Foods from Northern Han
Comments
2010 May 9
In the last month we've ordered from Northern Han three times. Tonight was the third time. We ordered Fast Fried Beef with Green Onion, the Veggie Dumplings and the Vinegar Thread Potatoes.
Everything was delicious, as usual. The dumplings and beef were perfect. Tonight was our first time trying the vinegar thread potatoes. They were so good I'm craving them again. Too bad they close at 10pm.
As I was waiting for my take-out order I had some tea. They always bring over a fresh pot. I told them how much my boyfriend loves the tea they serve there and they gave me a box of tea leaves to take home to him. So nice! I love Northern Han!
Everything was delicious, as usual. The dumplings and beef were perfect. Tonight was our first time trying the vinegar thread potatoes. They were so good I'm craving them again. Too bad they close at 10pm.
As I was waiting for my take-out order I had some tea. They always bring over a fresh pot. I told them how much my boyfriend loves the tea they serve there and they gave me a box of tea leaves to take home to him. So nice! I love Northern Han!
2009 Oct 6
I recently went to Northern Han with three other people. I'm sad to have discovered it so late in my tenure in this city as I was very pleased. We ordered:
-- green onion pancake (crisp, not oily, good chewy/doughy consistency but could have had more green onion for my personal liking)
-- a small (14 pcs) order of the beef dumplings, which were made in-house that afternoon so they were cooked from fresh, not frozen. We got them pan fried and I was pleasantly surprised that they were not too greasy. The meat was tender and savory. The dumplings had slightly thick skins, nice and doughy. I ate them with the vinegar provided on the table.
-- spicy green beans. These were well liked by all, it's a definite repeat order for us.
-- we each got a bowl of noodle soup. I had the marinated beef noodle soup, which was comforting and savory. The noodles are made in-house and I believe are cut by hand (i.e. sliced into strips with a knife). The noodles were chewy and each bite provided a good taste of the beefy broth in which the noodles bathed. The soup came with a good portion of what I gather was beef short rib pieces, which were tender and full of flavour. The broth itself tasted of soy, sesame, and possibly other herbs/spices that I can't quite pinpoint.
The owners are friendly and came out to ask how we liked the food. Some of us spoke broken Mandarin, and the owners did their part in speaking to us in English as well.
For the four of us with tax and tip the bill came to about $72. We could have been just as satisfied at $12/person if we ordered a bowl of noodle soup each only, but we wanted to try all the side dishes too.
Bottom line, I definitely felt that Northern Han's food was made with love. The homemade noodles will definitely bring me back.
-- green onion pancake (crisp, not oily, good chewy/doughy consistency but could have had more green onion for my personal liking)
-- a small (14 pcs) order of the beef dumplings, which were made in-house that afternoon so they were cooked from fresh, not frozen. We got them pan fried and I was pleasantly surprised that they were not too greasy. The meat was tender and savory. The dumplings had slightly thick skins, nice and doughy. I ate them with the vinegar provided on the table.
-- spicy green beans. These were well liked by all, it's a definite repeat order for us.
-- we each got a bowl of noodle soup. I had the marinated beef noodle soup, which was comforting and savory. The noodles are made in-house and I believe are cut by hand (i.e. sliced into strips with a knife). The noodles were chewy and each bite provided a good taste of the beefy broth in which the noodles bathed. The soup came with a good portion of what I gather was beef short rib pieces, which were tender and full of flavour. The broth itself tasted of soy, sesame, and possibly other herbs/spices that I can't quite pinpoint.
The owners are friendly and came out to ask how we liked the food. Some of us spoke broken Mandarin, and the owners did their part in speaking to us in English as well.
For the four of us with tax and tip the bill came to about $72. We could have been just as satisfied at $12/person if we ordered a bowl of noodle soup each only, but we wanted to try all the side dishes too.
Bottom line, I definitely felt that Northern Han's food was made with love. The homemade noodles will definitely bring me back.
2009 Sep 18
Two friends and myself did come here recently and we ordered three kinds of dumplings (Chicken and Cabbage, Pork and Dill and the Red Oil) as well as the Spicy Green Beans.
Stop what you are doing and go to the Northen Han for the Spicy Green Beans, they were to die for. They were the best item out of our four options and we all adored the things.
The Red Oil was interesting and a little sweet but unfortunately there was a peanut sauce that meant one of our number couldn't try it. The Chicken and Cabbage steamed dumplings were universally liked while the Pork and Dill fried dumplings were a little _too_ dill for my personal preference. Still, the Dill lovers at the table devoured the pork and dill.
Warning, there is a low level of msg in some of the dishes. One of the three of us is susceptible to the stuff and she got some of the effects, though not her most severe reactions. Just for your information
I am definitely coming back.
Stop what you are doing and go to the Northen Han for the Spicy Green Beans, they were to die for. They were the best item out of our four options and we all adored the things.
The Red Oil was interesting and a little sweet but unfortunately there was a peanut sauce that meant one of our number couldn't try it. The Chicken and Cabbage steamed dumplings were universally liked while the Pork and Dill fried dumplings were a little _too_ dill for my personal preference. Still, the Dill lovers at the table devoured the pork and dill.
Warning, there is a low level of msg in some of the dishes. One of the three of us is susceptible to the stuff and she got some of the effects, though not her most severe reactions. Just for your information
I am definitely coming back.
