We love us some noodles and dumplings, so for our last meal out before self-quarantine we went along to Mr Chen Beef Noodle to see what the fuss is about. This unsuspecting hole-in-the-wall prides itself on serving hand-stretched, Lanzhou-style noodles and Shanghai dumplings, and boy do they do it well.
From the get-go, the staff were super helpful and lovely, answering any questions we had about the customisable noodle bowls. With their noodle dishes, the signature being beef, you can choose the style of noodle you want, as well as a range of extra toppings like chilli, garlic and coriander.
Kristen went for the Spicy Wonton and Noodle, which was a dry noodle dish with pork and chicken wontons, minced pork and chilli sauce over the widest style of noodle. The noodles were satisfyingly chewy, slick with chilli oil and overall the dish wasn’t overly spicy, which is perfect as there are condiments on the table you can add if you enjoy crying over your spice.
Mel went for the Pork and Wonton Noodle in Soup, which came with bok choy and all the toppings. She also opted for the chewy thick noodles and added plenty of chilli, so overall it was a warming, rich and comforting dish.
We also chowed down on a full serving of Fried Pork and Chive Dumplings, which again boasted a perfectly chewy texture, generously filled with meat and bright green chives. Unlike some dumpling places, when you bite into one of these tasty morsels, you can actually see what filling you’ve chosen, rather than a grey, ambiguous mess. Mr Chen’s do a Dumpling Happy Hour from 5-10pm every day, where a single dumpling is only 50c. Sign us up!
To pair with the dumplings, we’d recommend trying one of their tasty drinks, like milk tea or coconut milk. And, of course, mixing your own dumpling sauce from the chilli oil, vinegar and soy sauce on the table. It’s super fun, and you can make it to taste, exactly the way you like.
Once all the Corona-craziness has settled down, you can even BYO at Mr Chen Beef Noodle, at no extra charge. Sounds like the perfect, affordable night out to us.
