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Mon-Thu. 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"I love this place! The best place in the city to get fried shrimp! This place is open 24 hours and they move really fast with the orders. I…" read more »
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Recession friendly eats! Ya gotta love it! Han is the perfect combination - high quality food, great prices ($20 pre-fix for 5 courses) and friendly and efficient service. Start with the spicy crab soup and then move on to the beef salad (for a veggie option, go with the lettuce/seaweed salad for a tart yet fresh feel)... for a third course, do anything except the salt and pepper fried calamari (they should just call it "salted friend calamari" as that is all one tastes and feels - hint to Han: lay off the salt (had it not been for this one error, I would have given 5 starts). For the third course, my companion did the fish cake and I'll admit that I was tempted to make him trade with me! For a fourth course, the options abound from several types of fish, to scallops and shrimp to beef and to lamb! The lamb chops ordered by every table around us looked nothing less than wonderful, but I asked our server what was the best entree and she recommended the monkfish in black bean sauce... and it was absolutely tasty! Dessert is basic - we had some type of mango ice cream, but at least it cleaned the palette!
Looking forward to going back this week!
Whats not to like about this hidden gem.? 1. tasteful, minimalist decor. 2. Easy to get to...3. available parking...4. .5 course menu for $20....5. BYOB 6. Asian fusion with a flair for the creative
We were treated to attentive service... a wonderful meal...a pleasant atmosphere...and all at a price that will make you think..."why not eat out on a Wednesday night"? Bravo, Han 202. I like your style...
I have to admit that I was quite impressed with Han 202. My search for a good Chinese res truant in Chicago has finally ended. I could not have asked for a better evening. Great food with wonderful friends.
Han 202 is a wonderful little Chinese eatery on the Southside. Not only is the food delicious, they offer a five course meal for 20 dollars. You would be hard pressed to find a better value for your hard earned dollar.
The highlights of the dinner included:
The diced, Green apple salad: Fresh apples dices into small portions that is covered with dressing.
Shrimp Egg Roll: I'm not a big fan of any kind of fish, but this generous portion of Shrimp goodness was fried perfectly.
General Tao's Chicken: The have a nice take on this Chinese Standard that included a wonderful Teriyaki Glaze.
I almost forgot to mention that Han 202 is BYOB. No Corking fee.
Han 202 is the only Chinese place in Chicago that I would actually go out of my way to visit. The food is delicious and beautifully presented. The next time that I have a hankering for some good Chinese food, I'm heading down to the Southside to visit the good people at Han 202. It will be well worth the trip.
Even this shellfish-shy guy loved this place! Yes, I'm hesitant on creatures from Under the Sea who wear a shell, but with some playful ribbing and understanding from my dinner partner, Han 202 and I got along just fine!
The place is sleek and sexy, slightly modern with warm touches like colorful pillows and muted lighting and paintings. Perfect for a date with your Current Crush, or catching up with a small group. It's BYOB, and the waitstaff will kindly chill your bottles if needed, while you eat.
You know the drill by now: Five courses, $20.
Soup-
Fresh Vegetables- veggie stock base with sliced zucchini, tomato, carrot, tofu was satisfying
Salad-
My Beef with Lemongrass and Green Apple salad was excellent. The beef was so tender and I loved the marinade.
My partner's Cucumber Crab Meat Salad was cool and refreshing! See, I'm coming around to shellfish!
Appetizer-
Uh oh...Shrimp all over the place! For the shrimp lover, there's 5-6 shrimp options.
I chose King Crab Rangoon, which could have been served on the dessert course! Two big triangles of deep fried, creamy crab rangoon, with a sweet drizzle, dare I say slightly chocolaty? Yum, incredible!
The Seared Scallop was like eating a steak for seafood lovers. Served with a pat of sprouts, with a plum reduction sauce, it was also excellent.
Entree-
I got the Monk Fish with Black Bean Sauce, while very good, was the dish most like something experienced at lesser Chinese restaurants. My dining partner's Spicy Red Snapper served on the bone, was surprisingly good and had just the perfect amount of jalapeno spice to it.
The current dessert was vanilla ice cream with lychee fruit and did not disappoint. Service was top notch all night. We weren't rushed to finish our courses, and enjoyed a leisurely fun night at Han 202.
I was thrilled to have heard of a slightly more modern restaurant opening in Bridgeport. My friends raved about it so my boyfriend and I decided to pay this place a visit this pass summer. NOTE: I have been here twice, so will list both experience. I'll try to make it short.
FIRST VISIT: It was Friday evening in mid July. The place was fairly empty, but I was excited to try their food as the menu looks like it had such great potential. The appetizers they served was refreshing. My boyfriend ordered a fish entree, and I had the steak (medium). Food came out and the fish still had the scales on the skin, making it nearly inedible. My steak was barely cooked - more like seared. to rare. It was still cold in the center. So, my boyfriend vowed to never return.
SECOND VISIT: My girlfriends wanted to come here for a girls night out dinner. I've been meaning to give Han 202 another try, thinking maybe my first visit was just a stroke of bad luck. We ordered what most people had ordered in this review - you wouldn't want to order anything else as this is the most appetizing.
We all had the Miso Soup with King Crab: Honestly, it's regular miso soup, with a few crab meat in it. The flavor of the crab definitely is not absorbed in the soup, hence how you can tell it was only topped on.
For salads, all of us got the Lemon Grass Beef, with one girl ordered the Cucumber Crab Salad. The Beef with Lemon Grass is definitely a keeper. (Point).
Appetizers: Seared Scallop, Pan Fried Ahi Tuna, and Calamaris. These were all ok, but nothing spectacular. If I had to choose from one, it would be the tuna.
Entree: Orange Beef, New York Strip Steak, Chilean Seabass, and the Grouper. The Beef with Orange Extract - wow .. way too tangy and sweet. I couldn't finish my meal because the fried dough, with the sauce, made the beef almost unbearable to eat. The steak has improved significantly since my last visit. It's flavorful and COOKED!!! Their seafood department is still lacking. My girlfriends, who are Chinese, stated that their parents can cook a better fish - nothing worth raving about in that department. One of my friend actually disliked their Seabass dish. Those poor Chilean Seabass are becoming extinct as well!
Seeing how of a fully menu, and only 3-4 dishes are edible, this place gets 1 star. However, their decor is charming and the price is reasonable - that deserves another star. I really wanted to give it a third, but cannot find a reason to. Perhaps another .5 star for the fact that it's BYOB.
This place is another regular Chinese restaurant in disguise. I think it's catered to those who have few experience to Chinese food, and Egg Foo Young does NOT count as experience. It's ok for the price, but I do not see myself returning anytime soon. Perhaps if I give it another 6 months, their seafood would improve as well.
Savory food and earnest service. I went there with my bf and mom, and all of us loved it. Hard to have that meeting of the minds, but after trying the: crab miso soup, green apple salad, calamari, and monkfish with black pepper sauce, I can see how it would appeal to diverse palettes.
Creative food without exorbitant prices.
I love this hidden treasure. I've been there three times now, and it just keeps getting better.
Still Amaze-Balls!
