Surrounded by high rises, the small building which houses Sichuan Wok sticks out like a welcome sore thumb. The vinyl-sided house has a large wooden ramp and patio where cheerful window boxes and colorful umbrellas have been enticing diners for 10 years with its affordable Hunan, Szechuan, Mandarin and Cantonese cuisine. The restaurant features all the popular Chinese dishes, including fried rice and noodles, egg fu yung, seafood, poultry and beef. Its signature dishes include chef specials such as Happy Family with shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef and pork cooked with mixed vegetables in a brown sauce, and Sichuan-style spicy beef, which is cooked in an extra hot and spicy sauce. Diners can either eat inside or out -- there's a comfortable wooden deck at the restaurant entrance.

See more: Ballston restaurants, Chinese restaurants, Asian restaurants