Montauk Pioneer - September 5, 2008

It's surprising that there are only a few Chinese restaurants from Southampton to Montauk that you can actually sit down and eat in, considering most are take-out style. One of them, Wok n' Roll, happens to be in the heart of downtown Montauk, and it also happens to have not only Chinese food, but Japanese and now Thai, as well.

The new owner, Chenguang Li, who runs the place with his son Longzhao Li, took over from the former owner, Betty, in May. They hail from China, in the lovely city of Qingdao, which, similar to Montauk, is known for its great seafood. Chenguang Li formerly worked as a sushi chef in New York City for 10 years, so he has also added a wide range of sushi specials to his already full menu.

Every day, you can choose from a Chinese lunch special for $6.95, or a Japanese sushi lunch special, for $9.50. And right now, they are adding all kinds of delicious Thai, Malaysian, and other Asian specialties to their menu.

Wok n' Roll has kept the famous tradition from the former owner, of "You Hook 'Em, We Cook 'Em, where they let customers bring in their own fish, and prepare them in special sauces and seasonings, from garlic, to ginger/scallion, to curry, black bean, mango, and many others. Li said his Dad is also expanding the ways of preparing these fish.

My three guests and I walked upstairs, over Plaza Sports, past the red Chinese lanterns, to this modern-style restaurant, with great views of Montauk's Main Street. We slid into a cozy booth and ordered our favorite appetizers of delicate steamed vegetable dumplings, crispy shrimp roll, and at the chef's suggestion, a dish called, "Crab Rangoon."

"This is my favorite," said Longzhao Li, who was our waiter for the night. It consisted of a sort of fried noodle, wrapped around a super tasty filling of crabmeat and cheese, which was truly mouth-watering. We also shared some big platters of really fresh tuna sushi and their Dragon Roll, which was divine-consisting of a California Roll with caviar and eel wrapped around the top.

You can order wine or beer at Wok n' Roll, but we preferred a pot of Chinese tea, which I've been told helps burn up the fat in the food you eat, so we were hoping. For our main course, Li suggested trying some of their new Thai dishes, so we sampled the Bangkok-Style Fried Rice with Chicken and Shrimp, which we ordered with brown rice, and it was seasoned to perfection. The next Thai dish, of Mango Shrimp, was amazing and delicious, consisting of jumbo shrimp and fresh mango, in a mango and lemon sauce. We also shared their popular Scallops with Garlic Sauce and Mixed Vegetables (broccoli, peppers, celery, onions). The scallops were large and succulent, and the garlic sauce was perfect on the vegetables.

Right now, Wok n' Roll serves only vanilla or chocolate ice cream for dessert, but Li said they are also looking to expand this, to include other flavors, like green tea, and perhaps fruits, on the menu. The service here is always prompt and courteous, and you can choose from booths against the walls, or tables by the large windows.

They specialize in seafood, but they also have a huge menu full of the regular pork, chicken, beef, vegetable and noodle dishes, Chinese Specials, and Deluxe Combination Platters. They have a separate menu for Japanese Cuisine featuring a creative mix of sushi items, and they also have "Healthy Combos" for the diet-conscious.Wok n' Roll is located at 716 Main Street in Montauk, and you can call them at 631-668-6688.