Wonton Gourmet & BBQ
Address: 3211 Payne Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: 216-875-7000
Cuisine: Chinese
Slowly but surely, this tiny eatery has been earning high praise from local gastronomes. The vibrant yellow awning shelters the entry to a comfortable, if pleasantly unassuming dining area, where visitors will find picture menus to help guide them through any unfamiliar territory and crack the language barrier. Here, you'll find authentically prepared Hong Kong and Szechuan specialties along with the more familiar Americanized fare, though the former is the undeniable star of the show. Turnip pancakes are fried crisp with a creamy center that marries perfectly with the chili sauce found at each table. Chive dumplings with pork and shrimp, ordered pan fried, with a side of vinegar-based dipping sauce, are brimming with flavor and a textural 1-2 punch. If you've ordered hot and spicy beef dishes at lackluster Chinese eateries, you're often left with a pittance of heat and a chewy protein. Not here: The hot and spicy beef served at Wonton features a wealth of incendiary Szechuan peppercorns and chili flakes, though minced garlic, green onion and cabbage, and tender beef give the dish depth, making sure it's not a one-trick act. Fans of fried chicken are advised to order the version served here: salty, crispy, moist. Delicious. Meals are served family style, so bring an appetite and a friend. While the portions are large, the prices aren't.
Photo by Edsel Little
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