Oriental Wok Express

Inside the Mobile gas station, they have quite a variety of food on the menu, from sushi to typical American Chinese food.
I’ve only tried the typical american stuff and that’s what my rating is based off of. I will definitely go back to try both their traditional dishes and sushi.
Food is good, but not amazing. Fantastic prices though, especially lunch specials. Great value.

First, I’m going to say this: I didn’t even know this place had its own name until they indicated that I should take a magnet home with me to go with my order. Second, the name that Dartmouth students call this place, «Gas Station [Chinese],» is appropriately descriptive, and tells you exactly what to expect: Chinese food served out of a gas station. This certainly isn’t the most glamorous place to pick up food, but sure is (a) convenient, as long as you’re already in the area, and (b) the most authentic Chinese food you’ll find in the Hanover area.
The steam buns are my most recommended item on their menu. They’re clearly homemade (a huge plus in my book, as not even all sit-​down Chinese restaurants make their steam buns from scratch these days), and generously filled. I also recommend their authentic Chinese food items, which you can order off the menu to be made on the spot — the pre-​made dishes sitting in the counter display pale in comparison to a la carte here.
P. S. Slightly less known fact: they deliver! Grab a magnet so you’ll have their phone number for delivery, if you ever want to take advantage of it.

Best authentic chinese in the upper valley! Been going here for years now and have never Been let down.

So many years later once in a while I still reminisce about this restaurant. The fact that the restaurant is in a gas station only adds to its authenticity, of sorts. Easily the best Chinese food in the area, «gas station Chinese» was a staple for many of us. Nothing goes together better than some Chinese food with a bottle of Vitamin Water from the gas station, just what the doctor ordered. Ask for the Chinese menu, have the pepper squid, and thank me later.

This place is awful. I ordered the 番茄炒蛋 (eggs & tomatoes) and the 麻婆豆腐 (mapo tofu) – two fairly simple dishes that I presumed any average Chinese restaurant could not mess up – from their traditional Chinese menu. Both came out awful. The tomatoes were undercooked in the first dish, and the tofu was bland and one-​dimensional.
I realize there’s not a lot of choice in the area when it comes to good Chinese cuisine, but contrary to what other reviewers have said, this place is no hidden gem. And I take particular offense to the first review of this restaurant by Ellen D. I grew up in LA and lived in SF for 2 years. There is no way any dishes at this restaurant come close to stacking up to the Chinese cuisine found in the San Gabriel Valley or Richmond/​SF Chinatown. Trippin.

The area surrounding Dartmouth is distinctly lacking in the Asian food arena. Apart from the mostly mediocre Orient, there is little to be said about Chinese food in the Upper Valley.
This restaurant is a hidden gem, and when I say hidden, I mean it literally. The kitchen and seating area is on the side of a gas station convenience store, so you ean pretty authentic Fujianese food surrounded by Monsters, corn nuts and Slim Jims. Not a place to go for a first date, to say the least.
The food more than makes up for it however. Ask for the handwritten menu they have at the register. I never get the food that’s being heated Panda Express style behind the window. Wait a little longer and have the cooks whip up something fresh.
When I go with my Fujianese friend, he asks for them to make a pork dish with pink sauce and bamboo shoots that is bomb. It’s not on the menu though, but he says it’s a pretty typical Fujian dish. The squid with green pepper and the tripe are also awesome.
Most dishes come with a plate of rice and they have free tea in a dispenser near the heated food.
Compared to other restaurants in civilized cities (aka not west leb) I’m sure the food could still hold it’s own. So in the wasteland of Asian food surrounding Dartmouth, this definitely stands out as an authentic oasis regardless of the fact that it’s in a gas station.
Note, they don’t speak English very well, but pointing and nodding gets the job done fine.

