The intersection of 40th and Chestnut Streets has seen some restaurant changes as of late, with Dim Sum House and Ekta opening a couple of months ago. Now, a brightly colored Xi’an Sizzling Woks BYOB has found a sprightly colored yellow, blue and red home on the southwest corner of the intersection where Saigon Cuisine used to be.

Craig LaBan described the flagship location in an Inquirer review back in 2013 as “this isn’t your dad’s old Cantonese chow mein joint. It isn’t his Hong Kong duck house, either. Or even your cool-kid friend’s latest Sichuan obsession.”

With adventurous menu items such as Chinese hamburger with minced pork, pita bread soaked in beef and lamb soup in addition to lamb kabob skewers, the restaurant puts on a fresh spin on Chinese cuisine. The menu also offers some interesting specials such as Smoked Tea Duck and a house noodle casserole. 

Looking for something more familiar? Easier to-to-find items such as Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken and Lo Mein also make an appearance on the menu.

Who’s behind the menu? Chef Samer Wang, who trained in Xi’an in the Shaanxi Province of China for ten years and was interested in introducing more people to a lesser-known side of Chinese cuisine in the United States.

Unlike the other two (Old City and Chinatown) locations, the University City location will not have karaoke or a bar but will be mainly focused on lunch and dinner.

Xi’an Sizzling Woks’ University City location will be open on weekdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and weekends from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

– Rana Fayez