I wish I could eat solely at Han 202. And though I'm keeping them at a steady five sexy stars I wish we could have gotten the rock star treatment from our first visit where our beer and wine were kept cold and brought out as needed. This last time the boys ended up having to rest the beer on the floor until the ladies finished the wine for lack of table space. But for $20, I won't deduct any points.
Oh- and our dessert was just plain vanilla with a lychee fruit- no mango/tomato sorbet. Wah, wah... but on the bright side, at least I saved a little on the calories.
So it was a pretty craptastic day at work, yes even more craptastic than normal, but luckily a bunch… Read more »
Grace L. and I tried out Han 202 last night!
Prix fixe menu- 5 courses for 20 bucks :)
All the dishes were flavorful and had nice presentation. The restaurant is clean and modern.
I had the
-spicy king crab miso (pretty good combination, but I must admit I was slightly sad to only see one piece of meat)
-lemongrass beef with green apple salad- (this was surprisingly really good! beef was very tender and flavorful, and the shredded green apple was a great combination! recommended)
-walnut shrimp- (delicious friedness!)
-chilean sea bass-(ah my first taste of chilean sea bass! um definitely understand why this fish is overfished and almost endangered- IT'S DELICIOUS!)
-vanilla ice cream with tomato and mango- (yum!)
Overall, the food was pretty flavorful (although it kinda looked MSG-ful?) However, minus one star because the service was really slow. They only had two waitresses working, and dinner took like 2 hours! They need more cooks and waitresses. On a random side note, I really like their icon of that chinese horse. :) Enjoy!
Oh man you guys, I'm in BIG trouble. Like, wallet getting thinner and waist line expanding type trouble.
FINALLY made it over here yesterday. Yes, I know they've been open for months now. Yes, I know I live within walking distance. Yes, I know it's a ridiculously good deal. I get it, but stop your whining cause I went now, okay? OKAY?! Sheesh!
Went with 3 other pals, 3 bottles of vino, and a sixer of Tsing Tao. What - it was a Monday - I needed something to make the day tolerable. Han 202 certainly delivered. Here's the rundown
Soup - We all had the spicy king crab miso and we all loved it. The broth had a nice kick to it, the crab was done just right, and it was perfect for Chicago's first chilly day of the season.
Salad - I had the green apple with beef. Super tasty. Beef was tender, apples crisp and tart, and the dressing was super light. The capers added a nice briny touch. I sampled the lettuce seaweed which was super refreshing and citrusy. Also let my for wander over to the cucumber crab salad. Also excellent.
Appetizers - I went with the shrimp and veggie tempura. I do love my fried foods and this didn't disappoint. Super light breading, perfectly done shrimp and veggies, topped with a sweet glaze. Yum. Tried the seared scallop. Perfectly crusted outside, buttery inside, with a gingery sauce. Oh, and the walnut shrimp? Delectable! Whatever was in that creamy sauce on top was divine! I wanted to lick someone else's plate for craps sake!
Entrees - I got the pepper crusted ahi w soy balsamic glaze. The fish was done perfectly! Nice crust and rare inside. The glaze was salty, tangy awesomeness. Dug into one of the gal pals NY strip w miso. While I didn't get a ton of the miso flavor, the steak was done perfectly. And the duck? So rich and topped with the bean sauce - super good.
Dessert - only the one choice. Vanilla ice cream with mango tomato sorbet. Nice idea in theory, but my ice cream was freezer burned. BOO! The flavors were good, so maybe I'll hold out hope for better execution next time around.
The four of us had an 8 o'clock reservation, but didn't actually get there until 8:30. When we got there, there was one table of diners but the door was locked. Apparently the staff was ready to call it a night. Instead, they opened the doors for us and were very gracious about us having their Monday work night end later than they had anticipated. Our courses came out pretty quickly so we didn't get through as much of the vino as we had anticipated, but, se la vi.
So all I'm saying is I have a bottle of white at home, just waiting for another BYOB (w NO corkage fee woot woot) adventure in my hood. You should really come try this place - but call me first - I'll meet you there with my bottle in hand.
I wish this place was around the corner from me. I could eat here all the time. ALL THE TIME! $20.00 brings you a delightful meal that is guaranteed to please. Our party of happily shared bites of duck breast, seared ahi tuna, NY strip and General Tao (their spelling) chicken with each other and not a bad bite in the bunch. The appetizers were beautifully prepared and presented and the service, seamless.
The only off note was dessert. For all the care and flavor found in the previous courses, it was the complete opposite for our dessert course. The mango tomato sorbet lacked any distinct flavor, mango or otherwise. The ice cream which is obviously preportioned, had an inordinate amount of freezer burn. So disappointing after such an amazing meal.
But I will have no problem getting on the red line to visit Han 202 again, hopefully sooner than later.
Jeanie P. and I had read so much about Han 202 we finally decided to get ourselves out there with some friends! Overall, it was very, very tasty. I love the $20 prix fixe menu, it's a great deal and you definitely feel you got your money's worth. I would love to try many more items on their menu! I got the following:
Spicy king crab miso - very tasty, and definitely had a kick of spice!
Romaine lettuce and seaweed salad - this was really, really great if you like that translucent, bright green seaweed salad they sometimes serve at sushi places. It had a great dressing on it, can't quite place what it was.
Shrimp spring egg roll - biggest pieces of shrimp I had ever seen in an egg roll. They were large chunks, not the diced filling stuff. This was also very good!
Shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce - I thought this was really great. I think it may have a bit of MSG but it was delicious! The scallops were very well done and the sauce was very flavorful. It was a reasonable sized portion and there were plenty of vegetables.
Vanilla ice cream with mango tomato sorbet - I was hesitant about the tomato portion but it came together pretty well! The only thing was that it might have had some freezer burn so it was like eating flavored ice rather than ice cream.
The only problem I had is that the service is RIDICULOUSLY slow. There were only 2 waitresses and the place was absolutely full the whole time. The waitresses were also just very slow when moving around and would look and double check and triple check what was coming out and going out to people which I guess could be seen as a good thing but came off as being not confident and forgetful.
So, overall very tasty and I would try it again!
This place is awesome! You get a nice amount of food and a nice variety to choose from. I loved the green apple salad and salt and pepper calamari...it is also fabulous that it is byob! Definitely a great place for dinner.
You have to love these little hidden places in neighborhoods where you would least expect them. In Han 202's case- it's Bridgeport. Known for its stability- people who have lived there all their lives, small family owned businesses and bars and where most things have remained unchanged for years. But that is changing with the addition of innovative spots like Han 202.
What a breath of fresh air Han 202 turned out to be. A $20 prix fixe five course dinner and BYOB? How do they do it?
It must be on volume, for on the Sunday night that we were there- the place was comfortably busy from the time we got there to the time we left.
Reservations can be made on line through their website- You will be called back to confirm that you are still coming the day before.
We were seated in the front window (my fav) opened our wine and with in moments had made our decisions on what we were going to have. We were together on some of our picks but since we wanted to taste some more of the menu- we did purposefully go in different directions on others.