This is the best Chinese food in the area. To my knowledge it is the only authentic Chinese food in the area. The family who runs it is from Fujian. There is a menu with a mix of westernized dishes and authentic Chinese dishes, as well as a specials board written in both English and Chinese. I can’t speak for the quality of the westernized dishes (why order these? what is the point?), but the Chinese style dishes are good indeed. The cooking style is not fancy – rustic, even – but it hits the spot. They can accommodate off-​menu orders.
It is inside a Mobil gas station.

I was really looking forward to coming here after reading the reviews. A hole in the wall authentic Chinese food in the middle of NH? No way! Gotta try! We went here after spending part of the morning at King Arthur. We took the scenic way through Dartmouth College towards the gas station. When we got to Oriental Wok Express, we weren’t sure where the place was because there was no sign on the outside. We decided to chance it and park at the gas station and went inside. Oh my! Daughter ordered the chicken with broccoli off the steam table and liked it. Hubs and I ordered Steamed Fish with Ginger and Scallions and Tomato and Eggs. Mmmmmmmm!!! The steamed fish was our favorite! I am still salivating just from thinking of this place right now and wish I could be there again! :(. Tomato and Eggs were good as well. Service was very friendly. Just to let anyone know. We got a drink from the fridge by the door thinking it’s Oriental Wok’s. We didn’t realize it was part of the gas station’s soda until the cashier came over and told us to pay for it when we leave. Oops! We thought it was Oriental Wok’s and they didn’t say anything when we got a soda from that fridge. We had trouble opening it and even brought it over to them to open it and they still didn’t say anything! Minus that oops moment, everything was great. Wish we could be there! Will definitely return when in the area! Thank you very much, Unilocalers!

I’m a fan. Let’s be real. Where else are you going to get authentic Chinese food in the Upper Valley? It’s hard to find this place since it literally is in the gas station… which is why we affectionately just call it Gas Station. They have a solid menu with a lot of basic Chinese dishes, though if you speak to them in Chinese, they’ll basically cook whatever you ask for.
Is the place glamorous? Well no, it’s literally appended to a gas station convenience store, but the food is definitely legit and as close to home-​cooking that any Chinese kid is going to get in this area. I’ve ordered the mapo tofu, broccoli and beef, a sweet and sour fish, chow mein, hot and sour soup, pretty much anything… and all of it has always been delicious and comes in very reasonable portions that’ll definitely leave you full.
tldr; best place for Chinese in the Upper Valley

Best Chinese in the Upper Valley I’ve had. It’s in the back of a shady gas station, which makes it all the more «authentically Chinese» — the place looks grimy, and reminds me of a hole-​in-​the-​wall place I would go to in Beijing. If you speak to them in Chinese and tell them to do so, the dishes will be cooked authentically and it’s the only place in the area you can get real, spicy Chinese food. They have great prices — some lobster dish was only $ 12, and you can get full on a $ 6 lunch special. My go-​to place.

I eat lunch here occasionally and always enjoy it. It is kind of weird eating in a gas station!
Their steam table isn’t quite hot enough but other than that the place is super.

the best chinese food by far in the area. Great lunch specials at a great price. Ive been there many times and not once have I been dissapointed. Im a regular customer now and happy I found it. I would suggest trying it if you havent already. I know being small and in a gas station can be a turn off but when you try the food you will be turned on. Great place. Check it out

Gas Station Chinese… named appropriately for its location and propensity to give you gas. A guilty pleasure and upper valley institution perfect for ANY occasion.

NOT good Chinese food! We went here based on the other reviews expecting some decent food and it was really icky. I grew up in the area but do not live there now– just visiting for the summer. Maybe I’ve lived too many places with good food, but there are several Chinese restaurants up in the Burlington/​Essex Junction area that ARE exceptional and cravable.
This place has rice with peas and carrots in it and no flavor– similar to the bad food court mall food to be found all across america. The Crab Ragoons did have a nice flavor on the filling, but the Ragoons themselves were very greasy and soggy. The sweet and sour chicken had a soggy batter surrounding small pieces of chicken as well. The egg rolls were OK. Not the best and not the worst I’ve ever had.
All in all, it is exactly what you would expect from a place inside a gas station. There used to be 2 Chinese restaurants in W. Leb and both were great– China Lite and Dragon something… both are gone now, but I still expected that there would be good Chinese in the area. A big disappointment. Next time I get Chinese, it will be while I’m in the Burlington area.

