Winnipeg Flying Noodle House - Incredible Homemade Noodles

I am amazed at the diversity and range of cuisines available here in Winnipeg on a daily basis. Not only are there the upscale Western style restaurants, but the litany of International options is dizzying. Exemplifying it even more so is Winnipeg Flying Noodle House, a mom and pop restaurant featuring handmade noodles and dishes from Mainland Northern China.

Located on Isabel Street just north of William, the restaurant is in an auspicious location flanked by take out pizza joints. Definitely not the location one would look for authentic Chinese. It also does not help that the exterior is decidedly dated and unwelcoming, nor do the tacky decor inside the restaurant. Nevertheless as with most of these family run places, the service and attitude of the owners positive and always keen to please.

The menu is exactly what I was looking for! Featuring only fourty items, it is clear that the owners were specifically looking to offer Northern Chinese specialties. Their main is always the handmade noodles which come in a dazzling array of protein options. Add on top of that specialty fried dishes and featured dishes like sliced fish fillet in chili oil makes this exciting menu soar. You can imagine my excitement off the charts for the food!

Homemade Noodles with Slow Cooked Spicy Beef in Broth is a long name but expertly crafted. The key here is in the extremely tender knife shaved noodles that are thick enough to soak up the soup but thin enough to not overwhelm the dish. Their slight chewiness is a welcome textural element especially when contrasted to the rich thick chunks of beef. The broth is also excellent with rich and deep flavours of the beef based broth.

Going with something new on the menu I ordered the Stir-Fry Preserved Yardlong Bean with Ground Pork. This dish was decidedly less appealing than the noodles as it featured small cut up bits of yardlong bean (similar to green bean) and ground pork. The chili sauce everything is fried in adds a nice heat to the dish but otherwise it is but one note in an otherwise bland ensemble.

I am a sucker for hot pots so you can imagine my excitement when this Slow Cooked Beef with Onion, Pepper, Leek and Potatoes Served in Iron Pot showed up for my eating delight. The beef was lightly dusted with a satay based sauce which went perfectly with the wok fried vegetables giving each bite a nice combination of sweet, salty, bitter and sour. The vegetables were nicely cooked: tender but not soft which challenged the brazen flavours of the well.

Winnipeg Flying Noodle House is an incredible treat to find in the heart of Winnipeg. While the decor and restaurant are nothing to write home about, the food is, at its heart, traditional Northern Chinese fare and anyone wanting a change from the usual dull Westernized Chinese in the area should come for a bite (make sure to order the noodles)!