Authentic tastes of China at Iron Wok

The Cumin Chicken with String Beans is spicy — good for the more adventurous diner — but can be ordered mild. At back is the Chicken with Mango.

The Providence Journal / Steve Szydlowski

PROVIDENCE —

I had a good feeling even before I was ushered into the upstairs dining room at Tom Liang’s Chinese Iron Wok at the corner of Brook and Benevolent streets.

I’d reviewed his Iron Wok five years ago when it was in a small plaza in Seekonk, half hidden by a Valvoline oil change shop. I’d returned several times — and for takeout, too — to sample his more authentic take on Chinese cuisine that veered from the usual restaurant fare and especially for his Sautéed String Beans Sichuan Style, which were mouth-wateringly crisp, sautéed with thick slices of garlic and covered with a special bean sprout grown in China.

Happily, the string beans have made it across the Rhode Island border to Liang’s new place, with lots of other out-of-the-ordinary dishes. Liang, who grew up near Beijing, once told me that his mission was to try to get people to appreciate the more authentic tastes of China. A lot of the choices have a little red leaf next to them on the menu, a flag for something spicy. But the Iron Wok offers diners their own choice of heat on the plate. After we’d told the cheery wait staff that we wanted things toned down, that’s just what we got … even though Liang later said proudly that the various spices he uses can really ignite a dish’s flavor.

So the Sichuan Dumplings (10 for $6) recommended by our waitress were rather mild, but just what we’d wanted. These half-moon dumplings are bigger, but not as doughy as ones served elsewhere. The soft wrapper was pleasantly chewy and filled with ground pork and seasonings. The sauce made them slippery, easier to spear with a fork than maneuver with chopsticks. Tsingtao beer from China was just right with them. Iron Wok serves only a handful of beers and wines.

It’s a spare looking place, too brightly lit for my taste, with sunset orange walls and dark brown wainscoting. There are three dramatic glass panels stationed around the room with see-through views of downtown Providence, bamboo grasses and oval pictures of famous Chinese icons, from Bruce Lee to pandas.

Our next dish, the Sichuan Style Vegetable Salad ($6), was a big hit, even though it consisted mostly of Chinese Napa cabbage, which is lighter in color than other Chinese cabbages such as bok choy, and a sprinkling of scallion slices. The red oil dressing, however, took it to higher realms. Liang said it’s made in house from a secret recipe using Korean chili, “which is not as hot as Chinese chili,” plus “a lot of herbs,” a little sugar and some rice wine vinegar, which gives it a slightly vinegary taste. I almost couldn’t stop diving into the dish and I feel even folks who aren’t salad fans would be tempted to do the same. Just thinking about it makes me want to get a takeout order right now.

There also are dishes that can be found at nearly every Chinese restaurant. I ordered the Pu Pu Platter for one ($9; $17 for two) because I wanted to try the Chinese Iron Wok’s take on this menu staple, plus it afforded a chance to sample a half dozen appetizers. There was nothing out of the ordinary on the platter; nothing prepared in an out-of-the-ordinary way either. There were good marks for the crisp spring rolls, juicy boneless ribs, beef teriyaki and chicken wings. But the chicken fingers, fried shrimp and crab Rangoon had been cocooned in too much batter, which seemed to almost double their size. My suggestion: Order from the more authentic side of the menu.

Among entrées, I can’t praise highly enough the Shrimp with Fresh Mango ($14). It’s as delicious as it is lovely to look at with its riot of colors. Several large shrimp rested among warm slices of tender yellow mango, its exotically sweet-and-tart flavor melding beautifully with the seafood, plus slices of sweet onion and scallion, crisp pea pods and crunchy cuts of red and green pepper, all in a mild white sauce. It was a tropical wonderland on a plate.

On the side was House Special Lo Mein ($8.50), of which there are many variations on Chinese menus. Here the wide noodles are mixed with tiny shrimp, slices of beef and chicken, julienne carrots and onions, plus cabbage and a variety of Chinese vegetables. It was one of those everything-in-the- kitchen-goes-in dishes with the mix of flavors and textures making it special.

The surprise of the Cumin Chicken with String Beans ($15) was that it wasn’t prepared with cumin powder, which I use in chili dishes, but cumin seeds, which look a bit like caraway seeds and are related to the parsley plant. Although the little black peppery-flavored seeds were evident on the chicken, it was not so much to cause alarm, with just a touch of heat somewhere between sweet and spicy. Later, Liang explained that cumin powder is not used because it would caramelize and burn in the high heat of the wok. A lesson learned in the art of authentic Chinese cooking.BILL OF FARE

Dinner for two at Chinese Iron Wok might look something like this:

Two glasses Tsingtao beer…$7.00

Sichuan Dumplings…$6.00

Sichuan Vegetable Salad…$6.00

Shrimp with Mango…$14.00

Cumin Chicken…$15.00

Total food and drink…$48.00

Tax…$3.84

Tip…$9.60

Total bill…$61.44

Chinese Iron Wok, 83 Benevolent St., Providence. (401) 831-8888/(401) 354-2688. chineseironwok .com. Casual. Not wheelchair accessible. Child seats. Reservations. MC, V. On-street parking; after 5 p.m. at Brown University lot 65 next to the restaurant. Open seven days with lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner 3 to 10 p.m. Appetizers $4 to $9. Entrées $7 to $20. Limited wine and beer list.