Wojia Hunan Cuisine (Albany)
The first time that I came here was years ago when visiting friends in Berkeley during a summer weekend. I remember all of us ordering the spiciest things and sweating to finish our plates. Silly, but a good memory nonetheless with good food and good company. Since then I’ve been craving authentic Hunanese cuisine and decided to go back recently.
Nestled near the Solano Strip in Albany, Wojia Hunan Cuisine remains one of the more authentic places serving legit Hunan-style food in the East Bay. Upon arrival, parking may be a bit tricky, but I recommend going during dinnertime as the metered street parking in front of the restaurant tends to be more open and no longer enforced.
The interior of the restaurant retains an air of modernity, while still keeping in touch with its traditional roots. It is clean, spacious, and excellent for small and large parties alike. Seating was never a problem whenever I went and the staff has always been hospitable. Even when I had questions about menu items, they were always attentive and recommended their best options, especially since I am not entirely familiar with many of their over 108 menu items. As a note, many of the dishes that you find here will be more traditional and unlike those found in “Americanized” Chinese restaurants such as Panda Express and the like. As such, do not be deterred by the menu descriptions, but keep an open mind as there are so many amazing things to try at this place!
Hunan cuisine is often cooked with many spices and chili peppers. But worry not, there are options without much spice if your tolerance is low, and there are even chili pepper indicators to show how spicy a dish is. But some of their items are no joke, so be sure to understand what you might be getting yourself into, and ask the staff if unsure.
Onion pancake.
This time around, we started with the onion pancake. The thing is huge and can be shared by 2-3 people easily as an appetizer or a side. The bread came out steaming hot and fluffy with a slightly savory onion flavor, hence its name. This definitely made for a great appetizer that was carried into the main meal and could be dipped into the chilis and sauces to add more flavor.
We also ordered a plate of kung pao chicken. Now, while I expected it to be hotter, it was packed with flavor and made with high-quality ingredients. In other words, it was perfect just the way it was. From the chilis to the vegetables, everything was made with care and nothing was rushed like fast food. One order was enough for two people to share. The waiter also brought us additional chili oil to put on it if we wanted extra heat, which was much appreciated.
In addition to the above dishes, we rounded it off with sauteed pork enoki mushroom fungus. While the name of it sounds fairly strange (the fungus part especially), it is absolutely delicious. I was worried that I would get too much of a mushroom texture with every bite, but they were cooked to the point that they melted beautifully in your mouth. With the pork and jalapeños, it was such a unique kind of dish that I've never had before, much less something that I thought I would like. I highly recommend this one specifically, and I will order it again for sure when I come back here again in the future.
While the restaurant may not always be popping with large crowds, I think that this is a blessing in disguise. It is a true hidden gem- and one of the only few true Hunanese restaurants in the East Bay and San Francisco- and enjoyed by many locals who know about the spot. I highly recommend going for a unique culinary experience, as it will open your eyes to so many different kinds of foods that are typically not common in the United States. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find your new favorite dish.
