Wok & Chop Kanata Review – Bold Hakka Flavours with a Few Surprises – Average EV Score: 5.7/10
Reviewed by Tastes of Ottawa
Each dish is rated using our EV Score (Enjoyment-to-Value Score), based on enjoyment, price paid, and benchmark pricing.
Table of Contents
Wok & Chop Restaurant Overview
790 Kanata Ave. Unit M2A, Kanata, ON K2T 1H9
Wok & Chop is a relatively new addition to Kanata Centrum, and one of the main reasons I wanted to try it was simple: Hakka cuisine is not something you commonly see in Ottawa. That alone made it interesting.
Located in Centrum, there’s lots of free parking available in the large shared parking lot, which immediately makes the visit convenient. No circling neighbourhood streets or worrying about meters — you park and walk in. The restaurant itself has a casual dining atmosphere, clean and straightforward without trying to be overly trendy.
When we visited, the restaurant was pretty busy, which is always encouraging for a newer spot. Despite that, the service was quick, and dishes came out at a steady pace. Staff were efficient, and overall the operation felt smooth even during peak hours.
If you’re unfamiliar with Hakka cuisine, it’s essentially a blend of Indian and Chinese influences, often featuring bold spices, sauces, and stir-fried dishes. Since there aren’t many dedicated Hakka restaurants around Ottawa, Wok & Chop stands out simply by offering something different.
That said, the experience ended up being a mix of strong highlights and a few things that could be improved.
Would return? Probably not.
Pan Fried Chicken Dumplings
Enjoyment: 6/10
Price Paid: $16
Benchmark Price: $13
EV Score: 4.9/10
Order Again? No.
The Pan Fried Chicken Dumplings from Wok & Chop came in an order of 10 pieces and immediately surprised us — they had curry in the filling, which wasn’t mentioned anywhere on the menu.
Some of us liked the curry flavour; others didn’t. The filling itself was actually quite good. The chicken was flavourful, and the curry gave it a distinct profile that you don’t normally get in standard dumplings. However, this is something that absolutely should be noted on the menu. Curry can be polarizing, and customers should know what they’re ordering.
Should we have assumed curry would be present since it’s a Hakka restaurant? Maybe. But at the same time, clear descriptions matter.
From a technical standpoint, the pan-fry could have been better. The bottoms weren’t as crispy as I would have liked. They weren’t bad, but they lacked that golden crust that makes pan-fried dumplings truly satisfying.
Overall, a decent dumpling with good flavour inside, but slightly lacking in execution and menu clarity.
Mango Salad
Enjoyment: 5.5/10
Price Paid: $8
Benchmark Price: $8
EV Score: 5.5/10
Order Again? No.
The Mango Salad from Wok & Chop was unfortunately one of the more disappointing dishes of the meal.
The mango pieces were a mix of unripe and ripe mango, which created an inconsistent experience. Some bites were sweet and soft, while others were firm and tart. I don’t order mango salad often, so I’m not sure whether it’s meant to lean more toward unripe mango, but in this case, the inconsistency made it less enjoyable.
If it had been entirely ripe mango, I likely would have enjoyed it more. Instead, the variation made it feel uneven.
Another issue was that parts of the plate were extremely sticky, almost syrup-like. It was unpleasant to touch and gave the dish a messy feel. Presentation and texture matter, especially with a cold dish like salad.
Overall, this was a miss for me, and I wouldn’t order it again.
Manchurian Beef (Dry)
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Price Paid: $19
Benchmark Price: $19
EV Score: 6.5/10
Order Again? Yes.
The Manchurian Beef (dry) was the highlight of the meal.
At first glance, the beef didn’t necessarily look tender. But once I tried it, I was pleasantly surprised. The pieces were very tender and well cooked, with no tough or chewy bites. That alone elevated the dish.
The seasoning and spices were excellent. There was a subtle heat, though I expected it to be spicier. If you’re looking for something very spicy, this might not fully deliver. The heat level was more understated than bold.
Still, the flavours were well balanced and enjoyable. This is a dish I would absolutely order again. It was easily the strongest item on the table.
Hakka Shrimp Fried Rice
Enjoyment: 6/10
Price Paid: $16
Benchmark Price: $16
EV Score: 6/10
Order Again? Maybe.
The Hakka Shrimp Fried Rice was more of a supporting dish than a standout.
The portion was very generous, which is always appreciated. It tasted perfectly fine — nothing bad about it, but nothing particularly memorable either. It did its job as a neutral base to pair with the Manchurian Beef.
One thing worth noting: we weren’t aware that the meat dishes already came with white rice. The menu didn’t clearly indicate that. If we had known, we might not have ordered fried rice as well.
That’s not a complaint about flavour — just a clarity issue on the menu.
As a fried rice, it was solid but average. It complemented the beef nicely, but I wouldn’t order it on its own expecting something special.
Final Thoughts
Wok & Chop is an interesting and welcome addition to Kanata, especially since Hakka cuisine is relatively rare in Ottawa. The location in Centrum makes it easy to access with ample parking, and the casual dining setup works well for family dinners or group outings.
The restaurant handles volume efficiently. Even when busy, service was quick and organized, and food arrived without long delays.
The Manchurian Beef was the clear winner of the meal — tender, flavourful, and satisfying. The dumplings were good but would benefit from clearer menu descriptions and a crispier finish. The Mango Salad was disappointing due to inconsistent mango ripeness and presentation issues. The Hakka Shrimp Fried Rice was decent but not memorable.
Overall, this was a mixed but mostly positive experience. There are definitely dishes worth coming back for — particularly the Manchurian Beef — but there are also areas where refinement would improve the experience.
If you’re curious about Hakka cuisine and want to try something different in Kanata, Wok & Chop is worth checking out. Just choose carefully, and you’ll likely walk away satisfied.