New fast casual eatery poised to disrupt restaurant industry through menu, technology differentiators.
Urban Wok is set to take over the St. Paul, Minn., dining landscape through its first restaurant location opening Oct. 1, 2018. The location will open in the Lowertown neighborhood of St. Paul and will feature an approachable menu of Asian-inspired cuisine.
Technology features include self-ordering kiosks through a partnership with Toast in addition to text-based communications with guests when their order is ready. The restaurant also will operate in a completely cash-free environment and will accept credit cards and mobile payments.
“We see an opportunity in our local market to open a restaurant unlike anything else in its segment. Lowertown is ripe for growth as vibrant urban lifestyle neighborhoods are untapped markets within the fast-casual segment of the industry,” said Urban Wok founder Mark Toth. “Urban Wok is well-positioned to be first-to-market and we are thrilled to capitalize on this sizeable opportunity by creating a unique concept built specifically for these urban footprints.”
The Urban Wok menu is built on simplicity, customization and flexibility to give customers complete control of the dish they want to create. The menu consist of nine signature sauces and hot sauces that are made from scratch and in-house daily, and a proprietary sauce blend. Customers can select from 15+ fresh vegetables and have the capacity to choose as many as they like. In a nod to the current takeout dining trend, guests also can place orders to take home through a YOU WOK IT or WE WOK IT program. If they do, the food will be prepared and packaged cold so customers can heat and serve at their convenience. The restaurant is 100% green with no plates and zero to minimal food waste. Traditional silverware also has been replaced by bamboo chopsticks and eco-friendly plant-based forks.
“Guests can sit down and eat in the restaurant or they can grab and go. Our focus was to really give guests freedom of movement, and we think we have accomplished that goal,” Toth said.
Urban Wok is lifestyle-friendly for any diet: paleo, ketogenic, gluten free, vegetarian or vegan. Urban Wok strongly believes in clean food labels. Mix, match, create a dish that works for you and always tastes great. Not your typical Asian food! The restaurants ingredients features no MSG, partially or fully hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, caramel/artificial colors or flavors. Located in St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood, Urban Wok aims to set the standard in vibrant urban neighborhoods throughout Minnesota’s Minneapolis and St. Paul communities.
