I know that Pine Yard in Evanston gets little respect, much less love, on LTH, but I think their hot and sour soup is quite good. I remember Hong Min's wonderful h & s soup with fondness and longing, so you may judge my view of other versions. When eaten hot in the restaurant just after the server stirs in the finely ground white pepper across the top of the soup, it is a fine balance of heat and sourness. Pine Yard's version is thickened, but is not gloppy. I believe JoelF agrees with me.

EvA wrote:I know that Pine Yard in Evanston gets little respect, much less love, on LTH, but I think their hot and sour soup is quite good. I remember Hong Min's wonderful h & s soup with fondness and longing, so you may judge my view of other versions. When eaten hot in the restaurant just after the server stirs in the finely ground white pepper across the top of the soup, it is a fine balance of heat and sourness. Pine Yard's version is thickened, but is not gloppy. I believe JoelF agrees with me.

Yes, I do, with the caveat that I haven't been back there in probably three years or so.

I've recently taken a liking to the Hot & Sour Soup served at China Chef in Morton Grove. When I'm in there for their lunch special--usually no more than $5.95, discussed in other threads--I can sub out Hot & Sour for their standard, for the nominal fee of $ .65.

I've only had it at 11:30 AM when (I assume) it's freshly-made, and the crunchiness of the veggies & bits & pieces, against the steaming broth & whipped egg, is a potent combo.

Granted, given its mostly-geriatric clientele, it's not incendiary by any means--in fact, by comparison to other Hot & Sours it's quite mild. It's just a good soup, period.

China Chef
5920 Lincoln Avenue
Morton Grove, IL
(847) 967-6050

JoelF wrote:

EvA wrote:I know that Pine Yard in Evanston gets little respect, much less love, on LTH, but I think their hot and sour soup is quite good. I remember Hong Min's wonderful h & s soup with fondness and longing, so you may judge my view of other versions. When eaten hot in the restaurant just after the server stirs in the finely ground white pepper across the top of the soup, it is a fine balance of heat and sourness. Pine Yard's version is thickened, but is not gloppy. I believe JoelF agrees with me.

Yes, I do, with the caveat that I haven't been back there in probably three years or so.

I think if you went again, you would find the soup hasn't changed.

While not traditional, I love the house special Hot and Sour soup at Lao Sze Chuan. Comes with a layer of chili oil and crushed peanuts. It's my go to soup when I'm too lazy to drive to Argyle for Pho.

I just had what may be my favorite hot and sour soup of all time at GNR Spring World in the Chinatown Mall.

I was wondering if anybody has tried the hot and sour soup at Silver Seafood, 4829 N Broadway, Chicago?

After reading JNM 123 comment of March 25, I went and tried the hot and sour soup at China Chef in Morton Grove and I have to second his opinion: It is certainly not the hottest I ever tried but it is one of the tastiest, generous in terms of ingredients, and most satisfying H&S soup I had for a long time in the Chicago area. The best one I had recently was last month at The Hunan Garden in PAlo Alto, CA. But this is another story.

JoelF wrote:

EvA wrote:I know that Pine Yard in Evanston gets little respect, much less love, on LTH, but I think their hot and sour soup is quite good. I remember Hong Min's wonderful h & s soup with fondness and longing, so you may judge my view of other versions. When eaten hot in the restaurant just after the server stirs in the finely ground white pepper across the top of the soup, it is a fine balance of heat and sourness. Pine Yard's version is thickened, but is not gloppy. I believe JoelF agrees with me.

Yes, I do, with the caveat that I haven't been back there in probably three years or so.

Pine Yard was a favorite of my youth, and when it reopened, we went there for the hot and sour soup and the Mongolian Beef. My daughter, a picky eater, loved their "pop stickers" as a little girl and still retains a fondness for them. I know it's middle of the road, mid-American Chinese. But I am sorry to report a real downward slide at Pine Yard, including their hot and sour soup. A new regime seems to be in place--cheaper ingredients, fewer of them, and cheaper supplies such as napkins and chopsticks. The place is looking dingy and and a bit beat up. Their lunch special was an option when I wanted to leave the office, but I doubt I'll be going back. In today's lunch, the cashews in the shrimp with cashews were rancid, the h&s soup had no wood ear mushrooms and less pork than of yore, even the fried rice was subpar. Indeed, everything changes.