Soup: Spicy Crab Miso soup
Salad: Beef and Lemongrass salad, Crabmeat and cucumber salad
Appetizer:: Shrimp/Vegetable Tempura, Spring roll
Entree:: Rack of Lamb, Chilean Sea Bass
Dessert:: Vanilla ice cream with lychee and mango sorbet
Everything was delicious, beautifully presented (loved the white dinner ware) and a pleasure to eat. The service was spot on- friendly, quick to notice what was needed, and perfect with their suggestions on what to have on the menu.
The decor is modern and contemporary with plush chairs, a small modern bar (to enjoy a soda at?) with a contemporary metal faced front and cool bar stools. The only thing that seemed out of place was the Pepsi beverage case behind the bar. Even the restrooms were delightful- clean, smelling like the "room fragrance" that they had chosen with plenty of towels, etc.
Street Parking is easy (bring quarters as they are still on the meter system) and know as you face the building that it's the door on the left with 605 above it where you enter (watched countless people try to enter through the door on the right).
Bridgeport continues to surprise me with great things around every corner. The locals have always known it. Now as more things move into the area- hopefully more people will come to appreciate it as well. Go South Side!
I hate to use the word gem to describe a restaurant. It's cliche and I usually find it irritating. However, I can't think of a more perfect word to describe this restaurant. Han 202 is the perfect gem in Bridgeport.
The options here are endless and I left feeling like a thief. I didn't steal anything but a $20 5-course dinner will make anyone feel like they are cheating the system. And a BYOB nonetheless? How do they do it? Honestly, I want to know. If this place was in Lincoln Park the line would be out the door and halfway down the block. I'm fortunate that Han 202 is only a 3-minute drive from my house.
My 5-course dinner consisted of:
*Soup: Vegetable Tofu Soup - Very flavorful and packed with different veggies. The broth was wonderful and I drank every last drop.
*Salad: Beef with Lemongrass - This was crazy delicious. I don't even have words to describe how tasty this was. The beef was warm, the apples were cold. The beef was soft, the apples were crunchy. It was the perfect combination of every type of flavor and texture combination known to the culinary world. It was basically a party in my mouth.
*Appetizer: Crab Rangoon - Best crab rangoon ever. EVER! I could have eaten about 84 of these. I'm drooling right now as I write this thinking about how delicious that crab rangoon was.
*Entree: Rack of Lamb - This was good but compared to the previous 3 courses I felt the flavor wasn't as strong. There was nothing wrong with this dish but I would try another entree next time I go back.
*Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream - Nice closing to our dinner and no complaints.
A $20 5-course BYOB is a gem anywhere. Thank you for being in Bridgeport.
Ignoring my own opinions on the Uighur/Han clashes in China (ah, religion. . . at the stem of it again), paying a visit to Bridgeport was all but essential when two of our favorite cheeseheads visited for an all-too-brief Friday night out. Disposing of their three-year-old for a weekend of love, I followed Queen Colleen's "perfect date night" accolade.
We were not disappointed.
No reservation, 7:30 p.m. on a Friday, two handsome couples, seated. Done. King Crab Miso all around, green apple salad, walnut shrimp, sesame chicken (I mean, if you can do that well, I'll do you right and eat an urchin or other creature from the deep), and the most adorable little dessert that was the only thing to disappoint. The vanilla ice cream was watery and the tomato sorbet was unnecessary?
But shit, with Scoops at such a stone's throw who gives a damn. And raise your hand if YOU go out for Chinese and can't wait to order dessert. I rest my case. Bailiff? Bond is posted at $20 a person.
Easy parking and easy on the eyes, Han 202 is going to be on rotation more than MJ's greatest hits. It will fuel my practice routines of trying to get the "Smooth Criminal" lean right without breaking a rib.
Do the Hanster Dance.
Typically for Chinese food I would hit up Chinatown and those hole in the wall places, but Han 202 combined delicious food with a clean and contemp atmosphere.
5 course for $20 plus it's BYOB was PERFECT. At first my fiancee didn't think the food would fill him up but by the end of the night he was stuffed and satisfied :)
Our 5 courses
Soup:
King Crab Spicy Miso - good but a bit too salty
Salad:
Lemongrass Beef with green apple - no complaints, SOO good!
Cucumber salad with crabmeat - average, absolutely nothing special about it
Appetizer:
Sea Scallop - note how it's not pluralized, good but they only give you 1 scallop
Salt & Pepper Calamari - calamari was good and fresh and cooked perfectly, but they need to go easy on the oil
Entree:
Monkfish with black bean sauce - DELICIOUS!!!! definitely going back for this! the sauce was so good i wanted to like it from the plate :)
Shrimp and Scallop in garlic sauce - also really good but tasted like regular chinese food
The service here is specatular!!!! Bridgeport is totally out of the way for me but I would visit again!
I give Han 202 5 stars and I will definitely be back!! For $20 five courses here are fresh & tasty with ample choices available.
I loved the spicy crab miso soup which had the right amount of spice in it.
For my salad I had the lemongrass beef salad. Tender pieces of marinated cooked beef and fresh apples and cucumber slices underneath. Delicious and totally fresh.
My appetizer was sea scallops. I loved the sauce on this appetizer but you only get two scallops with this appetizer - still delicious but not totally filling.
For the entrees, diners have so much to choose from and being a seafood person, I was happy with the amount of fish choices available because I would like to try them all. I was recommended to try the grouper by our server. It was perfectly flaky and flavored in the best sauce I've ever tried.
The dessert was delcious a scoop of Vanilla in a cub with a mango -tomato sorbet. It sounds weird but it was really good!
Did I mention other pluses like Han 202 is BYOB, Scoops is across the street and ample street parking?
Only con is that its not closer, but that really doesn't matter!
Great place will definitely be coming back for more of what this newbie has to offer.
I would recommend this spot for dates or small groups.
Took my parents here tonight and they absolutely loved it. I happened to run into a old co-worker who had decided to check it out after reading about it in Time Out. She told me that just before we arrived there was someone from metromix taking photos for the site and the redeye. It's great to see this new local spot getting so much attention from the Chicago press!
One thing that was a little disappointing that I learned a couple weeks ago is that they are eliminating their sushi appetizer, which I thought was really nicely done. Other than that, still trying new dishes every time I go in, and haven't hit one I didn't like.
Current faves - the shimp and scallops, and the monkfish.
I'm going to wind up mirroring what most other people have already said about this place, but I… Read more »
I would've never thought my next 5-star review would land in Bridgeport, but the mini-trek past downtown was well worth it! The fiancee, myself and our good friends planned a Friday night dinner here after hearing much of the hype around Han 202 and their $20 five course menu. Let's take a stroll through each course...
Soup: Spicy King Crab Miso was a unanimous choice for the table. Pretty good as far as miso goes, but the level of heat is pretty intense and tends to overpower any crab flavor. Definitely a bit much if you don't eat a lot of spicy food, and for me it almost crossed the line of being too spicy to enjoy.
Salad: I went with the Cucumber and Crab Meat salad, which was light and refreshing. The real winner though was the Beef with Lemongrass salad. It consisted of moist, tender, and very flavorful slices of beef, which paired nicely with julienned granny smith apples and capers. A great balance of savory, sweet, tart to say the least.