2008 Feb 10
We ordered Beijing pancakes, three kinds of dumplings, including a vegetarian one and two vegetarian dishes: golden mushrooms with bok choy and shrimp and tofu with bok choy.
The Beijing pancakes were pretty good, the dumplings were quite good too, particularly the vegetarian one. My daughter preferred the boiled ones to the pan fried ones. The shrimp and tofu with bok choy was excellent, but the portion was a little smaller than what most Chinese restaurants would serve for a dish. The golden mushrooms with bok choy was good too.
My wife is not a fan of dumplings (which are a lot like pirogies, which are actually a copy via central Asia). But my kids really liked them. They like pirogies too, and my wife doesn't like pirogies.
If you like pirogies give these a try!
p.s. the tables had tablecloths . . .
The Beijing pancakes were pretty good, the dumplings were quite good too, particularly the vegetarian one. My daughter preferred the boiled ones to the pan fried ones. The shrimp and tofu with bok choy was excellent, but the portion was a little smaller than what most Chinese restaurants would serve for a dish. The golden mushrooms with bok choy was good too.
My wife is not a fan of dumplings (which are a lot like pirogies, which are actually a copy via central Asia). But my kids really liked them. They like pirogies too, and my wife doesn't like pirogies.
If you like pirogies give these a try!
p.s. the tables had tablecloths . . .
2007 Aug 1
Dumplings here are very good. You can buy them frozen to take home, as well. There was a serious language barrier issue when I visited... I guess they don't get a lot of english speaking patrons. Anyway, I had their dumplings, excellent, their hot and sour soup was alright, the green onion pancake and beef rolls are awesome, and I had a tofu dish that contained a lot of white pepper, I think. Now, I'm not a huge fan of white pepper, I think it tastes awful and musty, so I wasn't a huge fan of this dish. I did have a mixed green and mushroom stirfry there as well, it was very good. This place has no atmosphere, don't expect tablecloths or anything.
2007 Aug 1
i've been coming here for years and have found their dumplings to be consistantly excellent. they have 7-8 different types which you can have boiled, steamed or pan fried.
you get a free pot of tea first off. my favourite dishes include the spicy wantons (boiled wontons in spicy red oil with peanut sauce), steamed or panfried veggie dumplings and the absolute best, green onion pancakes. my husband likes the pork and dill dumplings while friends like the lamb dumplings. i usually go steamed, just to be healthier, but panfried are wonderful and not very greasy.
your dumplings and green onion pancakes come plain. on your table is a shaker of chinese vinegar, red chili oil with peppers and soya sauce. you take a small bowl and mix your own dipping sauce. you can ask for peanut sauce on the side if you like, but i have always been partial to just vinegar and chilis.
the green onion pancakes are the best i have had in the city. many places don't have them on the menu, but if you ask they will make them for you (and usually i get questioned, how do you know about green onion pancakes). they also have a green onion pancake rolled up with beef inside that my husband likes.
they have a very large menu and i must admit i stay away from most of it. there are always large groups of people who seem to have ordered 10 dishes or more. sometimes we have been the only patrons and have eaten dinner while the owners eat their dinner in the restaurant too.
i have never found the owners pushy! they are very sweet and accomodating and always remember my favourites when i come in. they have often given me a free dish to try.
if you haven't gone, please do try it. i find it a very homey restaurant where everyone seems to know one another. english is a bit of a challenge with the owners, but they really trying hard. their kids are often helping out or doing homework in the restaurant and they are fluent.
we took my father-in-law once and he asked for a fork (you only get chopsticks) and we had quite a hard time trying to explain. by the end it was very comical and we were all laughing (with our server) as we had a table of glasses, knives, spoons, extra bowls and water, but no fork.
you get a free pot of tea first off. my favourite dishes include the spicy wantons (boiled wontons in spicy red oil with peanut sauce), steamed or panfried veggie dumplings and the absolute best, green onion pancakes. my husband likes the pork and dill dumplings while friends like the lamb dumplings. i usually go steamed, just to be healthier, but panfried are wonderful and not very greasy.
your dumplings and green onion pancakes come plain. on your table is a shaker of chinese vinegar, red chili oil with peppers and soya sauce. you take a small bowl and mix your own dipping sauce. you can ask for peanut sauce on the side if you like, but i have always been partial to just vinegar and chilis.
the green onion pancakes are the best i have had in the city. many places don't have them on the menu, but if you ask they will make them for you (and usually i get questioned, how do you know about green onion pancakes). they also have a green onion pancake rolled up with beef inside that my husband likes.
they have a very large menu and i must admit i stay away from most of it. there are always large groups of people who seem to have ordered 10 dishes or more. sometimes we have been the only patrons and have eaten dinner while the owners eat their dinner in the restaurant too.
i have never found the owners pushy! they are very sweet and accomodating and always remember my favourites when i come in. they have often given me a free dish to try.
if you haven't gone, please do try it. i find it a very homey restaurant where everyone seems to know one another. english is a bit of a challenge with the owners, but they really trying hard. their kids are often helping out or doing homework in the restaurant and they are fluent.
we took my father-in-law once and he asked for a fork (you only get chopsticks) and we had quite a hard time trying to explain. by the end it was very comical and we were all laughing (with our server) as we had a table of glasses, knives, spoons, extra bowls and water, but no fork.
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