"WHO recommended this place to you?" my husband grimly inquired as we pulled into the parking lot of Magic Wok.
"Um ..." I hesitated, before confessing, "this guy who works at the gas station."
Before we go further, I think I should mention that I am the kind of person who occasionally enjoys conversing with total strangers. I have exchanged business cards and e-mail addresses with airline seatmates. Several people who work at the Sam's Club we frequent are practically like family.
And then there was this guy at the gas station. While dispensing a frosty beverage for myself, I fell into conversation with John Carrasquilla, who serves up his superlative Johnniebeefs hot dogs from a counter at the In and Out Market at 1300 East and South Union Avenue.
We were talking food, as you might expect, and the conversation turned to Chinese. John was lamenting the tasty Chinese food he used to enjoy while living in Chicago, while I lamented the unpredictability of trying a new place.
That's when one of the gas station guys jumped in. He'd heard us and had a few succinct and heartfelt words to say: "The Wok. Corner of 54th and Bangerter. Best ham-fried rice I ever had."
He even wrote it down on a bit of cash-register tape so I wouldn't forget. This guy really meant what he said.
So I figured, what's the worst that could happen? And aside from that first disquieting moment, nothing bad happened at all. In fact, Magic Wok is a good little place to get traditional Chinese-American food.
There's a bit of a blast-from-the-past vibe about Magic Wok, with none of the slicked-up modernity of a Pei Wei or Asian Star. There are pleasantly un-PC sayings painted on the parking lot wall: "Confucius say: Wise man eat at Magic Wok."
There's a horsey ride in the tiny vestibule and a counter near the cash register where you can buy gum or mints. The cinder-block walls are hand-painted with Buddhas, softly conical mountains and curly clouds. Our server was so fun to talk to, she might become one of my conversations-with-strangers regulars.
And the food is very tasty. We started with the pot stickers, crisp-chewy outside and savory inside, and though we got a lot of entrées, we took plenty home for some tasty leftovers.
My husband ordered one of his favorites, almond chicken, done here as lean chicken breaded with water chestnut flour, fried ultra-crisp, sliced and ladled with sweet-and-sour sauce. Ground almonds were then liberally sprinkled on top. It was sweet and crisp and tender and nutty, and delicious.
We both loved the ham-fried rice (the gas station guy was right!). I love fried rice where the rice itself is full of flavor, and that was the case here. It wasn't a bit greasy or gummy, either.
We also had beef with broccoli, full of sliced meat, broccoli spears and big, sweet chunks of onion; and (just for me) an order of egg foo yong, done here with ham (or chicken or shrimp) instead of the most-traditional filling, oysters.
The foo yung was hot, perfectly cooked and tender inside, with lots of sprouts to give it that sharp, grassy flavor I love, and scads of brown gravy on top.
Combination dinners for one about $6.50-$8, dinners for two to four $14-$35, appetizers $2.39-$9, entrées $5.79-$12.49.
If you go...
Magic Wok
Rating: ★★★
Where: 3770 W. 5400 South, Kearns
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11a.m.-10 p.m.; closed Sunday
Phone: 801-965-9658
Payment: Major credit cards accepted; no checks
Wheelchair access: One step in, then accessible
Also: Discount for takeout
Stacey Kratz is a freelance writer who reviews restaurants for the Deseret News. E-mail: skratz@desnews.com