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Weekend grub: New joint Eddie's Wok & Roll is a fuss-free Hakka Chinese experience

Weekend grub: New joint Eddie's Wok & Roll is a fuss-free Hakka Chinese experience

What is 'Hakka Chinese'? It's the spicy sub-sect of the cuisine that's better suited for our chilli-loving palates
Updated 20 Nov, 2015

Chinese cuisine has always been a bit of a gray area in Karachi. You can search long and hard for a place that serves authentic Chinese food but you will mostly likely end up at a joint that serves some desi fusion version of it.

And there's nothing wrong with that!

Over the last decade, Hakka Chinese, a term that has become synonymous with Indian Chinese cuisine, has come to be accepted as the spicy sub-sect of the cuisine that is better suited for our chilli-loving palates. Banking on that sentiment, Eddie's Wok & Roll brings the fun outcrop of Chinese food to the city!

Where to go:

Going down the main road of Khayaban-e-Shahbaz, it's unlikely that you won't notice Eddie's Wok & Roll, especially since it's tucked in right next to Burger Mafia, a recently established burger joint with a bright yellow exterior.

The place has odd lighting. It seems a little dingy when you enter and then you take a seat and there's just that one light dangling over your head, making you feel a bit like you're being interrogated.

However, it's a fleeting feeling because the quirky dragon-themed ambiance will take your mind off that before it can get bothersome.

When to go:

The outlet is open from noon till 3:30 pm and then 6:30 pm to midnight.

It starts filling up fast during peak dinner time but it's not too problematic to get a table, especially if you're not an excessively large group. You can be in and out in 45-50 minutes flat, if you already have a basic idea of what you want to eat.

What to order:

Eddie's Wok & Roll's menu offers a wide selection of dishes in chicken, beef and seafood, some that will be familiar like Crispy Beef and some new additions such as the Tangra Masala Chicken.

Recommended appetizers: We're suckers for a good ol' chicken corn soup and Eddie's serves a mean bowl of it! The shrimp hot and sour soup is also worth a try; it's not the usual ketchup-based goops we've come to expect when we order a bowl of hot and sour soup.

Somehow, the eatery feels high-end yet fuss-free all at the same time
Somehow, the eatery feels high-end yet fuss-free all at the same time

Recommended main courses: We stuck to the classics like Beef Chilli Dry and General Tso's Chicken but also got a dish called Dragon Chicken, coupled with some egg fried rice.

From L-R: Beef Chilli Dry and General Tso's Chicken
From L-R: Beef Chilli Dry and General Tso's Chicken

We were advised by the manager not to order more than one main dish between two people; we didn't listen because we overestimated our hunger at the time and the portions were decently filling. Needless to say, we ended up taking two doggie bags home.

The chicken was extremely tender and juicy and beef was seasoned really well. The entrées had unique flavours packed with punch but the star of the meal was the rice. Even though we were full, we still ended up eating some rice on it's own, without any meat!

The rice almost tasted like an Asian pulao
The rice almost tasted like an Asian pulao

Damage on the pocket: Great value for money -- two people could pig out in Rs. 1500 per head.

Pro tip: Their single servings for soup are actually enough for 3 people!

Comments

Canada? Nov 20, 2015 03:21pm
Is this the same Eddys as the Hakka Chinese place in Mississauga,Canada? That place was amazing!
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Imtiaz Faruqui Nov 20, 2015 07:24pm
Beware of exccessive salt and MSG also called AGINO MOTO, this is not healthy at all, Govt should put a check on it. MSG play with your taste buds and the food taste so good, not only in chinese food but some use MSG in Desi food also. so watch out folks. It can make Biryani and Quorma taste very good. Eat healthy.
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PakistanFirst Nov 20, 2015 07:26pm
@Canada? Exact same question I am thinking :)
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fayza Nov 20, 2015 08:18pm
@Canada? I think it should be because its exactly the same name spelled the same way. The place in Mississauga, Canada is definitely a winner.
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Vic Nov 20, 2015 08:51pm
Pictures look mouth watering .. :)
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Faiez Nov 20, 2015 09:17pm
I think this is the same eddies as the one in Mississauga Ontario judging from their logo
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Syed Nov 20, 2015 10:49pm
Lol i thought its about the one in mississauga too.. that place is amazing..
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rashFacts Nov 20, 2015 11:12pm
@Canada? I hope not..as I hate that place. This is not at all Chinese food as it will hijack your taste buds in the name of Chinese
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Canada Nov 21, 2015 01:50am
The owner ripped of the restaurant's name from a very famous location in Mississauga, Canada. If they were too lazy to come up with a unique name, I can't imagine the standards they have in their kitchen. How typical and pathetic...
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arsalan Nov 21, 2015 10:26am
My Chinese friend says it's not Chinese :,(
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Nick Nov 21, 2015 10:32am
The fact is that all the Chinese cuisines in non Chinese nation taste like there local taste.
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