When chef Alex Wong came to the Greenville area from Malaysia 20 years ago, he had no idea what the result might be.

Little did he know that his future would include owning several Asian cuisine restaurants, including the popular Yellow Ginger.

After opening a Chinese restaurant and serving as chef at the Hyatt Regency, Wong opened YAP, a downtown Greenville Malaysian restaurant.

Because rent for a downtown location is expensive, Wong decided to open his current restaurant—the Yellow Ginger at 2100 Poinsett Highway.

Serving Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean food, as well as cuisine from Hong Kong and Thailand, the Yellow Ginger has become a popular dining spot for students.

Chef Wong credits some of the popularity to his large array of unique Asian delicacies.

“There’s always something for everyone,” Wong said of the variety.

Customers can enjoy dining from platters originating from several different Asian countries, and can choose from five levels of spiciness.

Appetizer options include homemade egg rolls, Singapore calamari, pork pot stickers, crispy shrimp tempura and fried tofu.

Two entrée favorites include the Pad Thai and the Mee Goreng, a steamy assortment of stir-fried lo mein noodles, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion and a fried egg.

Other options include  Pad Prik, made up of bell pepper, onion, green bean and mushroom with a kaffir lime chili sauce and Yellow Ginger Delight, a chef creation of shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef  and mixed vegetables with chef’s brown sauce on a crispy noodle bowl.

Dinner entrée prices range from $10 to $13.

The restaurant also offers a long list of  lunch specials, served with an egg roll, priced at $7.95 and served until 3 p.m. every day.

To top off the experience, the interior of the restaurant reflects the authenticity of the food. Upon entering the room, the eyes are captivated by Asian paintings hanging on the walls.

The staff, attentive and welcoming, wait on tables that are comfortable and close, providing for easy conversation.

All in all, the Yellow Ginger offers friendly service, a conversational atmosphere and a truly authentic Southeast Asian food experience.

The restaurant is closed on Monday, open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday 11 to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 9 p.m.