Mandarin Kitchen for Lunch [Pictures]

LTH,

Had lunch at the recently discussed Mandarin Kitchen yesterday with Peter D and Z1. As has been outlined by both Seth Z and Rob the Fish with Seaweed is absolutely delicious.


Xiao long bao aka Soup Dumplings were excellent


and Sesame bread very good. We thought the sesame bread had a little bit of shredded dried pork in the dough, but Aide, co-woner of Mandarin Kitchen, said it was vegetable powder. Either way, it lent a nice flavor and slight additional texture.


1/2 & 1/2 Beef tendon in chili oil and pork stomach in chili oil was just to my taste.


We also had Pan fried noodle Shanghai style. Which was ok, but not something I'd order again.


Braised Duck with Shiitaki mushrooms and vegetables, which turned out not to be to our, or at least my, liking. Even Z1, a staunch supporter of duck in all forms, said the duck had lost that "ducky flavor."


5-spice boiled peanuts gratis were flavorful with 5-spice, but we had to ask.


Next time at Mandarin Kitchen, which will be soon, in addition the soup dumplings, fish with seaweed, and a few cold appetizers in chili oil I plan on trying the homestyle soup Rob referred to, Casserole with fresh pork and salt pork. (Yan du xian)

As ReneG mentioned the new Mandarin Kitchen, aka Da Jiang Nan Bei, is co-owned by a man named Lui, who has a barber shop in Chinatown Sq across the street, along with Aide Zhang, who so graciously assisted us in ordering.

Mandarin Kitchen has hot pots, with a separate hot pot menu, we saw one being served and it looked delicious. TonyC commented favorably on the hot pot Here Mandarin Kitchen also serves "Mandarin Style and Shanghai Style Breakfast" on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 1pm.

Enjoy,
Gary

Mandarin Kitchen
2143 S Archer
Chicago, IL 60616
312-328-0228

1/2 and 1/2 on the cold appetizers: brilliant! I have a hard time always figuring out what to order in this catagory.

The noodles, the ones that I like best there are the "homemade noodles". On the menu, they are offered with seafood, but I ask for them with pork or "Shanghai style". I do not think that is the noodle you ordered as I do not remember the glass bowl like that. Next time try those noodles along with the pork soup/casserole.

I'll scratch the duck off of my list--actually, when I was there last week I had the cold salted duck as one of the cold appetizers, and it was not one of my favorite things there. Maybe duck's not their forte.

Rob

Vital Information wrote:
The noodles, the ones that I like best there are the "homemade noodles". On the menu, they are offered with seafood, but I ask for them with pork or "Shanghai style". I do not think that is the noodle you ordered as I do not remember the glass bowl like that. Next time try those noodles along with the pork soup/casserole.

We asked about the homemade noodles and Adie told us that the didn't have any noodles that were made in house. She suggested these, which are called crispy noodles with pork Shanghai Style. I wasn't too impressed with this dih, either. Maybe next time I'll try a different noodle dish, if any.

Hi,

On Friday night, I met a friend who had been to Mandarin Kitchen earlier in the week with Rob and friends. He had just been there Friday for lunch with his Mother, as well. When we parted, he gave me a container of leftover sea cucumber with fish roe. Eaten straight out of the box, it was overpowering. Eaten over rice it was perfectly fine as the rice diluted some of the powerful flavors.

stevez wrote:

Vital Information wrote:
The noodles, the ones that I like best there are the "homemade noodles". On the menu, they are offered with seafood, but I ask for them with pork or "Shanghai style". I do not think that is the noodle you ordered as I do not remember the glass bowl like that. Next time try those noodles along with the pork soup/casserole.

We asked about the homemade noodles and Adie told us that the didn't have any noodles that were made in house. She suggested these, which are called crispy noodles with pork Shanghai Style. I wasn't too impressed with this dih, either. Maybe next time I'll try a different noodle dish, if any.

I do not know if the dish is made in house, but on the menu, noodle section, it is listed as "homemade noodle". Hope you like.

Cathy2 was mentioning her friend (the mushroom guy). When I had dinner there, the Brilliant One had brought some mushrooms he found in the woods for the Mushroom guy to evaluate. The B1 had one hunk of shroom that the Mushroom Guy said was now mostly useless (and to boot had evidence of beetle infestation), but Idee was totally enthralled with the hunk of stuff, that to me looked mostly like petrified wood or a door stop. She offered to cook it up if more were brought to the restaurant.

Rob

Hi,

You're correct, I was referring to the Leon, the mushroom guy. He did return with mushrooms, which were prepared for Leon and his Mom. The details escape me, I will refer Leon to this thread and perhaps he will reply himself!

Leon's magazine 'Mushroom the Journal' will be reviewed in The Reader later this week.

Regards,

Vital Information wrote: but Idee was

Rob,

I asked the co-owner to write her name, she wrote it as Aide, but said it was pronounced Idee as in I. D.

Z1 asked if any of the noodles were homemade, Aide said no they were not. In looking over the menu, I do see the dish you reference, Home Made Noodle w/Seafood and Vegetables.

Next time I'm there I will be sure to ask for clarification.

Enjoy,
Gary