The new Chinese cantina with a pop vibe that's all the rage in Villa Crespo
Bringing Chinese cuisine to a restaurant is no easy task. Even less so, adapting dishes to the Argentine palate, which isn't as accustomed to spicy food. That's the challenge taken on by Tony Wu , the Chinese restaurant with a movie-like aesthetic that has been a hit since it opened in Villa Crespo.
With a warm climate, orange and red tones and a friendly bar next to the kitchen The menu offers an Asian selection based on chicken, pork, beef, duck, seafood, fish, and tofu, with a mix of fresh, sweet, and spicy flavors. It's a journey through some of the most traditional dishes—brought to the center of the table and served in a sharing format—from different regions of China.
"We seek to showcase dishes with their characteristic ingredients and cooking methods, perhaps placing greater emphasis on preparations that emerge from Chinese-American fusion. There are classics from all over China such as savory flan, recipes from the Sichuan region such as mapo tofu and kung pao , Cantonese dishes like turnip cake, Taiwanese icons like Mongolian beef and Hong Kong barbecue-style meats ", says José Delgado, chef and partner of Tony Wu .
Pork and prawn dumplings, hot and sour chicken soup, and beef with oyster sauce are some of the dishes on the menu. Another star is the roasted duck, which comes with homemade crepes, vegetables, and a plum sauce. "Prepare them like tacos," the waitresses suggest.
Some dishes feature an icon of a hot chili pepper, two or three, depending on the intensity. Adapting recipes to Argentine tastes is part of the offering and a constant challenge.
"While it is true that Chinese cuisine has a lot of presence of spicy , it doesn't happen in all regions or with all typical preparations. At Tony Wu, we have a wide variety of recipes to suit different palates: some without spice, others with mild, moderate, or very intense heat. We also bring to the table two special sauces to increase the intensity if they so desire. In fact, many diners come specifically for that experience of trying spicier dishes,” Delgado says.
The chef also refers to the "Americanization" of Chinese cuisine and the challenge of encouraging his guests to try new flavors.
“Our idea of a cantina is especially represented by those recipes that became popular in Chinese-American culture and spread to different countries around the world—including Argentina—such as chau fan , sweet and sour chicken, orange chicken, beef with oyster sauce, and lacquered pork,” he says.
“Anyway, at Tony Wu - he adds - we would like people to be encouraged to try other preparations that are not as well known to the local palate but are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, such as savory flan, shumai (a variety of open steamed dumpling), Mongolian beef (a classic Taiwanese stir-fry) and the entire BBQ section of the menu that includes roasted duck, crispy belly and lacquered pork served on a plate, with baos or with crepes in the case of duck.”
Although desserts do not occupy the same place in traditional Chinese cuisine as they do in many Western cuisines, the restaurant makes a concession with only two options: Cinnamon ice cream (crumble and flower honey) and lemon and peanut ice cream (praline and citrus zest) .
On any given weekday, in a city in constant turmoil, Tony Wu's restaurant is packed just four months after opening. The restaurant joins a neighborhood that's constantly expanding its culinary offerings. Delgado comments that the neighborhood reminds him of Palermo Viejo a few decades ago.
“We love Villa Crespo. We feel it has a similar atmosphere to the one Palermo Viejo—later renamed Soho—had when it started. It's on the fringes of, but close to, Palermo's strong scene and maintains that neighborhood spirit, with some interesting and more alternative culinary offerings. We also like that it attracts different audiences here, from families to young people—there's a bit of everything.”
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