Wok & Staple

Hawker stall. Hawker food. Hawker culture. Yes. This is a culture of many Singapore, Malaysian, and Hong Kong eats where street hawkers are known to have the best taste with an excellent price. Wok & Staple is here to bring you their signature chili and black pepper crab from Singapore’s heritage restaurant Dragon Phoenix established in 1963 by Chef Hooi Kok Wai. Fresh Dungeness Crab made to order in two signature flavors. Add $5 per flavor for their black pepper and chili crab to get a taste of Singapore right here in NYC. The black pepper is also from Singapore guaranteeing that local hawker flavor you drool of. Their BBQ pork is tender and bursting with flavors melting in your mouth. Their signature Phoenix Pullet is super flavorful and aromatic. It’s simply marinated roasted chicken that makes you wanting more. All their dishes are authentically Singaporean. Wok & Staple is a hidden gem right in midtown Manhattan where you can get a taste of the East legitimately. Signature Black Pepper Crab & Singapore Chili Crab w/ Buns 59.80 +10 for two flavors Chinese BBQ Pork Set 16.80 Phoenix Pullet Set 19.80

I was born and raised in Singapore. Lived there over 20years. I grew up eating Singapore food, chili crab was one of my favorite! I have tried chili crab in a few places, even in Chicago. I never found that was close to perfection. It’s either too sweet or gravy taste different. I must say, the chili crab here! Very similar to home. I definitely recommend this place to those who are missing Singapore. Everyone else are welcome to try. Gravy taste amazing. Not too sweet or salty. Will come back!

First time in the food court and the food was good. The Singapore chili crab was a bit pricey $59.99 but the taste was great. Will come back again to try the black pepper crab.

I ordered chili crab here, but they gave me black pepper crab. I was honestly not upset about this because the black pepper crab was amazing. I will be back to try the chili crab, as this is the only place in New York I have found that even comes close to emulating these Singapore dishes. They only give crab crackers, spoons and a limited amount of napkins. A seafood fork and wet napkins would go a long way, as this can be a messy meal.

Super delicious, amazing sauce with tender and meatful crabs. I tried the black pepper and the signature sauce and actually loved the black pepper more. The signature one is less spicy and such a nice seafood flavor. The black pepper one is quite savory, peppery and spicy. Couldn't take my fingers out of this.

We had the dinner platter chili soft shell crab with 2 fried mantou, vegetables, and rice. I appreciate how crispy the crab was, and the size was quite substantial for $19. The chili sauce was not overly sweet.

I came here for the signature dish. I never had it before so cannot comment how "authentic" it is but I thought it was delicious. Everyone was very friendly and nice, and the chef made it a point to ask my opinion and showed great concern and pride about his food. Definitely a splurge as crab is expensive, but would love to eat here again.

Soooooo good! They offer two flavors crab, chili and black peppers. Both are delicious!

Date: Saturday, May 4th, 2024 Time: around 6:45pm Meal: Dinner Note: Below is the description from their website Signature Black Pepper Crab $59.80 Serving size 2-4 persons (approx. 2 lbs each crab). It is rich in flavor and aroma, is another must-try delicacy of Singapore. A perfect choice for those who prefer a spicy and "peppery" taste. Compared to the Chilli Crab, this dish is more complex in flavor, with a well-blended mix of herbs and spices such as curry leaves and peppercorse. The taste and aroma of our signature black pepper crab is so unique that you can hardly find anything close to it in the US, and I must warn that it could be tastefully addictive.... Welcome to Wok N' Staple! One of the best dishes I had in Singapore was black pepper crab. Ever since then, I tend to crave the dish from time to time. Whenever I see it being offered, I will order it. When the hubby saw this at Urban Hawker, I had to give it a try. The crab was cooked nicely. Sometimes crab can be over, but the meat on this was nice and tender. I love the yumminess of crab heads, but for some reason, this was a little lacking. Maybe they used most of it to flavor the sauce. Speaking of the sauce, it was too sweet for me. It had a nice pepperiness, but I'm not a huge fan of sweet and savory, so the flavor wasn't really up my alley. Still, not the worst version of pepper crab that I have had. So my quest continues for the pepper crab I had in Singapore. But definitely A-OK. REVIEW #3402

We tried one dish here. As far as that is concerned - it was not nearly as good as the menu picture, and it wasn't served the way it was depicted on the picture - or how we were used to having curry served. Overall it was very disappointing. Couldn't make a decision. Mulled over a few options, they have some interesting offerings here - like the bbq pork (which did look good) and Sichuan Chili Crab (which also looked good) but I am a big fan of Green Curry and the pic looked so appetizing I opted to give it a try. So they bring out my dish, it's in a to-go box, and I could already tell it's gonna be different. I opened it up - there's a ball of rice and then chicken next to it - and the curry was ladled all over the rice and chicken.....I wasn't happy about that. Why? Well when I've ordred curry (pretty much everywhere) - they serve the curry in a separate container. This way you can control what you eat, and I don't like to eat all the rice, so they keep it separate. But now they poured (not enough) all over everything - including the rice - and I don't want to eat all that rice, and the chicken did not have enough curry poured onto it. So I go back and ask the guy - it didn't match the pic - he said that picture is just for show and this is how they serve it. So I tell him not enough curry and he apologizes and proceeds to pour some more all over it - I would have preferred to have it in a separate container. The taste? It wasn't impressive or anything special. The rice got soggy and soaked up a lot of the curry which sucked because it's the curry I wanted, the chicken was okay but it was a bit dry, and overall this green curry dish lacked flavor. Very disappointing. Walking around I just got the impression of this place that there's a lot of pretty and appetizing pictures of dishes, that look asthetically pleasing, and it looks like an A-level quality dish of food, but when you get it it's about B quality and doesn't measure up. I can say this because we also went to an Indonesian place in the same area, 2 counters down, and their dishes looked so good but it was just a curry and chicken dish - no big deal - nothing extraordinary. We were also disappointed with them. So even though their bbq pork and $65+? chili crab looked appetizing, I don't think we'll take another risk here as it was 0 for 2 and we're not looking to strike out. With the plethora of curry and Asian places in NYC we will choose to go elsewhere. It was a 1-star experience but because he was nice and apologized and gave us more curry, we settled for 2-stars.

