Hansang

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I have been wanting to try one particular Korean dish for a long, long time: icy cold noodle which looks chewy and are wrapped in such a dense ball that they need to be cut with scissors before enjoying. Hansang is always top of the list when I search for a Korean restaurant in Sydney where I have enjoy cold noodles, so I decided it was time to pay it a visit. 


One of the best things about going to Korean restaurants is the complimentary banchan (side dishes, or meal accompaniments). I am a particular fan of the fish cake (top row, third from the left), the refreshing pickled vegetables (greens, kimchi and radishes) and the creamy pasta salad (top RHS). 


Those pan fried dumplings were hard to pass. Filled with pork and chives, their golden shells give them a more satisfying and chewy texture than their steamed counterparts. The flavours are well-balanced and moreish, especially when dipped in the soy-based accompanying sauce with a touch of chilli.


Ah, kimchi pancake. Simple, vegetarian, but packs such a punch and is so, so satisfying. It's really quite salty, so beware of that - even I, a salt-fiend, found it a little overwhelming. 

Speaking of things that take the edge off a salty, spicy dish, this warming and soothing chicken soup might just do the trick. The chicken is a little tough, but the flavours are just beautifully soothing. 


And finally, what I came here for: the cold noodles. It was certainly very filling and very cold, but if I'm completely honest, I didn't like it nearly as much as I thought I would. I don't think it's the restaurant's fault, though: I think I just built the dish up to be more than what it was. It is a little bland, surprisingly tangy, and the noodles weren't as chewy and bouncy as I'd imagined. 

Score: 3.5 / 5
Price: approx $40pp
Address: Shop 2/8-14 Lyons St, Strathfield NSW 
Website: http://hansangsydney.com.au/ 

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