Howard Wang's Bul-Go-Gi lettuce wraps, $10.
Trendy grill Howard Wang's opens in Southlake
Pad-thai, lemon-chicken and stir-fry lovers, rejoice: Eightbryears after Howard Wang's China Grill opened its first location in Dallas' PrestonbrHollow — followed by another in Uptown — the upscale, contemporary Chinesebrrestaurant has finally made its way to Southlake. Conveniently located in thebrShops of Southlake near Central Market, Howard Wang's opened its doors thisbrpast July, ensuring Southlake and the surrounding areas will be able to enjoy freshbrChinese cuisine close to home.
All ofbrHoward Wang's recipes are unique family creations, which set the restaurantbrapart from other well-known Chinese eateries. The extensive menu features abrvariety of generously portioned and well-priced appetizers, including edamamebr($5), spicy Sichuan steamed wontons ($7) and salt and pepper calamari tempurabr($7), plus main dish signatures like peppercorn spiced soft-shell crab ($22),brlobster stir fry ($28) and Wang's beef tenderloin ($22). Traditional favoritesbr(i.e. orange peel-flavored stir fry), broth noodles (chicken and shrimp wonton)brand vegetarian dishes (Asian eggplant) round out the list of flavorful options.
The Texas summer heat was at itsbrpeak when we dined at Howard Wang's in late August, so we appreciated thebrrestaurant's cool and comfortable atmosphere providing a much-needed sanctuary frombrthe intense temperatures. Tall ceilings, plush, rich décor and cozy seating alsobrmade for an inviting dining space. In search of a light and refreshing lunch,brwe opted to start with steamed pork pot stickers ($7) — a welcomed alternativebrto chicken — plus a small hot and sour soup and a small wonton soup withbrchicken and shrimp ($3.50 each). For our main courses, we selected two ofbrHoward Wang's signature salads — the ahi tuna ($12) and the peanut soba noodlebr($8). Served with shrimp and chicken, the peanut soba noodle salad was alsobrtopped with fresh cucumber, cilantro and drizzled in a spicy peanut sauce,brwhile the ahi tuna salad came as a bountiful bed of seared meat, spinach, redbronions, cucumbers, red bell peppers and pickled ginger with a side of tangybrponzu vinaigrette dressing.
Let's not forget about libations:brBe sure to sample Howard Wang's premium sake and Asian beers when you dine forbrlunch or dinner. The restaurant's dessert menu is also not to be missed — mangobrsorbet, fried vanilla ice cream and green tea ice cream with honey bananabrtempura ($7 each) are just a few of the Wang family's special sweet treats. Sobrthis fall, if you find yourself stuck on where to enjoy a romantic date nightbror where to take the family for a leisurely weekend lunch, skip the burgers andbrpizza and visit Howard Wang's for a delicious taste of China.