In the Urban Hawker Food Hall so not the place to go for nice ambiance. I came here one thing and one thing only, the chili crab. They substitute Dungeness crabs for mud crabs. They're made to order so prepare for a wait (if you're with others who order at other vendors they may be finished by the time your food comes). Fortunately the Sling bar is nearby for a delicious albeit pricey cocktail. The crab was tasty, not too spicy, but a little bit sweet for me. And it's very messy. They give you a bib and pair of gloves to eat it. Glad I tried it, not sure if I'd go again since it is quite pricey. Wearing a cashmere sweater was a mistake but it was cold outside.

One of my favorite spots inside Urban Hawker. They brought one of the best chefs diver from Singapore to train the staff and it really paid off. The food is great and their options are always changing. The portion size might not be big but it is the perfect size for lunch and at a reasonable price. I recommend this as a must for any world traveler or anyone who hasn't had a chance to travel the globe.

It is unfair that I hoped for a mud crab and so I asked first so as not to be disappointed. We are in the US and those giants are bound to cost a limb to ship here. Dungeness was the answer when asked and as expected this part of the world. Is it the same? NO. It's the same as substituting clam for a good ol'blood cockle. I had to have it anyways. Yes, here solo'ing this much food in one sitting reminds me what it means to be a volume eater. It's been a while but I still have that going for me after three decades - still putting it away like its the first meal. The buzzer went off and the walk back with the chili crab turned heads with the wafting aromatics in the air. It smelled sweet, spicy, tangy, and inviting. Here was another home dish on a plate asking to be indulged - ready to port you to another realm of culinary bliss. How did it fare? As expected. Any substitutions in ingredients just doesn't complete it. There is a reason I've always been a deep fan of mud crab for this dish. There is a sweetness that is missing. Not to mention the insanely large chunk of crab meat that comes with GARGANTUAN claws. The sauce is sweeter and the umami notes were missing something that just didn't par up with home. However, I really enjoyed what they had to offer. As I joked with the couple sitting beside me, this is still way cheaper than a ticket home. And as they joked with me after I finished it, "you did it cleanly" (lol). Welcome to NYC and represent! Black pepper crab on the menu please?!?

I saw, I came, I conquered my hunger. The only reason you'd make a stop by this stall is for one thing only: their huge @$$ crab dish. I ordered their Singapore Chili Crab, which came with a deep fried bun well known as "mantou". Yes, it's expensive af, $60 to be exact, but totally worth it. The sauce is freaking amazing: sweet, spicy, and tangy. I saved that alone for my future leftovers. This also supposedly feeds 2 people, so splitting the costs makes it not too bad. It is freshly made, so expect a 15 minute wait. Might as well venture to other stalls while you wait. There is a 3.5% credit card surcharge, just like every other vendor in Urban Hawker.

Note: Some places in Urban Hawkers have a 3.5% Surcharge for using credit catds. Debit cards do not. My friend mentioned Apple pay has a discount. You might want to double check before paying. So excited to try Urban Hawkers which contains 17 stores - 11 stores are from Singapore which Kopifellas. This was Anthony Bourdain dream to open a hawker stall similar to ones in Singapore (which are totally awesome). We got there on a Thursday evening around 7PM and didn't know what to expect. Walked into the urban market and it was crowded and loud like a true hawkers market except its inside instead of outdoor. After walking around, I knew I wanted to try the Singapore Chili Crab which I haven't had in years. Unfortunately, the special $48.80 Singapore Chili Crab or Lobster was sold out. I ordered an individual portion which contains 2 small mantou (fried bread), rice, chili crab and leafy green vegetables for $20+. It normally comes with a small cup of soup but the person before me got the last cup so she offered a soda instead. The crab was delicious though the sauce was spicy! My friend who loves spiciness ate my crab at least I got a taste of it. Wished I had more sauce to dip the mantou in it. I still want to try the special next time.

FOOD POISONING! I ate here on Sept 14th, 2023 and became incredibly ill with food poisoning. I had not eaten anything that day, and I had their pork over rice meal, it was the only thing I ate that day, and 6 hrs later I was vomiting for a whole day and the doctor confirmed it was classic case of food poisoning / food borne illness. I reported it to NYC 311. BEWARE!!!

Did not know one can find Singapore style crab near time square. It was not a fine dinging place, but a nice place to hangout with friends after work. Enjoyed it.

Great place! Super delicious! The place is awesome! Don't miss it! Great for quick bite and team gathering!

Terrible. Why would I think it changed?? Can someone tell me the pork is better now or the veggies or Chinese?

Great Singapore chilly crab and black pepper crab. PeThey can also do half and half, is great to try both flavor at once!

Really enjoyed the food--several items I'd always wanted to try. And the owner was incredibly helpful and friendly. The bread (mantou) for dipping into the chili sauce was delicious. Thanks for a great meal!