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| - So, one of the great things about slicing up your hand is that your SO first drives you to get stitches, and then finds you yummy Hakka food to eat. In our case, it meant finding this tiny little gem at Eglinton and Hurontario in Mississauga. Initially, we were a bit doubtful anything would: a) be open at 9:30pm on a Monday and b) be welcoming to a person wearing the fugliest gym clothes possible (AKA. Whatever I could pull on with one hand that could hide a bloodstain if need be). But in a bland shopping plaza, tucked between a Magic Cuts and Swiss Chalet was our salvation! Hakka Ren is lovely little restaurant with magic food and phenomenal customer service. Initially it was a bit hard to find (the plaza seems to be allergic to proper signage), but the minute you walked into the bright room, you were welcome! We were greeted warmly and seated promptly in one of the many booths. The young woman who served us was very helpful, and easily explained the menu to us when we had questions. She was very sweet. And we noticed the room was over half full; pretty impressive for a Monday night in the 'burbs.
The menu is extensive with a exceptional selection for Vegetarians. We went with the Wonton soup, Manchow soup and Manchurian Chicken (it gives you a choice of being served dry or with gravy. Get the gravy!!) with steamed rice. My wonton soup was subtle, with a delicate broth full of white pepper and soft dumplings of chicken with a hint of ginger. While not the usual I'm used to, it really grew on me and after the fourth spoonful I actually preferred it to the traditional style I'm used to. But the Manchow was a revelation! It was similar in consistency to hot and sour soup, but lighter, with a giant punch of fresh herbs, veggies and garlic. I wish we'd gotten a bigger size and taken the leftovers home. The Manchurian chicken was so good that I ended up eating a serving - I couldn't just have the one bite. It had a good balance of spices and chili, and was just so damn satisfying that I'm tempted to drive back there tonight for more.
It's a small, family-run place that's only been open for 3 1/2 months. It's clean, delicious and affordable, and worth every cent in mileage. Please, give it a try!
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