Appetizer: From the Walnut Shrimp to Crab Rangoon, everyone enjoyed their appetizer course. The standout for me was the Salt & Pepper Calamari. The calamari is cut into french fry-like strips, lightly battered & fried, and tossed with a few thin chili pepper slices to add a nice subtle touch of heat. Perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked, I probably could've eaten a whole plate of this as an entree.
Entree: With so many choices I deferred to our waiter to help me decide between the duck and the monk fish. Both turned out to be his personal favorites so I went with the Monk Fish with Chinese Black Bean Sauce. Wow was it good! To be honest it makes me salivate just writing about it. The monk fish, cut into bite size pieces, was delicate and perfectly cooked. The black bean sauce is head and shoulders above any I've had at your typical Chinese carry out restaurant. The sauce alone with a big bowl of rice would've made a fantastic meal. The New York Strip with Miso Sauce was another excellent choice. The steak was perfectly cooked and the chilled miso sauce was packed with flavor. Just to warn you, the meat portion is definitely on the small side. This is, after all, a $20 five course dinner. What you might find lacking in quantity is definitely made up in quality.
Dessert: Dinner was capped off with a vanilla ice cream filled espresso cup. Strangely it was missing the advertised Mango Tomato Sorbet so you may want to ask if yours is missing that, too. Still, a nice light way to satisfy your sweet tooth at the end of the meal.
All in all this was a great experience and I can't wait to go back. The service was friendly and made some great recommendations. The portions aren't huge (your waistline will thank you), but you definitely won't leave hungry. Great flavors are the focus here and Han 202 is definitely worth checking out if you're looking for a newer, more modern spin on Chinese food. Four stars for the food, and a fifth star for great value and BYOB!
Ladies and gents, I've found your perfect date night...gather 'round, then book yourself a night with your nearest/dearest, this shiz is tops.
Bridgeport, you've been holding out on me....I had no idea. I've never even crossed south of Cermak into this neighborhood, and so Saturday I did just that. Han 202, props for the inspiration/motivation. This was more than worth the trip.
NOVELTY: $20, 5 course meals with a plethora of options.
Soup: King Crab spicy miso.
Salad: Green Apple Salad
Appetizer: Seared scallop
Entree: Monkfish in black bean sauce
Dessert: Vanilla ice cream with mango/tomato sorbet and fresh lychee.
Yeah, all that with perfect portion sizes for $20. INSANITY, I tell ya. Beyond that the food was absolutely delicious, well presented, and verging on...dare I say it? Innovative without pretension. Cute cutlery, fancy wine glasses (BYOB!), modern plates, linen napkins...the whole bit.
At this price point...I couldn't help but thinking, "what's the catch?"
Well the catch is that it's in Bridgeport, and y'all probably don't get down there enough, so get moving. Make a reservation, just to be safe.
Footnotes:
BYOB (woot)
ONLY offer $20 prix fixe, 5 course meals.
Yes, $20.
SUPER stylin'.
In Bridgeport.
Easy street parking (bring quarters).
OMG, and Scoops is directly across the street...not that you'll need more food, but hey...if you're in the neighborhood...ya know. :)
Nothing about this place would make me return. I am not familiar with this area, but it seemed a bit away from everything else and it's a "must" drive. The place was small, all in all...about 13 tables; however, the kitchen cannot keep up when the place is only about 1/2 full...according to our server. We waited about 45 minutes after being seated to be served with a soup and salad; both items which should be close, if not, pre-prepared at any restaurant. Total time spent to have 4 courses (we decided to skip the 5th and head across the street to Scoops because it was so mediocre) was about 2 hours.
Food was not HORRIBLE, but far from great (or good for that matter). Portions were small and flavorless, as indicated...but what do you expect for $20? I would rather spend more, and have better tasting food with a more attentive service provided.
Skip it.
I really wanted to like this place - but it was a bit disappointing..
1 - Spicy miso soup with crab - slight change to regular miso soup.
2 - Cucumber salad with crab - The cucumber was good and refreshing, but the crab was noticable imitation crab.
3 - Walnut shrimp - 3 large shrimps drizzled with mayo sauce, YUMMY. Highlight of the meal!
4 - Lamb chops - 3 small baby lamb racks served with rice. The sauce was good, but the quality of the meat seems subpar
5 - Vanilla ice cream with cherry and lychee - i think they bought it at the store and melted it so it can freeze in a nice bowl
Overall - it's really not a bad deal at all. 5 courses (kinda small, I was still hungry and I'm a 110 lb girl) for $20.
My bf and friend that we went with also thought it was OK. Definately GREAT date place since it's BYOB and nicely decorated.
Well, where do I start with this review? First I guess I would have to say this place is AMAZING! I know that when I read reviews, I like to know details about what people ate there, how it tasted, the cost and etc. So that will be how I draft my review.
I went to Han 202 with 2 friends and decided to get different things to be able to thoroughly know how to rate this place. As we walked in, we were welcomed very kindly by the two servers and seated right away. The ambiance of the restaurant was very warm and inviting, even the bathroom was very nicely decorated. We ordered from the fixed menu, which is five courses and $20 per person, this should be the way to go because if you only got a meal it would probably cost between $15-18.
What we ordered:
Soup: Spicy king crab miso soup (all 3 of us got this). I hate tofu, just hate it - but if all tofu taste like this I would eat tofu all the time. It was great! It's spicy but not SPICY, just perfect.
Salad: Friend #1: Lettuce seaweed salad. It was alright for me - for someone who enjoys the taste and texture of seaweed it would be great. The lettuce and seaweed was very fresh.
Friend #2: Cucumber crab meat salad. This was very good. You could tell that the cucumber was very fresh. The taste of the crab and cucumber was different but very enjoyable.
Me: Beef with lemongrass salad. This was the best of all three salads, we all agreed! Just amazing! I think the "lemongrass" was shredded green apples, which was surprisingly good with the tender and perfectly spiced beef.
Appetizer: Friend #1: Crab rangoon. This was I want to say some of the best crab rangoon I have ever had. Fried, seasoned and filled perfectly.
Friend #2: Seared scallop. My friend loves scallop and this was no exception, however we thought that 1 scallop was not sufficient, given that the other two appetizers were much larger. Nonetheless, there were no complaints about the taste.
Me: Salt and pepper calamari. And again, my selection was one of the best (well it's a tossup between this and the crab Rangoon). I have never had calamari without any breading or sauce to dip it in and this did NOT need anything. It was lightly fried with salt, pepper and garnished with jalapeno... a party in my mouth.
Entrée: Friend #1: Salmon with mango coconut sauce. Okay, so I think I will order this the next time I go to Han 202. It was so refreshing and light. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the sauce was very well made.
Friend #2: Chilean seabass with Malaysia chili sauce. I have never tasted Chilean seabass, but if this is the way it tastes, I believe it just might be my new favorite fish. The sauce that came with it was very hearty and had different types of veggies that were cooked perfectly.
Me: Rack of lamb with bonito plum sauce. I wish I had more adjectives to stress to you how good this tasted. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I usually hate my veggies left firm, however with this meal it was flawlessly matched.
