, is an unconventional curiosity with no equivalent duplicate. 

Flanked between Dunkin Donuts and Weight Watchers is this alternative enclave of Chinese and Southeast Asian cuisines. Diversity of cultures is accessible to non-urban residents thanks to establishments of this type.

A humble interior, with mandarin-colored walls, is furnished by vases of floral decor. Geometric rows of glow march across the ceiling and shine down to inundate the space with an inviting warmth. 

Piano melodies gently inhabit the aural dimension, ushering in a hybrid of the upscale, the casual and the aphrodisiac.

Formerly situated in the Somerville Pathmark Shopping Center for more than 25 years, House of Wong had to relocate in 2006 when the entire complex closed for conversion to an apartment community. An span of two years elapsed before a new grand opening about three years ago in its current location. 

My attentive ears overheard Mandarin and Cantonese in fragments as staff members chatted from the kitchen. The owners—Fin Phang from Malaysia and Hong Kong native Sang Wong, whose name is lent to the restaurant—have seen generations of families in the local community grow up since the restaurant first opened. 

"We have a very good reputation in the neighborhood," Phang said. "The chef handling the Chinese side of the menu is from China, and we have a chef from Malaysia for the Southeast Asian cuisine."

Likewise in regional authenticity, while conversing with my waiter, I learned that he originated from Hong Kong, and my waitress from Taishan, China.

Upon first glance at House of Wong's menu, you think choice, affordability and expertise. Gamut spreads from the usual divisions of appetizers, soups, salads, chef specials, noodle and rice dishes to more intricate selections, categorized by geographic region and choice of sauces, meats and vegetables. 

For instance, under the "Taste of China" heading, you could go with black bean, garlic, Hunan or brown sauce. 

Under "Southeast Asia," you could try Thai herb, basil, Thai red curry or Thai honey cashew sauce paired with your choice of meat, seafood or vegetable. 

Even within the noodle and fried rice category, the variety of selections boggles the mind. You could have lo mein, pad Thai, chow fun, mei fun, Thai fried rice and so on. 

White rice is the sidekick of many entrees, while brown rice is available for an additional 50 cents.  

The lunch menu is a somewhat pared-down version, set at inexpensive prices, albeit still containing plenty of combination options.

The only part of the menu that is scarce in choices would be dessert. Ice cream seems to be all they served, at least the night I visited.

Complimentary hot tea introduced the dining experience. I sipped with feminine gracefulness while meditating on the menu offerings. 

Eyeing the soups, I zoomed in on the words "House Special," and decided to sample that specific recipe. In a brief while, the farm, garden and depths of the sea appeared in a bowl of clear broth in front of me. 

The garden: crispy fresh beans, corn, carrots and mushrooms.

The farm: roast pork and chicken. 

The sea: shrimp. 

Yes, all in one. 

Usually not a huge fan of clear broth soups—a quirk I might have mentioned in my prior reviews—this soup was flavorful, I admit, and refreshingly nutritional.  I probably satisfied half the quota of nutritional needs for the day with that soup alone. 

The Fried or Steamed Chicken Dumplings, under appetizer specials, lured me.  When I had difficulty making up my mind, the waiter suggested fried. 

When the six dumplings arrived, I bit through the hard fried shell, savoring the black vinegar, butter, milk, and peanut sauce coating the outside in a sour and sweet marriage, while unearthing the hidden morsel of chicken inside. Definitely worthwhile.

A personal favorite that I routinely have at Chinese restaurants is Salt & Pepper Shrimps, and when I saw this dish on House of Wong's menu, I couldn't resist.  Much to my pleasure, the eight crispy stir-fried jumbo shrimps—seasoned with salt and pepper, and a light oriental wine flavoring—even surpassed those served at a restaurant [which I won't disclose] that is usually highest-ranked for this dish in my mind. 

An overwhelming peppery sensation balanced by a salty taste, with the exterior wrinkled in crispiness, marked this dish, all attractively presented in numerous colors.

Finally, from the Southeast Asian selections, I ordered Singaporean Chili Chicken. The crispy fried chunks of chicken breast came, once again attractively presented, with red bell peppers, hot peppers and onions. 

Perhaps slightly overfried, the chicken pieces reminded me of popcorn shrimp in consistency, except with Asian seasoning.  However piquantly spicy, this dish I found entertaining and recommend to patrons whose palates prefer spicy and crispy fried food.

Sitting at an adjacent table, a couple was having a romantic meal.  Egondu and John Brant, of New Brunswick, have been regulars at House of Wong.

"This is our favorite restaurant for Asian cuisine," Egondu Brant said.

John Brant recommended General Tso's with chicken or shrimp, while Egondu Brant likes the Thai Red Curry Sauce with chicken. 

Throughout my meal, several customers stepped in to place and get their take-out orders. The phone rang incessantly, and new orders were sent to the kitchen, reaffirming that House of Wong is a well-liked and recognized establishment for dine-in and take-out. 

After thanking my friendly servers, as I closed the door behind me and entered the quiet evening air, I remained surprised by the easy blend of surrounding familiarity and the exotic nature that House of Wong accomplishes in spite of the contrast.