The Wok Shop: Everything Asian Cooking in Chinatown

The Wok Shop, located at 718 Grant Ave (between Sacramento and Clay, next to Eastern Bakery off Commercial) has been a Chinatown institution for over five decades.

In this tiny shop you will find all sorts of Chinese kitchenware from rice cookers to crockery, from woks to ladles, recipe books, kitchen gadgets, and everything else related to Asian cooking (yes, even sushi making stuff), on the walls, hanging from the ceiling, and more. Think the inventory of William-Sonoma, or Sur La Table, but crapped into 1/5th the space. That's the Wok Shop.

The owner, Tane Chan, over 80, has been operating the shop since 1972 and not even a break-in in 2021 in the midst of COVID season can slow her down.

The shop has been such an institution, its products were featured several times in Cooks Illustrated and America's Test Kitchen by Grace Young, aka the Stir-fry Guru. Indeed, one of the Wok Shop's exclusive Carbon Steel Wok was the 2nd choice on ATK, only because it was a hair heavier than the winner.

People often see Chinese chefs do the stir-fry "toss" and be intimidated by that. The truth is tossing is entirely optional, and with sloped sides of a wok, it's easier than you think. A wok, when seasoned properly, will last a lifetime, and a decent one can be had for around $50 USD. A cheap one can go as low as $20. So it is a very worthwhile investment... If you have the proper range to use it. The restaurant-style high-heat gas burner is for most woks. But if you use other types, such as ceramic/glass cooktops or heat induction burners, you will need different types of wok.

So if you are interested in Chinese cooking, not just Chinese food, please go by the Wok Shop. You won't regret it.

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