north side Chinese

I might be looking for a unicorn, but maybe somebody knows of a place. I don't want old school tasteless Americanized, but I also don't want super authentic either. Looking for somewhat Americanized where if something is called Szechuan beef, it tastes different from Hunan beef. Back in the late 70's or mid 80's there was a place in my hometown that had really good kung pao chicken, hunan beef, good potstickers, that kind of thing.

My last experience getting Chinese was this OLD place on Damen south of Lawrence that was VERY generous with the take out portions, but the problem was it tasted like nothing. I ended up throwing it all out. Looking for Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, but will go further for some place really solid.

thanks in advance!

If you haven't given Tom Lee (one door north of Opart on Western) a try for takeout, that might be a good option. I was drawn by Singapore Noodles and pot stickers. Otherwise driving south to New China Station or Chengdu Impression is the play.

Try House of Wah Sun
4319 Lincoln Ave
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.houseofwahsunchicago.com/

I live in Lincoln Square and I too have been generally disappointed with the Americanized Chinese food in the area, but Mei Shung has been my go-to for Americanized Chinese dishes (and some more unique Taiwanese items). I find it to be reliably delicious and they even deliver to me.

Mei Shung
5511 N Broadway St.
(773) 728-5778

I would agree with BR on Mei Shung; as for Tom Lee, I love it though I pretty much stick to three, well-executed things: Egg Rolls, BBQ Pork Fried Rice (excellent, plus they stuff enough for three meals in a small container for four bucks and some change), and Chow Fun (can order crispy if that's your preference). Haven't had bweiny's recos but am sure they are solid.

+3 on Mei Shung. Reliable and American-Chinese but not too Americanized.

Wow, I'm right next to Mei Shung and didn't realize it was anything special. Excited to check it out!

What about Wing Hoe?

Wing Hoe
5356 N Sheridan
Chicago, IL 60640
www.winghoerestaurant.com

My family was all in on Mei Shung from 1998 through about 2004, totally loyal driving 4 miles east every time. We thought ownership or operations changed slightly, and tapered off our visits. Last order maybe 6-7 years ago. I'm due to give it another try I guess. Taiwanese menu was the key.
Spicy Shredded Pork Noodle Soup, Pot Stickers (multiple orders), Taiwanese Steak, Pork w/ Sweet Basil, Sesame Chicken, Moo Shu Pork.

bweiny wrote:Last order maybe 6-7 years ago. I'm due to give it another try I guess.

Same with me, I was keen on Mei Shung for a few years a decade ago then a string of ~shrug~ to outright annoying meals took it out of rotation. Guess I'll give it another go but, frankly, I'm in no hurry to do so.

I'll semi-agree with Darren regarding House of Wah Sun. Though I'd add one caveat that HoWS is pretty traditional American'ized Chinese food. They just do it really well vs. the other Ameri-Chinese places in the general vicinity.

Sadly, I vote Unicorn. I live 2 blocks from Tom Lee, and it currently has horrible, sloppy food in addition to being run down and dirty. I have tried the old time places, the strip mall joints, and the Chinese places sprinkled into the Argyle neighborhood. None of them are good. Chengdu Impression in Lincoln Park is the best, IMHO, but not very convenient for me. (Bite of Szechuan initially had promise but tanked.)

Very depressing for someone who grew up on Chinese food. I suppose it is natural that Chinese immigrants from decades past have moved onward and upward to professional and business careers, and are less inclined toward the restaurant industry.

Maybe Peking Mandarin on Lawerence??
(My choice over Toms or HoWs). Lees on Diversey also not bad.

Reporting back. I ordered from Mei Shung online last night. I ordered the basics, eggrolls, hot and sour soup, kung pao chicken and Szechuan beef. Everything was good, not great. I felt things could have been a bit more flavorful. They did use quality ingredients. The only real issue I had was the site they use, doesn't give a target arrival time which I found annoying. It took just over an hour. Next time I'm in the mood for Chinese, I'll give some of the other suggestions a try, but I would go back to Mei Shung in the future unless one of the other ones is much better.

Darren72 wrote:Try House of Wah Sun
4319 Lincoln Ave
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.houseofwahsunchicago.com/

Suprised this doesn't have it's own link. The last time I was here I was w/stevez and GWiv for lunch. Enjoyed our delivery last pm very much. The tang of General Tao and Hot Braised Fish coupled nicely w/guilty pleasures of combo Fried Rice and BBQ Pork, you got it, Egg Foo to the Yong. We devoured it. Keep meaning to go there for the tiki drinks, but it's just so much easier not leaving our couch. One night we'll make it.

Jazzfood wrote:

Darren72 wrote:Try House of Wah Sun
4319 Lincoln Ave
Chicago, Illinois
http://www.houseofwahsunchicago.com/

Suprised this doesn't have it's own link. The last time I was here I was w/stevez and GWiv for lunch. Enjoyed our delivery last pm very much. The tang of General Tao and Hot Braised Fish coupled nicely w/guilty pleasures of combo Fried Rice and BBQ Pork, you got it, Egg Foo to the Yong. We devoured it. Keep meaning to go there for the tiki drinks, but it's just so much easier not leaving our couch. One night we'll make it.

