Salt and Spicy Pork Chops from China Hut in Rogers Park

The Rogers Park branch of China Hut has become my goto spot when the craving for Ameri-Chinese cuisine strikes. The food is fresh and tasty, the portions huge, the prices cheap and the delivery fast (the only con is the use of canned mushrooms). They recently moved into larger more pleasant digs across Clark street from the original location.

Although the dishes are typical fast-food Chinese fare, they are made with a much lighter and skillful touch than your average Chop Suey joint (no sweet thick gloppy sauces here). There are a few surprises on the menu among the usual offerings, like Taishan Beef Ribs. I think the owners are from Taiwan, although the cooks are probably Cantonese. The noodle dishes are really decent also, especially the ones that utilize Taiwan style rice noodles (I especially enjoy their rendition of Singapore noodles). The smoothies are excellent, with firm balls of Tapioca (this place restored my taste for Tapioca after having a disgustingly mushy Boba experience at Ba Le). Of course, China Hut cannot compete with some of the more authentic places in Chinatown or Sun Wah, but for a neighborhood joint, it is a step or two above anywhere else in RP.

Recently, they put up a poster for "Salt and Spicy Pork Chops". I tried them on whim, and boy were they good. They were thin bone-in chops floured and fried crispy, then chopped into bite-sized pieces and stir-fried with scallions and hot peppers. They were so tasty, I knew they had to be really bad for me. I am sure my cholesterol jumped up fifty points, but I could not stop eating the crispy, yet tender little morsels of righteous spicy porkiness. I finished off the ample order by myself. I usually refrain from recommending individual dishes from a restaurant, as the execution may not be consistently good or suit everybody's tastes, but I thought this one was worth breaking the rule with a special mention.

China Hut
7100 N Clark St,
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 381-3838

d4v3 wrote:Recently, they put up a poster for "Salt and Spicy Pork Chops".........I usually refrain from recommending individual dishes from a restaurant, as the execution may not be consistently good or suit everybody's tastes, but I thought this one was worth breaking the rule with a special mention.

Going to be near China Hut later today, I see salt and spicy pork chops in my near future.

d4v3 wrote:Recently, they put up a poster for "Salt and Spicy Pork Chops". I tried them on whim, and boy were they good. They were thin bone-in chops floured and fried crispy, then chopped into bite-sized pieces and stir-fried with scallions and hot peppers. They were so tasty, I knew they had to be really bad for me. I am sure my cholesterol jumped up fifty points, but I could not stop eating the crispy, yet tender little morsels of righteous spicy porkiness. I finished off the ample order by myself. I usually refrain from recommending individual dishes from a restaurant, as the execution may not be consistently good or suit everybody's tastes, but I thought this one was worth breaking the rule with a special mention.

I couldn't agree more and really appreciate your post. stevez and I hit China Hut a couple of weeks ago and tried the Salt and Spicy Pork Chops. They were sensational and I laughed out loud because I had essentially the same thought as you did when I was eating them, "double up on the zocor tonight!" But we were coming from a lunch already eaten and even as full as I was, I couldn't stop eating these crispy, fatty, delectable pork chops.


China Hut - 7100 N. Clark St, Chicago



Salt & Spicy Pork Chops



Rear View

Because we were "crawling" and both had dinner plans, this was the only item we tried but I'd love to go back and try some other items.

Note, the address is actually 7100 N. Clark, as it's on the west side of the street.

=R=