This is some of the best every day Chinese food I’ve had. Seriously. In a gas station in Hannover, NH.

This Chinese food is the best in Hanover by far! The ingredients are fresh and the food is delicious. You can either order from the prepared food bar or order from the menu. I usually order from the menu and eat in the store. The food is always great and I highly recommend the moo shu. As an added endorsement, all of my Asian classmates highly recommend Oriental Wok and say it is the only place they will eat Chinese food in the Upper Valley. The same management just opened another restaurant in West Lebanon called Oriental Wok Teahouse that is also great and has a nice restaurant atmosphere.

Chinese food here is just OK, but I can’t find other better restaurant around Dartmouth better than this place.

This is a hidden gem of a restaurant! Ok, calling it a restaurant is a bit of a stretch. I’m the first to admit that gas station Chinese food isn’t my first go to place but this was well worth the try.
I was directed to the «Authentic Asian Dishes» menu when I picked up their standard menu. I ordered the Beef Chow He Fun and the Black Pepper Squid. I then saw one of the girls go in the back room and come back with some vegetable that my mom used to fix when I was young. I asked the girl what dish that vegetable was in and she said it was an off menu dish. She asked me if I wanted some and I said yes. It was prepared exactly a my mom had made it! I’m going to have to find out what other off menu dishes there are. :)

great food. Been going there since they opened. The BEST chinese in the Upper Valley for sure. However, when a huge mistake was made on my $ 75.00 order, I called and the staff said I so sorry and that was it. I called the owner and he said he would credit me the next time. I guess the girl who works there was offended because she called me at home and in an angry voice argued with me about me calling her boss and her being in trouble.
All in all I have not been back since, however I do miss the food.
Too bad the staff had to act this way. Not how we handle things in America people

Let’s say you were on the road near the Vermont-​New Hampshire border in mid-​June and you were hungry, but holding on for lunch in Hanover, New Hampshire.
And let’s suppose that as you drove into Hanover, it was clear that something was happening because the traffic was unbelievable. And then you noticed lots of young people wearing academic gowns and mortar boards.
So you take the nearest non-​clogged road, trusting that your new GPS would save you from your hasty retreat, and end up, still hungry, in W. Lebanon, certain that it will be miles before you can find decent food — let alone decent vegetarian food.
When what to your wondering eyes should appear but a sign in the corner of a gas station that says «Chinese Kitchen and Sushi Bar.»
Of course, you would assume you were lightheaded from hunger. The last thing you would do is go into the gas station and check it out.
But that would be a big mistake.
The Oriental Wok Express in its Express form offers several Chinese dishes, one of which was vegetarian, on a steam table, along with sushi packaged to go. You can also order from a decent Chinese menu. That option will take a little longer, but the wait is worth it.
My tofu and vegetable dish was probably the best Chinese tofu I have ever had. And that includes having eaten in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and elsewhere. Even more amazing was the quality of the vegetables. They had flavor that can only be achieved by the cook’s selling his /​her soul to the devil.
Actually, the kitchen seems to be really well equipped, including a stove whose flames licked the bottom of the woks the cook had going.
By the way, word on this place is already out. Westerners mostly came in and got something quick from the steam table or refrigerator case. But we saw several Asian families come in, order from the menu, and eat in the booths.
Now, don’t imagine that this place is fancy. The «place settings» are more plastic than haute cuisine. And certainly many steps below what the food in this place deserves.
I assume this place is a stopping off point saving for a real restaurant. The counter people had weak English, and the Chinese words I know are Mandarin, and didn’t seem to be those the servers used. Or maybe it was me and my basic level of Chinese. In any case, be prepared and creative in your communication. The food is well worth the effort.
There is some parking at the gas station or across the (very busy) street in a free public parking lot.