I was about take my first bite of dinner at Chop Express in Everett when a guy walking by my table stopped in his tracks and stared at my plate.
“Holy crap,” he said. “What is that?”
I had ordered a “Flaming Boar” sub, one of the many sandwiches and burritos offered at the Asian fusion restaurant, based on the picture I saw on the menu. Chop Express, also known as Chops, serves a mix of Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine.
I picked right. The sub was as good as it looked, if not better. But that came as no surprise.
My dad insisted that I next check out Chop Express on Hardeson Road. Dad couldn’t stop talking about a bulgogi-filled burrito he tried from Chops, so I brought him along with me to the restaurant for dinner.
In addition to burritos and sandwiches, Chop Express, which opened three years ago, serves a variety of Asian favorites. There’s bibimbap (a popular Korean dish of mixed rice with meat and assorted vegetables), Japanese-style shrimp katsu and Vietnamese-style lemongrass chicken. You can also find huli-huli chicken, from Hawaii, on the menu.
We ordered four pork egg rolls with sweet chili sauce ($4) to start. The rolls were perfectly deep-fried and filled with delicious pork and shredded vegetables.
Dad ordered the “Bulgorrito.” He liked it so much the first time, he had to try it again. It’s a flour tortilla filled with bulgogi (sweet Korean barbecued beef), rice, salad greens, cilantro, basil, and topped with spicy mayo and a chile lime dressing ($10).
Other fusion burritos available are “The Flaming Boar” ($9.50), “The Kraken” ($10.50), “Loco Soba” ($9.50), “Crispy Chicky” ($10) and huli-huli chicken ($9.50)
“It’s so good,” Jim Thompson said. “There’s so much meat in here and … it’s just the right of amount spice for me.”
My Flaming Boar ($9) is made with spicy Korean barbecue pork, pickled diakon, rice, cilantro, basil, cabbage and spicy mayo on white bread. All I can think to say is that the sandwich was perfect.
It’s one of three fusion sandwiches on the menu. You can also order the bulgogi or crispy chicken katsu sub for $9 each.
The pork had a subtle smoky taste, and the spicy mayo packed a nice punch. The daikon, rice, cilantro, basil and cabbage gave the sandwich a depth of flavor. I should note that the sub is fairly large — if you order one, I suggest eating it with a fork and knife.
As my dad and I ate, we noticed a steady stream of customers picking up their takeout. Chop Express offers free delivery for orders over $75 — not a bad deal if you and your friends want to give it a shot.
The next time I go, I’ll order “The Kraken,” a burrito filled with fried cod, french fries, calamari, crab, pickled daikon, cilantro, basil, cabbage and spicy mayo ($10.50).
Evan Thompson: 425-339-3427, ethompson@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @ByEvanThompson.
If you go
Chop Express, 7405 Hardeson Road, Everett, is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. Call 425-212-9295 or Find Chop Express on Facebook.
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