Dessert: Vanilla ice cream with mango tomato sorbet (all three of us got this). At first, I was very disappointed that there was only one choice for dessert, especially since everything else had an abundance of choices. On the other hand, when I got it I was very glad that I had no other choices, because I might have just chosen something else and would not have known how to live with myself after that! You think... Mango and Tomato Sorbet?! But this combination was such a harmonious flow of taste. Loved it and I was impressed with the leachy fruit they put on the side. Very unexpected.
The bill came out to $66 for all three of us! The serving sizes were PERFECT (except for the scallops I mentioned earlier) and the service was extraordinary! The one thing I want to mention just in case someone from Han 202 reads this... the music selection was not very enjoyable. If I were to choose a type of music, I would go with something worldly... something like the Cirque du Soleil soundtracks.
I am grateful for the astonishing dining experience!
I saw your table Candice. :) I sat by the window up front with a friend as your table was wrapping up.
Soon after we were seated the place filled up (20 tables in there?). I was afraid that the crush would be a disaster in terms of service. While it took a little longer between the 3rd course and entree, I explained to my friend that the time was wonderful for those enjoying a nice bottle of wine and convo.
The worst thing is to be rushed through your meal.
While I won't echo the reviews below, I will say that I'm happy that Han 202 is down the street from me and appreciate what they're trying to do.
The 5 course for $20, coupled with a nice atmosphere, byo/no cork gets a thumbs up for sure. The only thing i wish they'd do is cut the salt level down substantially and it's on.
I look forward to visiting them many times. :)
5 courses for $20... How does one say no to that! You can't! Well unless you're really that broke in which case I think if you donate plasma they give you $20 at the blood bank.
First of all, the place looks a lot bigger inside that outside. Really surprised at how big it was when I stepped in. The decor was modern asian looking. Only thing out of place was the little bar area. Seemed a little weird with all that metal.
Service was nice where we weren't left wanting for drink and we were checked up on once in a while, but not in an overbearing way. Only flub was in getting our soup.
To start, ordered two of the spicy king crab miso soup. Unfortunately, one miso soup and one spicy king crab miso soup came out. Didn't want to bother with waiting for the right soup so I took the miso soup. Both soups were really good! Being very mindful of the value, I would of preferred the crab as well, but oh well.
Salad was the beef with lemongrass and we also got the cucumber crab meat salad. I'm not sure I tasted the lemongrass, but the apple was finely shredded in it and seemed like a pretty good pairing with the beef which I thought was really good by itself. Together it seemed fine. Not exactly sure it went that well together, but seemed good enough. The cucumber salad was good. It tasted a little sour like at a sushi place... Actually it was almost exactly like a cucumber salad from a sushi place except it had crab.
Really wanted the sushi starter for my appetizer, but was told they don't have it anymore.. sad.. We went with the thai fish cake instead and the salt and pepper calamari. Well, the fish cake I thought was going to be like the normal thai fish cake.. not so much.. it was pretty good.. just not what I expected. The calamari seemed good. Only thing I would change is to make the batter lighter. Lulu's is still the best for that in my book.
For the main part of the meal we got the duck breast with szechuan hot bean sauce and chilean seabass with malaysia chili sauce. Our waitress recommended the monk fish with chinese black bean sauce and we did order that, but sadly she came back and said no more monkfish for the day. We ate at 8 so pretty sad that they didn't have enough to last the rest of the night.. The duck itself was really good. I did appreciate the vegetables and sauce it came in, but really it was the duck breast that made the dish for me. Only wish is for the skin to be crispy, but really good regardless. The sea bass I thought was excellent. Nice portion for both... The fish itself was good quality and cooked very nicely. The sauce worked really well with it.
Dessert there was good, but there was only one option. The vanilla ice cream was standard, but the tomato mango sorbet made it more special. I did appreciate it quite a bit.
Overall, this is better than just okay, but I don't think it deserves all the rants as it was really the entrees that made the place nice for me. The value was excellent and maybe we just need to try some other dishes to get the rating higher and to not run out of dishes recommended... well that and better service to warrant the perfect 5 stars..
This place is Bridgeport's best kept secret.
The words "pan-Asian fusion" (should) strike fear into the hearts of many, as this is something that many do, and so, so very few do well. Han 202 is one of those places.
I read about Han 202 here on Yelp, and I had been meaning to try it for a couple weeks, especially since I'm staying in Bridgeport and there's not much around here in the way of good food. Plus, we could walk there. Plus, BYOB.
Han 202 serves a $20, five course, prix faire menu. We chose our appetizers, soups, salads, and entrees, and dessert was chosen for us. After we had ordered, the server brought out a little amuse bouche: a spoon with a piece of fresh, raw salmon with just a hint of mango and mint sauce. As soon as we tasted that, we knew we were in for something special. The fish was very fresh and firm, and the mango and mint sauce was really complementary to the rich, buttery salmon.
To start, I tried the spicy king crab miso soup, and my boyfriend had the regular miso soup. The regular miso soup was just fine, but the crab one was really great--it had pieces of real crab (not surimi) and had a nice, light spice.
Salads came next, and I tried the green apple salad, my boyfriend, the seaweed and lettuce salad. The green apple salad was tart, fresh, salty and delicious. The capers (!) in the salad were a really nice contrast to the sweetness of the green apple. I really loved the seaweed and lettuce salad; so simple, and so delicious. The seaweed and lettuce with sesame oil and just a little perfect strawberry to top it all off was probably my favorite dish of the night.
For the appetizers, I had the sushi, which was three pieces of nigiri--tuna, salmon, and super white tuna. Like the salmon we had earlier, these were fresh and nicely prepared. The other appetizer we had was the salt and pepper squid. These little guys were addictive! I probably could have eaten a bowlful of these. Baby squid deep fried with salt and pepper, served with green peppers. Yum.
My entree was not my favorite thing, which is not to say that it wasn't good, it just wasn't to my tastes. I ordered the prawns in Malaysian style chili sauce. I was expecting some heat, but my perfectly-cooked shrimp were served in a really sweet sauce. Ah well, I'll give them 9 out of 10, because the real winner of the night was my boyfriend's duck breast in Sichuan black bean sauce. This was awesome, because in many other restaurants, you'd be paying $20 for this duck breast alone. Cooked to a perfect medium-rare, the whole duck breast was served, uncut, in a delightfully tangy sauce. Dessert followed soon after, a house made duo of vanilla ice cream and mango-tomato sorbet--a refreshing way to end a meal.
Service is extraordinary. Nothing gets past this team of skilled servers. Our pot of green tea was refilled when we got just halfway done with it; water was refilled in the same manner. Our five courses were paced really nicely, with just the right amount of time between courses.
This place is perfect for a low-cost, impressive date. The room is quiet, lighting is low, and the food, well, the food's amazing.
Aaron S. and I payed another visit here recently and it was just as great as the first time.
This time I had the miso soup, crab and cucumber salad, salt and pepper calimari, spicy duck breast, and the dessert was tomato mango sorbet with vanilla ice cream. Aaron went with the spicy miso crab soup, beef gyoza, beef and lemongrass salad, NY strip with miso sauce, and the same dessert (only one the are offering at the moment)
We were pleased to see that they added some different items to the menu. Also when we were sat down the waitress brought us out a piece of salmon sashmi with a cilantro sauce over it. So fresh and so tasty even though Aaron nor I are fans of cilantro.
