Chinese Cuisine Meets Louisiana Po’ Boy at General Tso’Boy

Editor’s Note: General Tso’Boy is closed. The last day of service was Dec. 14, 2017.

Domain Northside’s Rock Rose district in North Austin is making a name for itself as Austin’s newest entertainment destination with bars, cafes and restaurants debuting constantly. General Tso’Boy, helmed by owners Jessica and Gary Wu, added their po’ boy fusion restaurant to the mix on June 21 of this year.

Pairing classic Chinese-American dishes like General Tso’s chicken with Easy Tiger toasted French bread, General Tso’Boy offers a complementing combination of salty, sweet and spicy flavors.

Louisiana Po’ Boy Meets Chinese-American Takeout at General Tso’Boy

The General Tso’Boy concept originated from Jessica Wu’s hospitality management background and a family history of eating out, matched with Gary Wu’s upbringing cooking Chinese food in his family’s restaurant. After meeting and marrying in New York, their paths led them to honor their heritage with a contemporary spin on Chinese take-out items.

Sandwiching flavorful dishes within classic New Orleans po’ boy French bread, they launched a flea market pop-up in New York City. Upon receiving critical acclaim, they chose to make Austin the home of their first brick-and-mortar location, citing Austin’s openness and hospitality as the primary reason.

The fast-casual restaurant, designed by Chioco Design, presents clean, modern architecture that pays homage to American-Chinese restaurant décor. Red lighting peaks through an ornamental wooden grid design above the counter, with a traditional ceramic maneki-neko nestled within the fixture to welcome good luck. Seating is provided indoors and outdoors, but be sure to snatch a spot quickly, as space is limited.

Farm Fresh, In-house Sandwiches and Sides

Gary and Jessica Wu utilize fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from local farmers, putting transparency with their customers first. Everything from spice salts and sauces to soft serve–using McGregor’s Mill-King Creamery–is handcrafted in their open kitchen.

The main dishes to try are obviously the po’ boy sandwiches, which can also be served as salads for a dollar more. The General Tso’s Chicken po’ boy boasts mildly spicy battered chicken, coated in savory General Tso’s sauce. To honor the traditional seafood po’ boy, the Honey Walnut Shrimp sandwich features battered, wild-caught Texas Gulf shrimp slathered in sweet mayonnaise and candied walnuts.

Other choices include Black Pepper Beef, which is my personal favorite, the Char Siu Pulled Pork and the Mapo Tofu as a vegetarian option.

Side of Fries and Jasmine Tea Soft Serve

Do try the crinkle fries, which are served plain or sprinkled with Szechuan powder. Note that the fries will be fairly spicy, so temper them with a local beer like Deep Ellum IPA, lemonade or dip them in a rotational soft serve selection that includes flavors such as jasmine tea.

Other sides include cheeseburger spring rolls, which are crispy rolls encasing ground beef, onions and American cheese; seasonal wok-grilled vegetables with garlic; and their Chinese sesame salad.

General Tso’Boy is located at 11501 Rock Rose Ave. #152. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 to 8 p.m.

For more information about General Tso’Boy, visit their website, Instagram and Facebook.

 

@lainey_bird_ wants to know:

Which fusion eateries do you enjoy in Austin?