Hunan Manor Has A NEW Chinese Menu

Hunan Manor in Columbia appears to have a new menu in Chinese -- this time a page on their Web site that Kiran brought to my attention.

Two years ago, I had a great time when Wai translated Hunan Legend's Chinese menu into English.  People got a chance to try authentic dishes that the restaurant owners didn't seem to recognize would interest some slice of the non-Chinese crowd.

Hunan Manor had a Chinese menu, but they translated it.  Now Kiran found a different document on the Hunan Manor Web site.  Neither of us can read Chinese, but it looks like a menu.  There might be some cool adventures on the page.

Is this a menu?  Has anyone ordered off it?  Any recommendations?  Any help translating a line or the page?  For Hunan Taste, Wai printed the menu and then hand-wrote English translations.  She sent me a scan.  Even that simple work was invaluable.  Post comments below or email translations HowChowBlog at Gmail.

(Update:  See below that Anonymous has read the menu and says it is a new font, but no new dishes.  He or she provided a list of the dishes.)

For now, you can find the new Chinese menu on the Hunan Manor Web site.  I also imbedded a larger JPG version after the jump.

Link: Hunan Manor on Kevin & Ann Eat Everything

If you eat in Howard County, you need to read Kevin & Ann's post from last month about Hunan Manor.

Hunan Manor is the heavyweight of local Chinese restaurants, and I have heard an endless wail about how it isn't as good as it used to be.  But Kevin & Ann wrote a hilarious, meandering post about a huge family dinner there -- highlighting the Peking duck and other dishes that they really enjoyed:

It's been a long history between the Rhee family and Columbia's Chinese institution. Every year, there is one less flock of ducks in the world because they reside in our respective bellies. The Rhee family motto is "And you will know us by the trail of dead...ducks". This year was no exception. If it comes to pass that some insane Wall Street warrior creates an ETF for ducks (NYSE: QCK) and brings them to the open market, go long.

This is food blogging at its best.  The Sun can't let its food critic ridicule her aunt or make these jokes.  I'm happy with the voice that has developed here at HowChow, but I laugh way more at the energy in Kevin & Ann Eat Everything.

On a side note, I will post in the next week about Hunan Taste, which blew me away with its Chinese food in Catonsville.

Hunan Manor in Columbia

Hunan Manor is one of the basic ingredients of modern Howard County.

The Columbia restaurant serves good Chinese food, but, even more, it is an institution for people who have lived here. People went with their parents. They celebrated birthdays. They cherish the memories and their favorite meals. Hunan Manor is also a fount for local cuisine because its former owners and chefs left to start other restaurants, including the pan-Asian Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro and the authentic Chinese Grace Garden.

Both those joints exceed the original in my opinion, but Hunan Manor is still a nice restaurant. The dark wood and the carvings give it a classy casual feel. The kitchen does standard takeout, but it stretches for fresh fish dishes and Peking duck.  The menu is actually huge, and there is a photocopied supplement with authentic Chinese dishes with some pages translated into English.  They'll give you a copy if you ask.  Or email me, and I'll send you a copy.

In the end, Hunan Manor misses my Top 10 because I don't love all that Chinese food. There are delicious items. Chinese brocoli with a fresh taste and a light sauce. Chicken in oyster sauce with crisp water chestnuts. A pickle appetizer with fiery liquid flavoring spears of cucumber.

But other dishes suffer from the thick sauces that are far too common at Chinese restaurants. The crispy beef was horrible -- thin chewy slices of something that tasted of soft breading and sugary sauce. My wife and I split on the eggplant with ground pork from the Chinese menu. I was impressed by silky soft eggplant that held its shape and was flavored with something that I couldn't exactly place -- a little ground meat, maybe something fermented. I thought it was tasty both hot and then for lunch the next day. But I understood why the heavy sauce turned off Mrs. HowChow, who is extremely adventerous and didn't eat even a second forkful.

What are the best dishes at Hunan Manor?  I know this is a kitchen with real followers out there.  If you don't like Hunan Manor, where do you go for Chinese?

If you want more about the Chinese options nearby, check out my post about Chinese restaurants in Howard County.

Hunan Manor

7091 Deepage Drive

Columbia, MD 21045

410-381-1134

NEAR: This is just off Snowden River Parkway just north of the intersection with Broken Land Parkway. From Rte 175, you can just go south on Snowden and turn right at the traffic light with a Manpower office next the Three Brothers Italian restaurant. That is Carved Stone Road.  Hunan Manor's red roof is a block up that road on the right.

Hunan Legend and Hunan Manor: How Do You Order Chinese Food?

People say that Hunan Manor and Hunan Legend are the best Chinese around. I have to take their word for it.

ChowHound and other blogs are full of comments (1, 2) where people praise each restaurant and debate the subtle differences -- whether Hunan Manor has faded or gotten pretentious. People comment about ordering authentic, off-the-menu dishes.

I need to learn the secret password. Mrs. HowChow and I tried at Hunan Legend. I had asked for advice beforehand. I asked the waiter for suggestions. But nothing was good. We tried dry chow fun because it had been recommended. We tried a cold chicken with spicy sauce because it was the most unusual appetizer. We tried tangy chicken because it was on the "chef's specialties" page. Nothing was worth finishing.

It's frustrating because people love these places. Karen Nitkin liked Hunan Legend in a Sun review four months ago. If you know Chinese
food, you can probably get something delicious. I just don't understand why delicious things would be off-the-menu. Nobody hides the good stuff at Mango Grove, and the people there recommend dishes based on what you like and how much experience you have with Indian food.

Can I get some advice? I'll go back if someone could just explain what makes them love these places. Until then, the call of Bangkok Delight and An Loi Pho -- or even Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro -- will just be too strong.

(Update: You should definitely read the great comment below from Wai -- who talked about a Chinese-language menu at Hunan Legend. Wai said that the dishes off that menu were authentic home cooking. Wai translated the Chinese menu. I posted and sent it out. People used the menu, and at some point, the Hunan Legend owners published their own official translation. It has been my favorite part of HowChow.)

Click here for my overview on Chinese restaurants in Howard County. For my money, people who want authentic Chinese food should drive to Grace Garden in Odenton. It's a family-run joint with a chef who used to work at Hunan Legend, and they serve spectacular food -- with a printed "Eastern" menu with all the delicacies written out. Know it is a Spartan joint. Go for the adventure.

Hunan Legend
4725 Dorsey Hall Drive, Ste D
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-884-3888
NEAR: The Dorsey Hall shopping center is just off Columbia Road north of Rte 108. This is just west of Rte 29 and just north of the Columbia line.

Hunan Manor
7091 Deepage Drive
Columbia, MD 21045
410-381-1134
NEAR: This is off Snowden River Parkway a few blocks where where Snowden ends into Broken Land Parkway.