The service was the same as the first trip. Super nice, super attentive.
Food still excellent. The gyoza that Aaron let me taste was in a awesome sauce. The crab and cucumber salad was perfect, the crab meet tasting very fresh, just the right amount of dressing. Our favorite part had to have been the calimari, they were not too greasy, or chewy and overcooked, or anything like that. It was just super fresh with just the right amount of breading. The squid is even whole, just tiny whole squids. My duck breast was perfect. The veggies served with it covered in a spicey sauce even had me adding rice so that none of it would go to waste ( and i NEVER eat the white rice that comes with Chinese food but this sauce was that good).
We've got our fingers crossed that they keep up all this great stuff!
Aaron S. and I just just got back from our visit to this restaurant that just opened on Monday, and… Read more »
What a lovely place!!! The food was absolutely amazing. BYOB is always a plus. Portions were perfect size. A great place to meet with friends and have a normal conversation without having to yell!
Can't say enough great things about this $20 5 course delicious meal.
Easy street parking. Can't wait to go back and try more things on the menu. What a great find!
Sorry, but this place wasn't that good. Don't get me wrong -- five courses for $20 is an awesome deal, BYOB makes things even better, and there's nothing wrong with the service or decor. But the food itself was not that special. The king crab miso soup was decent, tasted kind of like the end of a bowl of instant ramen with a piece of crab. I liked the beef lemongrass salad cause it was heavy on the meat and light on the salad. The scallops were tiny, but I also tried the calamari and that was better. The duck didn't do it for me -- the meat itself was on the fatty and chewy side and the sauce it was paired with would have tasted better with beef. My girlfriend ordered the sea bass, which she says was "alright." Same goes for the dessert.
In the end, I was glad I checked it out but I probably won't go back. They're trying interesting things with traditional Chinese flavors, but some of them just don't work that well. Maybe I'm biased cause I'm Chinese and I've been eating Chinese food my whole life. Either way, it's still an amazing deal and the service was solid.
"J, this isn't Chinatown Chinese food. You know how I know? There isn't any paper on the tables..."
That was my opening line to my girlfriend as we walked into this place. Reading some of the earlier reviews and a little apprehensive about reservations, I called the restaurant at around 4:45 and had no problems making a reservation for 5:30. Got there at 5:10 and were promptly seated. The place was EMPTY - I think one party of 2 was there, and that was it. Of course it filled up later in the evening, but for reference - the earlier you eat, the less crowded it is. On with the review, categorically, of course.
Location: 4 out of 5.
Bridgeport holds a special place in our hearts because we lived there for a year. We lived close to Bridgeport Veterinary Services before the coffee house up the street became hip and trendy. So making the trek down to 31st street from the South Loop was no problem. And honestly, it should be conveniently located for lots of people. The Dan Ryan is right there, as is Lake Shore Drive. One could even take I-55 if needed depending on starting location. The stretch of 31st street as others have alluded to is metered. However, if you go about 1.5 blocks east, there are free spots on the street. Yup, good ol' free parking. If you're driving west on 31st and you see the "Smart Kids Digital Tutoring" Center, it's just past that. If you see Scoops on the right, you just went a little too far.
Decor: 4 out of 5.
Simple, elegant, nothing that screamed gaudy or obnoxious. Really didn't have any complaints about the way the place looked. The chairs are comfortable, and if you sit way back in them, they are REALLY comfortable. Wooden tables (sans paper tablecloths), calm colors on the walls, etc. etc. Nothing flashy or fancy, but nothing that was chintzy either.
Service: 5 out of 5.
Not sure what I think about a place that constantly brings me new silverware from the silverware platter. I'm not averse to it, it's just a little different for me. But honestly, service here was very quick. Wait staff, although by no means professionally trained, were actually very attentive and friendly, always pausing for permission before taking our plates away. Our water was refilled many times, even as we were paying the bill. Absolutely no complaints here.
Variety of Selection: 5 out of 5
Check out their website for current menu items, but as I was looking through it at the restaurant, it dawned on me that I could have every type of living creature that would make a vegetarian CRINGE and CRY. King Crab Soup? Sure. Lemongrass beef with apple? Yum. Fried Ahi Tuna? Don't mind if I do. Rack of Lamb? OK! The only meatless option was the dessert. Fine with me.
Quality/Quantity of Food: 3 out of 5.
It was weird - depending on what one orders, it's very possible to get much more proportionally than other people in the dining party. Soups all seemed equal, as did salads. But my gf got the tempura as an appetizer, and it just seemed like she got much more tempura than I did fried ahi tuna, which was two small pieces, maybe 1.5 - 2 oz total. She got the seafood curry and definitely got more food in her serving bowl than the three small pieces in my rack of lamb. And reading others' reviews, this may not be an isolated event.
If you are looking for truly authentic Chinese cuisine (think paper tablecloths), Han202 may not be the place for you. That being said, no complaints about the spicy king crab miso soup because man it had a kick; the lemongrass beef was tasty as well. The fried ahi tuna I had? Mmmm...sorta missed the mark. I would have preferred to see (and taste) a seared ahi tuna. The fried method yielded a rubbery flesh, and although the center was nice and pink, it was just a littler underwhelming. Bar Louie makes a better seared ahi tuna. I'm not even lying. The lamb, which I ordered medium rare, came back medium well. This MAY have been a lapse in communication, but perhaps based on events in the past, they purposely cooked it that thoroughly. I mean, there was no pink in my small portion of lamb whatsoever. Somewhat unacceptable. The dessert was nothing mem Quality was average for what they were trying to strive for. Modern fusion? Contemporary Pan-Asian? Whatever you want to call it, there are definitely worse restaurants out there who try to do the same thing. But there are also restaurants out there who do a much better job too. This place almost reminded me of a toned down version of Mulan (closed for awhile now).
Value for the money: 4 out of 5 (subjective)
By fixed price trendy/fusion/contemporary menus, a good value for the money when compared to some place like Opera. Also cheaper compared to eating at Red Lantern or Dragonfly. For comparisons to other Bridgeport/Chinatown restaurants, it's pricey. For 55 - 60 bucks total, 2 people can eat a meal fit for a (insert name here) dynasty king in Chinatown.
Overall: 4 out of 5.
5-course meal.
$20.
BYOB.
Need I say more?
I ordered a vegetarian course which included miso soup, lettuce seaweed salad, cold japanese tofu, vegetable delight, and vanilla ice cream w/ mango sorbet. Everything leading up to the main course was so good that I was actually a bit disappointed by the vegetable delight. Don't get me wrong - on its own it would have be a good dish. It was just unspectacular in comparison.
Stand-outs here include the lettuce seaweed salad and the pan-fried ahi tuna. The tuna was especially well-presented and carefully prepared. The ice cream dessert was delicate but still full of flavor.
Oh, and there's a CVS three blocks to the west but they don't sell chilled white wine, so plan ahead!
Fabulosity.
The Mr. and I went for dinner last night based on the Yelp reviews. A five course dinner for $20? And BYO to boot? I was convinced that this had to be some sort of Yelp practical joke.
