Jason King
AmyHuangThe Chinese Noodle Restaurant
April 9th 2006 13:08
TG7, Prince Centre, 8 Quay Street, Haymarket 2000 - Around the corner from Paddy's Markets and the UTS Library.
Some people will say "it's all about the dumpings and/or the noodles here"...and it's true! But there's more to The Chinese Noodle Restaurant then meets the name, so to speak. It's hard to go wrong.
Getting past the plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling (it's true) and the competing, very similar sounding 'Dumpling King' next door, which on closer inspection pales in comparison, you find a very small busy restaurant with an even larger following waiting outside for their takeway.
The main attractions *are* the dumplings and the noodles. There are lots of variations on the dumplings but the ones you want and the pork and chive, pan fried. Trust me, I'm psychic. The noodles too are handmade and feature in about half the menu. It's worth watching them being made, if you press your face up against the glass, because it's quite a spectacle. The chef takes a ball of dough and with just a tiny long rolling pin he starts stretching the dough around and through his fingers, chopping it of into the right lengths, at an amazing speed (like the guy in the picture!). Within a matter of seconds it's done. See, dinner and a show!
The dumplings come a crisped on one side, soft on the others (its a triangular cylinder, see...) filled with a wonderful pork and chive mix, drizzled with a soft soy broth. A little bif of soy, vinager, or chilli as is your taste, and you're on the way. And can i recommend taking away a frozen pack of dumplings for cooking at home; $5.50 for sixteen! It's unbelievable. And they come with cooking instructions, yes.
The noodles are good in the Xinjiang (the part of China where they come from) stir fry with pieces of meat (depending on your choice), tomatoes, capsicum, and a darker brown soy beef broth sauce. But they're also good in one of the fragrant soups, or as a base for one of the braised dishes, and the list goes on.
But there's other good stuff. Like the spring pancake (with chicken; it's mroe like a wrap). Just don't ask what's 'spring' about it. But while there's no real sauce or obvious flavouring apart from a bit of the same light soy broth as the dumplings, the pancake has an unbelievable flavour. Because there's no dominating taste you just enjoy the freshness and natural flavour of the chicken, the still warm doughy wrap, bean sprouts, and rice noodles. A little bit of soy or chilli and it's perfect; just don't overpower it, this one is about balance.
Much more strongly flavoured is the fragrant eggplant in hot sauce, which is really just that; soft, juicy, melt in your mouth pieces of eggplant in a spicy oily sauce. A little corriander and this is the perfect dish to contrast with the doughy noodles, or light dumplings.
The Chinese Noodle Restaurant is cheap, easy for a place to eat, and the perfect place for noodles and dumplings. If you're going to trust someone with your dumplings, trust these guys.
Some people will say "it's all about the dumpings and/or the noodles here"...and it's true! But there's more to The Chinese Noodle Restaurant then meets the name, so to speak. It's hard to go wrong.
Getting past the plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling (it's true) and the competing, very similar sounding 'Dumpling King' next door, which on closer inspection pales in comparison, you find a very small busy restaurant with an even larger following waiting outside for their takeway.
The dumplings come a crisped on one side, soft on the others (its a triangular cylinder, see...) filled with a wonderful pork and chive mix, drizzled with a soft soy broth. A little bif of soy, vinager, or chilli as is your taste, and you're on the way. And can i recommend taking away a frozen pack of dumplings for cooking at home; $5.50 for sixteen! It's unbelievable. And they come with cooking instructions, yes.
The noodles are good in the Xinjiang (the part of China where they come from) stir fry with pieces of meat (depending on your choice), tomatoes, capsicum, and a darker brown soy beef broth sauce. But they're also good in one of the fragrant soups, or as a base for one of the braised dishes, and the list goes on.
But there's other good stuff. Like the spring pancake (with chicken; it's mroe like a wrap). Just don't ask what's 'spring' about it. But while there's no real sauce or obvious flavouring apart from a bit of the same light soy broth as the dumplings, the pancake has an unbelievable flavour. Because there's no dominating taste you just enjoy the freshness and natural flavour of the chicken, the still warm doughy wrap, bean sprouts, and rice noodles. A little bit of soy or chilli and it's perfect; just don't overpower it, this one is about balance.
Much more strongly flavoured is the fragrant eggplant in hot sauce, which is really just that; soft, juicy, melt in your mouth pieces of eggplant in a spicy oily sauce. A little corriander and this is the perfect dish to contrast with the doughy noodles, or light dumplings.
The Chinese Noodle Restaurant is cheap, easy for a place to eat, and the perfect place for noodles and dumplings. If you're going to trust someone with your dumplings, trust these guys.
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Comment by Sara
Comment by edward
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Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
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Fat Cult
Techbreak
sigh... I want those hand-pulled noodles right now...
Comment by amy
We thought it was called Beijing Chinese... Its a favourite haunt for after work noodling, I was SURE we were the only ones who knew about it!!! Now you've told the world!
At least they get you in and out pretty damn quickly, so even if the lines get a little longer than they are now, they still move it fast!
Highly highly highly recommend fried spicy eggplant (and I don't even LIKE eggplant) and fried dumplings of any variety. Wow, slathering as I write. It's been too long, I'm going this week =P
Remember the rule: never go to a Chinese restaurant that's not full of Chinese people - this one is always well patronised!
Never fear Cibby, the locals wouldn't be happy with rising prices - this place has been popular for AGES to no ill effect =)
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
If you break your promise, I'll take my pound of flesh, thank you very much!
Comment by edward
Rocky's Running Diary