Korean Chinese Cuisine at Ting Hao A, Chatswood

We visit Ting Hao A in Chatswood to find out a bit more about Korean Chinese cuisine. Find out what to order here from comforting bowls of jajangmyeon or rich black bean noodles, to crispy tangsuyuk (aka Korean-style sweet and sour pork)!

It's a warm long weekend evening when Mr NQN and I arrive at Ting Hao A, Chatswood on Albert Avenue in Chatswood. The restaurant specialises in Korean Chinese food. The restaurant is modern with mostly banquette seating. There's also a cute, little quokka emblem as the logo.

We are here early, just half an hour after opening and the restaurant is a third full. The staff are friendly and tell us we can choose any free table. We take a seat and get to ordering through the tablets.

Ting Hao A is a Mandarin Chinese phrase that means "very good". Korean Chinese food is also known as Jungwa Yori and was created by Chinese immigrants in South Korea. The influence is more in the flavours although there are four Korean Chinese dishes: Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), Jjamppong (spicy noodle soup), Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) and fried rice, all of which appear on the menu.

The menu is split into a range of entrees, mains, noodles, rice and drinks with around half a dozen selections for each section. While we are choosing they bring a couple of small dishes – there is no array of banchan but there is pickled daikon and white onion with thick, roasted black bean paste.

Before eating, I quickly go to the bathroom to wash my hands (note: I do not recommend using the adjoining building's bathroom!). By the time I get back most of our food has arrived.

The prawn dumplings are tasty and full of prawns. They sit in a soy vinegar dressing with ma-la or numbing Sichuan chilli oil as well as slices of fresh chilli and coriander. Mr NQN wolfs these down happily and I think we could have ordered another plate of these just for him.

Then we try the Jajangmyeon or Wagyu black bean noodles. I adore the texture of these noodles as they're thick and chewy especially with that rich sauce coating each strand. I've had these noodles with just vegetables but the wagyu and cabbage is a nice addition making it even richer. I actually really like this with some of the sauce from the dumplings that gives it a bit of acidity and spice from the chilli.

The eggplant with black bean sauce is half a large egg plant deep fried and then topped with rich black bean and minced pork sauce that is giving a bit of Mapo tofu mince vibes. This goes well with some steamed rice and is pure comfort food.

One of the main Korean Chinese dishes is sweet and sour pork or Tang su yuk. It comes in regular or large size and I will say that even the regular size is enormous. The sweet andsour sauce is very viscous and thick and comes on the side so you can pour it over or dip the pork pieces in. The serving is very large (and this is the regular sized serve) and there are also crispy rice cakes on top. The pork is tasty, especially dipped in the sauce that is a touch more sour than a typical Cantonese sweet and sour as it contains lemon or grapefruit. The crispy rice is more to add texture and would be better, especially if it had some seasoning.

There's no dessert but there are plenty of options in Chatswood for dessert!

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried Korean Chinese cuisine? Which dish speaks to you the most?

This meal was independently paid for.

Ting Hao A

38 Albert Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067

Phone: 0494 191 793

www.tinghaoa.com.au/