How Jade Wok started
Jade Wok opened in 2009 in a former laundromat on 12th Avenue, with two woks, one stock pot and a menu written on butcher paper. The owner grew up between a Bangkok market kitchen and a Chengdu noodle shop and never saw a reason to choose.
Seventeen years on there are four woks and the same stock pot. The menu is longer, but every dish still has a reason to be on it: either we grew up eating it, or one of the cooks did.
What we insist on
- Curry pastes pounded in the mortar every Monday
- Pho broth started at six, served at eleven, never from a base
- Woks at 600 degrees, one dish at a time
- Jasmine rice rinsed three times and steamed to order
Who cooks
A kitchen of seven. Three on the woks, one on the stock, one on curries, two on prep and dumplings. The folding starts at nine and is done by eleven.
Good to know
How hot is Thai hot?
Hot enough that we ask twice. Medium is what most people expect from a Thai curry; mild has no fresh chilli in it at all.
Is the food gluten-free?
Pho, the curries and the rice dishes are gluten-free when you ask for tamari instead of soy in the note. Dishes with wheat noodles are not.
Do you have vegan dishes?
Mapo tofu, green curry with tofu and the vegetable fried rice are made vegan on request. Say so in the note and we swap the fish sauce for soy.
Can I order for later?
Yes. Pick a time at checkout. Stir-fries go in the wok eight minutes before your slot.