A new Asian dining destination is now open in downtown Bentonville.
The “Wolf of Wok Street” Vincent Yeow Lim and Catherine Zhang have opened Wu Zhao at 110, 215 NW A St. in partnership with the local restaurateurs behind Blu Fish House.
Bentonville has many talented chefs, but none with this kind of internet celebrity status.
Across social platforms, Lim has 5.5 million followers. Zhang, who won a Netflix cooking show at age 19, has 1.5 million followers. The two are splitting their time between Bentonville and Sydney, Australia, Lim said on an episode of the B Team podcast.
The menu blends Chinese cuisine with elements of other Asian traditions, with dim sum and elevated desserts as specialties.
Upon entering the restaurant, visitors are greeted by large cherry trees and stone tables and countertops sourced from Ozark Southern Stone Quarry in Eureka Springs. Several large murals by artist Samuel Hale adorn the space, including one of Wu Zhao, the only Chinese empress.
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The restaurant benefits from its connection to Blu Fish, which flies in fresh fish weekly and was recently ranked the number one seafood restaurant in Arkansas by Yelp.
Barry Furuseth and Ali Meneses, the couple behind Blu Fish, expanded into Rogers with the sushi concept blu DTR and previously operated AOI Sushi on the Square, which closed in January.
Furuseth said it was the right time and place to expand beyond seafood.
“As the Square has exploded, there was no Chinese food, which is one of the most popular foods in the world,” he said. “And then when you look at what dim sum is doing across the world, it was a no-brainer. There was a need and also a desire and a passion to do something like this."
The restaurant is currently open for dinner only, with plans to add lunch service in the future. Reservations are strongly recommended by the staff.
Wu Zhao mural