This place is no joke. We kept waiting for that grisly piece of meat or the piece of seafood that just smelled off. Nope, never came. There were so many choices for each course, and each was better than the next. They were also incredibly accommodating of my shellfish allergy, which I greatly appreciate in Asian restaurants (where shrimp bits are hidden in sauces, etc.)
For our soup I had the regular miso, Mike had the king crab miso. Mine was very traditional, but very good. Mike liked the addition of some peppers and a big chunk of crabmeat.
For salad we both had the lemongrass beef salad. This was excellent, and I would go back just for this salad. Julienned green apples and lemongrass mixed with capers and topped with spicy beef. Yum.
My appetizer was the salt and pepper calamari. Sooooo good - it was like eating popcorn. Very fresh and the breading was so light it was practically not there. Chopped jalapenos added some nice flavor. Mike had the seared scallop, which neither of us much cared for. The scallop was fresh and cooked nicely, but the sauce was sweet and not to our taste.
For entrees we had the monkfish in black bean garlic sauce and the NY strip with spicy miso sauce. Both were excellent, if a bit salty.
Dessert was the vanilla bean ice cream with mango tomato sorbet. This was light and refreshing. It is pretty small though, so we hit Scoops for some reinforcements after dinner (totally not necessary but I always have room for ice cream).
The service was also fantastic. All in all, this place is awesome, and is a fabulous little find down in Bridgeport!
Wow - what a great experience! A great five course meal for $20 and no corkeage.
The food was delicious - I had the spicy crab miso - it was ok, apple salad - beautiful mix of apples and dressing, salt and pepper calamari that was like biting into a fantasy so delicious and not greasy and the halibut in a delicious vegetable sauce.
The service was so friendly and we never were rushed. We even got to share a bottlle of wine with the table next to us. OK, they gave us a bottle of wine and we drank it!
Go now. This place is amazing and wonderful. I look forward to bringing everyone i know to this space!
We were nervous that we wouldn't get a table since no one was answering the phone to take our reservations (highly recommended), but we got there shortly after six and were promptly seated. I would never think to venture into Bridgeport for dinner, but my friend found it and hyped it up so I followed her lead.
What a find! I was very impressed with the food. It's a pre-fixed menu with actually several ecclectic options for each course. And it went a 'lil somethin' like this...hit it!
spicy crab miso soup - comes with a kick but tasty nonetheless.
beef w/lemongrass salad - think beef w/thin stick slivers of granny smith apples
crab rangoon - crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside
note: got a taste of the octopus too - the best i've had
general tso's chicken - deep fried chicken with just the right tang.
The portions, nicely presented, were just enough, and it's BYOB. So it wasn't your usual chinese food; some nice variations for a mere twenty dollar price tag. They are simply decorated in a fairly small, clean space. To top it off, service was never intrusive, but always friendly and attentive.
This may be, by far, my best find of the summer, and I'm sure to return.
I love that there is a place like this in Bridgeport; for too long all that existed were neighborhood bars and hot dog stands! Part of my excitement about Han 202 is that it is a North Side restaurant located on the South Side, my favorite half of Chicago. Because the rent is low, they can offer their upscale selections at an affordable price. Because they aren't on the North Side, your fellow diners aren't a bunch of stick thin bleached blondes with purchased tans.
The 5 course meal offers quite a bit of variety; I chose the vegetable soup, green apple salad, crab rangoon, the halibut shacha sauce, and the dessert of the day (berries and some unidentifiable fruits). The soup was great, but the salad was a bit too much. I mean that there was a LOT of apple, tossed with maybe some tart vinegar (it tasted good), with some peppercorn and capers. I would try a different salad unless you really love apples. The crab rangoon was a wonderfully upscale version of one of my favorite comfort foods; the shell was soft fried instead of hard, and the sauce was very flavorful and soaked into the shell for a giant dose of YUM. The halibut sauce was delicious and savory, but the halibut itself was flavorless - maybe I don't like halibut? Or maybe I keep making the mistake of ordering seafood in a landlocked state? (I need to stop doing that.) The dessert was whimsical; berries and other fruit bits scattered on a white plate.
Other Stuff:
The decor was clean & modern and the service was prompt and friendly. This place is definitely on my list to try again, with the note to avoid the seafood and keep an ice cream place in mind for a real dessert afterwards.
Wow, I am surprised by all the high ratings for Han. Hence, I decided to give it a try with my best GFs and our BFs. I was excited that it was in my neighborhood as well. I had actually driven past it and BF was saying how it was just another one of those wannaba fancy Chinese places and would not want to go... but turns out I wanted to try it seeing all these reviews and seeing it had an awesome prix-fixe menu. Yes, 5 courses for $20 bucks! Yes, BYOB with no corkage fee!
So I had a hard time making a reservation because either no one answered the phone (I guess they are seriously only open between 4-10PM right now) or the line was busy. But finally I got through and found that they were pretty booked but they had an opening at 8:30 for us. But strange thing was, you can't make a reservation for more than 4 people - so i had to ask for 2 reservations of 4 (??? why is this so??). They asked for my credit card number to reserve the tables but I didn't feel comfortable with that so they let me skip that by confirming the next day that I would still be coming in (someone called me around 3PM to confirm that my party would still make the 8:30 reservation as they had turned down a lot of reservations).
We were seated right away when we arrived at 8:30 - all the tables were filled but yet there were also no one waiting for tables. We did get 2 tables of 4 next to each other but were told we could not push them altogether - it was against their policy (again !?!?!!?!). Made no sense to us....
Perhaps it was because we were one of the last few tables but they started to run out of the things on the menu - no more sushi appetizers, one friend got the last NY strip so by the time it got to BF's turn he had to choose something else and they also did not serve the pork chop anymore although it was on the menu.
We all tried each other dishes but heres what BF and I had:
Soup: Spicy king crab miso soup: the soup wasn't that spicy to me; it reminded slightly of the spicy cabbage soup you get at korean restaurants but now with tofu. The crab meat was delicious though.
Salad: lemon grass beef salad and crab meat cucumber salad: both salads were good. BF commented that the cucumbers were really fresh (he devoured it). I like my lemongrass beef salad.. I thought the pairing with green apple was quite interesting and went well. One GF has the lettuce seaweed salad and it your typical seaweed salad with lettuce - nothing too different. Salad portions were bigger than a side salad portion, which was a good thing.
Appetizer: walnut shrimp and salt and pepper calamari: the shrimp was nothing special.. it wasn't crispy like how most restaurants make them and there were only a few bits of walnuts (not full pieces) and the mayo flavor was really strong.. it was missing the sweet honey taste I like. The salt and pepper calamari turned out to be octopus and it was pretty good although the seasoning was quite heavy (BF devoured as well). Another GF had the fish cakes which I thought was pretty good - it was very smooth, didn't taste like fish paste, which I hope means it was freshly made! It also came with fresh sprouts, which were delicious together. Appetizers were a small portion - but sizeable enough for you to have a good taste and also share with your friends.
