Northern Chinese Cuisine 东北人家

The ingredients are fresh and the taste is authentic. Soup dumplings, fried noodles and fried rice, barbecued pork, vegetable soup. They are all unique. The chef's skills are good, thumbs up!

Since my favourite Xinjiang noodle spot closed down back in Hurstville, I've embarked on the lookout for terrific hand-pulled noodles in Sydney. Northern Chinese Cuisine was next on the list once I noticed their etched wooden sign glittering through the construction tarp. Just opposite Mascot train station, you can stumble right into quaint family restaurant and be enveloped in Chinese culture and pride emanating from the hundreds of red lanterns.

Of course, I had to get a taste of the stir-fried noodles with lamb showcasing the chef's mastery. The hand-pulled elasticity of the noodles pinpointed the right texture to gather as much sweet savoury sauce, though it was slightly too firm and hard to chew in the centre. But when exposed to the heat of the wok, the noodles are easy to slurp and delight in the delicious saltiness. The lamb is also cooked well with the gaminess removed and its appetising meatiness deepening the whole plate's flavour.

We haven't reached the end of the noodles yet because the cold noodles had us licking our lips for more. Tossed and coated in a soothing nutty sauce, the Sichuan style chicken slices pepped up the dish with an exciting chilli spice and then toned down with the cool crunch of cucumber. A tasty roller coaster I would totally ride again and again till my stomach is about to give out.

Outside of the realm of noodles, I was curious about their Chinese beef pie and how their dough turned out there. Wrapped in a tight spiral of starchy dough, the thin layer of pinkish beef mince lacked seasoning and was underwhelming for a typically bursting beef pie. I was enjoying the grilled top of the dough more than the bland filling itself, which is not ideal.

Let's get back to the noodles where we were taken by surprise the Korean cold noodles, the underdog we had little expectations for. Authentic or not, the bowl was majorly comforting with a bountiful variety of toppings that layer on the tastiness. The buckwheat noodles gracefully slip into the mouth with a gush of luscious soup, intercepted by the popping juices of the tomatoes or a sour zap from the kimchi and apple slices. Even the lean cuts of beef are succulent, substantiating the wholesomeness of the meal.

While there are a few misses on the vast menu like the fried rice, I'll be coming back for one reason only and it's the awesome noodle dishes.