Hailey R.
Yelp
If Punk Wok is any indication of what's to come on the Nashville food scene, I'm excited for the future!
Located in Sylvan Park, Punk Wok shares an outdoor patio space with other Sylvan Supply businesses. There's also a large, free parking lot for patrons.
Inside, seating is fairly limited and the decor is minimal. The vibe is cool, with a drinks bar, sushi bar, and dining tables. The lighting over the tables was a little harsh for an intimate dining experience, but great for taking photos if that's your thing!
We had a reservation for 4 and were a little late, but the restaurant was very accommodating and we were seated immediately even though we were waiting for the rest of our party. Our waitress greeted us and explained the concept -- tapas / small plates meant to be shared -- but didn't offer too much guidance in terms of number of dishes to order and recommendations (we needed help...we wanted to order everything!) We ended up with drinks and about 9 dishes between 4 people, which felt like about the right amount.
Overall, if we were to come back, we would highly recommend all of the sushi options (MAKI/NIGIRI/SASHIMI). The other items are fun, but the star here is really the fresh fish and expert sushi chef.
What we ordered:
- Saketini ($12): A cold sake, with notes of honeydew and pumpkin which *really* shine through. Delicious!
- Holiday in the sun ($12): Even if you're not a gin fan, this is amazing! Tastes like a punch!
- Thai butterfly ($12): Get a vid of this drink! The butterfly tea changes colors as you add the lemon juice (plus, it's super tasty -- not too sweet!)
- Spicy tuna roll ($12): Super fresh, one of the best I've ever had. They don't use spicy mayo, but instead top the roll with chili oil. Absolutely delicious! We made this a russian roulette (+$9), meaning the chef slipped habanero paste to one of the rolls, and the person who gets that roll gets to take a kamikaze shot! Fun little way to ~spice things up~
- #2 ($15): Another spicy tuna roll, but topped with yellowtail and avocado! Maybe our favorite dish of the night.
- Sichuan street noodles ($7): A divisive item among our group -- these are cold noodles served with a little sauce and chili oil. I personally didn't love them and thought they lacked flavor, but others really enjoyed!
- Tiger tear salad ($15): The steak was cooked to perfection, but the greens didn't have much chili/lime vinaigrette. We poured sauce from another dish on top to give a makeshift dressing.
- General tao's cauli ($7): So crisp! Not healthy at all! Amazing!
- Chinese greens ($7): Really, really good. The garlic sauce was slightly sweet and absolutely scrumptious!
- Red curry mussels ($13): Another table favorite! The red curry was drinkable-level good.
- Korean waffle fries ($14): The ultimate drunk food - fries with queso, bulgogi, and kimchi! I probably wouldn't order again -- kind of just chili cheese fries with some kimchi -- but can see how others would love!
- Cod and kumquat sashimi (MP): 5 pieces of absolute heaven from the chef!
Unfortunately, we were too late to dessert (which sounded amazing!) Pro-tip: Ask for the dessert options first and the waitress can hold items for you. This ensures they don't sell out before you get to the end of your meal!