Peter M.
Yelp
I suppose it is not surprising that robotics has entered the Chinese fast food space. After thoroughly enjoying the LA Times article by Jenn Harris (she is my favorite food writer/critic), on Robowoks, I had to pay Tigawok (one of the featured businesses), a visit at their outpost in Burbank. It is a nicely appointed new eatery that has addressed an important issue on food. They advertise mini bowls, that are reasonably priced, in a way an opportunity to taste more items when they are sold as smaller portions. But truth be told, the portions are generous and my carry out selections lasted through many meals. No complaints. Value for money here. There are numerous menu items and they are displayed in containers, to help you decide. My choices were the wagyu beef curry, kung pao chicken, garlic eggplant and beans, the fried rice and the chow mein.
For me, the beef was the least impressive because it did not match the display and I ended up with large chunks of chewy (and fatty) low flavor meat, together with large pieces of potatoes (which lived up). The chicken was okay, it needed a kick of spices. The fried rice, with sausage was a different concoction and worth a try. Hands down, the best items I had, were the chow mein (wonderful in texture, chew, optics) and the eggplant & beans (this one had the real char of the wok and an umami taste), well deserving for may additional buys. Finally, the carry out packaging, utensils, lids for the food, and the bag (worth keeping and reusing), all in attractive and calming, teal color. Service, as you walk through and pick your favorites, was informative and well executed. I did not get a chance to see the robowoks in action, but they were there, in the background. Apparently, they are programmed, loaded and unloaded by humans, but the cooking is done by the robotic system. Is this place worth another visit? Absolutely. There are so many other attractive dishes that are worth tasting, for in store dining or carry out.