Uncle Zhou’s Henan-Style Chinese Cuisine in Plano, Texas
Uncle Zhou is tucked into a strip mall in Plano and no one has updated its Instagram in five years. Still, this Henan-style Chinese restaurant enjoys a cult following. According to the owner, Quan Zhou, who sometimes goes by Uncle Zhou (pronounced “Joe”), and other times goes by Steven, the regulars come from all over — not just Plano, but south from McKinney and as far as Oklahoma, and north from Dallas. The original Uncle Zhou, which he opened in Queens in 2010, was a Michelin-recommended restaurant for five straight years.
Zhou, who immigrated to New York from Central China’s Henan province in the 1990s, has certainly earned bragging rights, but with his neat side part, thick glasses, and sweet smile, he appears indifferent to exercising them. In 2019, he moved to Texas to be close to family, closed up shop in Queens, and reopened in Plano.
The Vibe
In a review of the Queens restaurant, the New York Times noted that Uncle Zhou’s dining room emphasized “function over frills.” In Plano, the frills remain at large. Located south of Stonebriar Centre between a Botox spa and a physical therapist’s office, the glass façade of Uncle Zhou is plastered with blown-up photos of Zhou’s food. We go on a Monday night, so the place is quiet, though I’ve been during weekday lunch hours and on weekend nights when it’s packed. A wheel of fortune that guests can spin to win a free dinner stands by the door. Reviews and accolades, mostly from Uncle Zhou’s shiny New York era, hang framed beside the hostess stand. The actual Uncle Zhou leads diners to wooden booths and tables, or to the bar facing the semi-open kitchen. Laminated posters of individual dishes — pork belly with preserved vegetables, lamb soup with hand-drawn noodles, Kung Pao chicken — adorn the walls.
On the Menu
Made of wheat flour, water, and a bit of salt, pulled and twisted into their flat, wide shape, hand-drawn noodles comprise an entire menu section. We order the Dial Oil Noodles, famous among Uncle Zhou enthusiasts, and the server cuts them tableside with blue-handled scissors. They’re chewy and distinctly fresh, dressed in just the right amount of oil, with bok choy and bean sprouts lending texture.
Following the server’s instructions, we eat our scallion pancakes plain. Made from scratch, thin, crispy, and oily, they stand up without sauce.
Next on the agenda: shredded pork with spicy garlic sauce. This is no rice-and-vegetables-with-a-bit-of-pork-tossed-in situation. Strips of tender meat reign supreme, with wood-ear mushrooms and red and green peppers functioning as accents. Although the dish is touted as “spicy,” it’s pretty tame. Henan-style cooking draws from cuisines all over China, but leans subtle; anyone craving a burn can add the crispy chili oil, made in-house, that sits in a jar on each table.
The server suggests a Sichuan dish, ma po tofu, so we go for it, but as always, ma po tofu is… a lot of tofu. A pile of silken tofu. The savory brown sauce and scallions help, but after a couple of bites, I’m bored. (This is a me problem, not an Uncle Zhou problem.)
What to Drink
It’s not that kind of party — there is nary a “cocktail program” or wine list in sight. Pick up a six-pack of Tsingtao and Uncle Zhou will provide the ice bucket.
Best Seat in the House
The booths are spacious and high-backed, offering a bit of privacy, while still affording a view of the partially exposed kitchen, where cooks flip long, thick strands of dough into the air like jump ropes.
Go Here For
This is one of those places where you can’t order the wrong thing, but in short, go for the hand-drawn noodles.
FAQs
Q: What is Uncle Zhou’s cuisine style?
A: Henan-style Chinese cuisine
Q: Where is Uncle Zhou located?
A: In a strip mall in Plano, Texas
Q: What is the atmosphere like?
A: Quiet and cozy, with a semi-open kitchen and wooden booths and tables
Q: What should I order?
A: The hand-drawn noodles, specifically the Dial Oil Noodles
Q: Can I get a drink?
A: Yes, but it’s not a cocktail program or wine list, just a six-pack of Tsingtao and Uncle Zhou will provide the ice bucket
