ROANOKE, Va. – Tasty Tuesday has been rockin’ and rollin’ since August of 2019, but we’ve yet to feature Asian cuisine. That changes now with Wok n’ Roll Kitchen in downtown Roanoke.
General manager, Mario Amaya, says, “Campbell Ave is kind of like a Main Street for downtown Roanoke.”
He and the crew at Wok n’ Roll took their talents to downtown Roanoke a few years ago, bringing traditional Chinese and Japanese food to the bustling street.
There’s one type of food, however, that really makes them stand out.
“I don’t think – in this area – that anyone has seen Cambodian food.”
Part of what makes Cambodian food so unique is the signature sweet and tangy fish sauce. Aside from that, it’s the Bai Lok Lak that has become a quick top seller.
“…which is a marinated beef served over fresh vegetables – fresh cucumbers, onions, lettuce and tomatoes. You season it with onions and garlic. It’s served with steamed rice, and the steamed rice is topped with a fried egg. And then we top it off with a fresh lime and pepper sauce that I really like.”
The Asian food tour continues with a trip to Hong Kong and its “Pan-fried noodles – almost like an angel hair pasta. Broccoli, zucchini, carrots and cabbage, onions, green onions.” From there, you’re given a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu or a combination.
You can’t forget about the Crab Rangoon either. “Crab meat, cream cheese, scallions, a little bit of sugar. It’s folded fresh and fried.”
To wash it down, your taste buds go on a trip to Thailand for a drink that’s like a latte called “Thai Iced Tea. It’s a black tea, sweetened and mixed with half n’ half.”
The cherry on top for Amaya is the fact that they can bring a diverse menu to a variety of people and still get the same result each day.
“A gathering place – you know. Where friends become family.”
Wok n’ Roll Kitchen is located in downtown Roanoke’s Campbell Avenue. Its hours are 11:30 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.