Shang Noodle & Chinese provides a cozy atmosphere for students to warm up from the cold weather with some standout comfort foods.
We’re confident the restaurant at 608 Davis St., located close to Northwestern’s Evanston Campus, will continue to be popular with students. The mini-chain includes three other locations in the Chicago area — La Grange, Streeterville and South Loop — and was named one of Chicago’s essential Chinese restaurants by Eater Chicago in December. It was easy to see why.
On a Monday night, the restaurant was nearly full with groups of students sharing bowls of noodles, hot pots and traditional Chinese dishes under a homey wall of plants. The portions at Shang Noodle & Chinese are more than generous, so make sure to bring some friends along when you visit. Don’t worry, there will still be plenty of leftovers.
There’s no better way to kickstart your dinner appetite than with a tasty drink. A delicious concoction of sweet and creamy iced tea, the Hong Kong iced milk tea, had us savoring every sip. The drink is not too heavy, making it a perfect accompaniment to any entree on the menu.
For an aesthetically pleasing beverage, try the taro milk tea, a lavender drink with a sweet and nutty taste. The restaurant offers additional toppings, like tapioca and jelly, at an additional price.
At Shang Noodle & Chinese, it’s a no-brainer to order Mr. Chao’s Steamed Dumplings. We opted for the chive and shrimp dumplings, which packed a garlicky punch. Dipping each dumpling into the side of soy sauce made for the perfect sweet and salty appetizer.
Hand-pulled noodles are the star of the menu at Shang Noodle & Chinese. The restaurant offers a variety of noodle soups with seafood, Taiwanese beef and shredded pork. We ordered the cha jang mein, which satisfied our craving for a warm dish on a cold day.
These dense, chewy noodles were smothered in a tangy Korean black bean sauce. Pieces of onion, cucumber and zucchini added a crunch and freshness to the dish. These homemade noodles were the ultimate comfort food that had us scraping the bowl for every last bite.
Digging into the spicy chili shrimp sent fireworks off in our mouths. Fried to the perfect crisp and seasoned with just the right amount of spice, this dish is one we will be thinking about for a long time. Seasoned celery, scallions, cucumber and red pepper added to the dish made it all the more mouthwatering.
Diners craving classic Chinese dishes should try the mapo tofu, sichuan beef stew or northern-style Peking pork chop. To balance out the meal, Shang Noodle & Chinese also offers several vegetable side dishes, including sauteed baby bok choy, shredded potato and string beans.
With no shortage of dishes to warm you up, Shang Noodle & Chinese is the right place to get you through the cold slump of winter quarter.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @kunjal_bastola
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @rschlueter26
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