Entrees: since there was no meat left for the BF, he chose the shrimp and scallop in garlic sauce. They have a lot of fish entrees, so I chose to try a fish hoping for something different (as I usually don't go for fish). I opted for the halibut in the shacha sauce. The entrees are smaller than I would have expected since the salads were quite large but its a good size for you to be able to finish yourself and not have any leftovers. Shrimp and scallop wasn't that unique - nothing to rave about. I liked my haibut with shacha sauce. My dish also had some stir-fried veggies, which I thought tasted well with the shacha sauce. One GF had the duck breast with hot bean sauce, which also tasted good. Another had the seabass and the fish was very flaky - not sure if I'm a seabass fan actually now.
Dessert: mango sorbet with vanilla cream and fresh lychee on the side. Since I'm allergic to mango, I didn't try the sorbet/ice cream but I did eat my fresh lychee. BF had the sorbet/icecream but said it wasn't anything special - it was a bit too frozen even.
Overall, the 5 course meal is a good size. I didn't think anything stood out that well that I would come back though. I thought the salads were the best thing on the menu - you tasted fresh ingredients that were paired nicely. Soups, appetizers and entrees were ok. Other than the strange policy of 4 people reservations and seating, there is good service as they changed our utensils quite often and plating is pretty so it stands out from your typical Chinatown restaurant. Perhaps I was overly excited with yelp reviews, but I thought the place was just ok.
5-course meal for $20 is all I have to say.
The food was fantastic. I suggest the pan-seared ahi tuna. The gf got the ny strip and it was great. I got general tso's for an entree thinking they might do something different w/ it but they don't. Its just a slightly better version than what you would normally get. Dessert was simple and great.
My brother and I traipsed in to Han 202 this week thinking we were going to check out a new place for takeout but ended up dining in instead after taking a look at their dinner menu. A prix fixe dinner? For $20? What a bargain?!!
The 5-course tasting menu included a selection of each: soup, salad, appetizer, entree and dessert. Noteworthy items to try include the beef with lemongrass salad (it's actually a julienne green apple salad), and the rack of lamb with a bonito miso demi-glace. The sweet bulgogi-inspired marinade from the lemongrass beef worked very well with the delicate julienne apples so no additional dressing was needed.
The food presentation was elegant though a little awkward at times, but I'm a clumsy eater ... what can I say? For example, the seared scallop appetizer was served in a bowl and we only had a fork, no knife -- this made it difficult to cut into the food without sloshing the soy-based dressing everywhere. I gave up, stabbed it with my fork and ate it, not so elegantly. Steamed rice came in a bowl, separate from the entree, and still, I had my fork. I guess I'm used to my chopsticks, but it felt like the rice should have been plated with everything else. The vanilla bean ice cream cup dessert came with a scoop of mango/tomato sorbet on a plate and a spoon, which would normally be fine if in a bowl, but it wasn't so it for a while we were pushing pieces of sorbet around on the plate.
Green tea is additional though ($2 per person).
Service was good, but will need some work. It's expected in any new place that they need to work out kinks, but our servers were friendly and attentive.
Overall, Han 202 is very well worth the trip to Bridgeport. It'll give Sushi Para II, in Lincoln Park, a run for my money when I next have my hunger pangs ...
(UPDATE: Since getting ROTD, we made it back here and this place earned its 5th star in my book!)
It's not fair to review a place its first week. The things you find to be great can get lost as the months go by, but the hangups get noticed and corrected as well. So here's a review from someone who tried out this place on its 5th day.
At the moment, they have just a lunch menu. Their dinner menu is in progress, which is why they have the $20 Tasting Menu going, which combined with the 20% off Grand Opening discount for a $16 five-course meal. (UPDATE: The $20 deal is here to stay as the 5-course dinner menu!)
Round 1: Char O. had the regular miso soup and I dared to try the spicy king crab miso soup. I liked the mild spiciness, and the crab added a definite edge over standard miso fare. I understand that the crab shell adds flavor to the broth, but when served, it was hard getting that crabmeat out without getting my fingers soupy. A couple of soupy fingers later, I had some excellent crabmeat and the rest of the soup to enjoy. (UPDATE: No more shell, just crabmeat!)
Round 2: My girl went with the beef and lemongrass salad and I chose the seaweed vegetable salad. I like the Japanese seaweed salad, and this place did a good job with the seaweed and dressing. I would have preferred a little more seaweed and a little less iceberg, but it was still nice. We swapped a few times, and the beef was so delicate and well-prepared. I'm not too keen on lemongrass, but that's a personal taste decision and I can't blame Han 202 for that. I didn't even order the thing!
Round 3: Char chose first and went with the crab rangoon, so I took the opportunity to try the Sushi Sampler as my appetizer. I gave her some of the fish (the sushi is all nigiri-style, which is the fish piece on a ball of rice, not maki-style, which is a roll) and she gave me a bite or two of rangoon. The rangoon was rather good, but only two pieces. Perhaps when they have a full menu, a full appetizer will have more of them. As for the sushi - this fish was so nice and fresh and good quality. I believe the four pieces I had were fatty tuna, halibut, tilapia and yellowfin. I could be wrong, though. The garnish included wasabi, ginger, some herbage and a single blackberry. How elegant...
Round 4: Ahh, the main course. She went with the beef mignon (with miso sauce) and I was torn between the beef (mongolian) and the general tso chicken. I caved in with the general, and was not disappointed. You have to understand that I'm a guy who had lived with Chinese Kitchen General Tso's chicken for years. I know there are places that do it better, but there are many places that so so much worse somehow. This place fell into the pitfall of semi-raw vegetables (the green pepper mostly, which I rarely touch anyway), but the quality and taste of the chicken totally made up for it and then some. To have eaten a whole order of chicken from a place and not had to spit out any gristle or bone or weird-tasting bits or spend 2 minutes chewing some pieces - it was a godsend. In fact, that's the best part about this place - the meat was high-quality and high-flavor all the way through.
Round 5: Mochi! She went with coffee (she's a coffee freak! coffee freak!) and I opted for strawberry. I had a feeling the waitress was going to keep listing the flavors, but all we heard was coffee, green tea and strawberry. I should have asked her to list all of them, but I was more than happy with my strawberry mochi. The elegant chef also included two cashews and I think two pecans and this little rice cracker as well. I love making Char turn beet-red in public, so I asked "do you want my nuts?" (UPDATE: There is only one dessert now, and it's a sorbet with extra tasty stuff.)
So now we get to the decor. It's much nicer than the Trattoria 31 that used to be in this spot. I barely remember the place it was before that (Graziano's maybe) but the tables are nice, half of the seating is benches with cushy pillows and the chairs are all plush and comfy. It's a very decadent motif, though the pairing of Oldies on the radio didn't quite fit (UPDATE: It's now semi-techno upbeat music). The waitstaff were spot-on with everything. It's just weird when you're the only ones dining and the waitstaff are kinda pacing around waiting to do stuff, like wanting to pounce with the lemony water pitcher as soon as your glass is down from taking one sip. Still, over-service is better than under-service.
The last test of the restaurant is the bathroom. Unfortunately, this one did not pass in my book. The walls are completely black. The one mirror is along the side wall, nowhere near the sink and up so high you can only see your face. The toilet is too close to the wall and I just couldn't use it. Waited til I was home.
Either way, I recommend Han 202 and think more people should try it. This is (UPDATE: still) a place I'd like to stay open.
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Neighborhood: Chinatown
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