I think I was there, too. Maybe FrankP, as well. Stellar lunch and I've been back for a few really solid dinners since then, too. Check the lunch hours, though. Some days they don't open until the unconventional hour of 1:30.

=R=

jazzfood wrote:Suprised this doesn't have it's own link.

viewtopic.php?p=224300

Chengdu Impression.

As far as authentic Chinese food goes, there's not a ton of options on the north side seeing as how most Chinese people in Chicago live in Chinatown, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Brighton Park, and downtown. More authentic Vietnamese and Thai might be easier to find on the north side than authentic Chinese.

My votes for authentic Chinese (aka not American Chinese) on north side:

Chengdu Impression
Sun Wah
Lao Sze Chuan
Chiu Quan Bakery


I've also heard good things about Xi'an Dynasty in Lincoln Park and a few other new places around there, but have never been.

If you include downtown then Ming Hin and Grandee have decent dim sum options. Not going to blow you away but I think still above average. If you count West Loop then you could expand that to Sizzling Pot King and WJ Noodles.

knitgirl wrote:Looking for Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, but will go further for some place really solid.

If you go north on Lincoln three blocks past Devon, you'll hit Great Beijing in Lincolnwood. I think it's exactly what you're looking for - a place that's only somewhat Americanized, but not too super authentic. Check out the LTH topic on it (click here), particularly to see which dishes are recommended, then try it and see for yourself.

In Evanston, Peppercorn's Kitchen is quite good.

marothisu wrote:I've also heard good things about Xi'an Dynasty in Lincoln Park and a few other new places around there, but have never been.

Xi'an Dynasty is really hitting its stride. This is one of my favorite regional cuisines and we have an embarrassment of riches currently in Chicago for it. Jianbing is exactly the crispy umami bomb one wants to get a day going, and I really dig the hot and sour soup with homemade dumplings and tiny dried prawns ("Does...does your soup have eyeballs?" posed a dining companion. Yes. Yes it does). As mentioned in the other thread, the Liang Pi is aggressively tangy in a good way - really every bit as good as in the Richland Center in flavor, with the noodles still getting there.

A couple miles west of the original neighborhoods listed, Peking mandarin has the best jjampong in town imo.

I have had luck at a few places on the Northside

Hon Kee - Decent Cantonese, especially BBQ.
5009 N Winthrop Ave (corner of Winthrop and Arglye block east of the Red line)

Min Min Asian Cafe - Pan Asian joint (think Joy Yee; Actually I think it was a Joy Yee ten years ago?) Mainly order delivery from the Chinese part of the menu. Pretty good.
1465 W Irving Park Rd

Silver Plate Asian Cuisine - Another Pan Asian place. Chinese food is good although the strip mall setting (in the old Noodles & Co space) is a little weird.
3336 N Western Ave

Do any of these compare to Chinatown or Bridgeport? I'd say they would be average Cantonese. The North side hasn't really supported the regional Chinese cuisines (pour one out for Taste of Szechuan). Hopefully more folks will want Chinese Chinese food and some more good restaurants can move in!

I have not been here yet, but I am getting good Cantonese vibes
D Cuisine
2723 N Clark St

jacketpotato wrote:The North side hasn't really supported the regional Chinese cuisines (pour one out for Taste of Szechuan).

Has to be a reference to A Bite of Szechuan on Lincoln. Yes, definitely gone too quickly. It wasn't even the lack of support, it was the chef's retirement. A damn shame either way.

bweiny wrote:

jacketpotato wrote:The North side hasn't really supported the regional Chinese cuisines (pour one out for Taste of Szechuan).

Has to be a reference to A Bite of Szechuan on Lincoln. Yes, definitely gone too quickly. It wasn't even the lack of support, it was the chef's retirement. A damn shame either way.

I can't vouch for anything on this at all, but a business license was issued on Tuesday (8/20/2019) for an eatery called Chengdu Aroma at 3227 N Clark St. This is the former site of Four Belly Asian Street Food just north of Belmont. As the name indicates, it should be Sichuan food.

Also, Tea Ninja is opening up a store at 3139 N Broadway pretty close to that. It's a bubble tea place that has a location in the Loop

I was in town again and went to Xi'an Dynasty again. This time not only with my wife, but also her parents who were visiting from China, her friend and her friend's mom who were also visiting from China, and another friend visiting from China. Everyone (except me) from Northern China.

Everyone ordered Saozi and they were all impressed with how good it was. Everyone said it was very good and authentic. One of my wife's friends used to live in NYC and agreed it's much more authentic and better than Xi'an Famous Foods.

Only been twice, but both times for the saozi specifically it was good. Lincoln Park is lucky to have a place that serves at least one dish like this very well (taking everyone from China's word for it).