Photography by Stephen Buchanan
It’s been more than two years since our last visit to Odenton’s famed Hunan L’Rose; a landmark restaurant, so to speak, long-regarded among local diners as one of the better Chinese establishments in the community. When the occasional question of, “Where’s some good Chinese food in the central Maryland area?” pops up on social media conversations, a number of responses steer toward the Odenton Shopping Center, where Hunan L’Rose resides with a pair of lion-like statues guarding its entrance. Inside, the retro decor of a white tablecloth restaurant where one might don fashionable dinner attire appears a bit dated, but offers an somewhat elevated experience lacking at many of today’s fast-casual options. The room is not stuffy, nor pretentious. Anyone and everyone can enjoy their meals here.
For our dinner, my family of four would order many dishes, most of which we have not tried at Hunan L’Rose—a couple off-the-cuff choices, plus several classic entrees. To get the evening humming along, I ordered Rumaki (Chicken Liver with Bacon)—a combination that jumped off the menu as the most unique appetizer listed (to my eyes, at least). To this, we added an order of Barbecued Spareribs and four Spring Rolls for good measure.
So, the liver and bacon. Hmmm, interesting. Arriving as four golf ball-sized conglomerates of fried dough, chopped livers, and slices of bacon, the dish was certainly unctuous, and with the distinct taste of mineral/earthy liver and salty pork. The best way I can describe the mouthfeel/taste in one bite—like a soft buttermilk biscuit spread with pâté and a slice of bacon for a touch of crunch. Unique. (Pro-tip: order a condiment of hoisin sauce to dip these into.)
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
The ribs were tight to the bone, but quite tasty (absent of any smokiness, though). And the Spring Rolls were spot-on renditions of the classic handheld, with a finely chopped veggie mixture wrapped in a flaky pastry (much lighter than egg rolls) that beckons the orange duck sauce for dipping. As an aside, we also sampled the Egg Drop Soup—a simple, no-nonsense version served with crispy, fried noodles for a crunchy topping.
Entrées were fairly easy to agree upon, as we’d be sharing everything family style: Peking Duck, Hunan Scallops, Hot Crispy Beef, General Tso’s Chicken, and Lo Mein with Shrimp.
Of all choices, I felt most confident in the Peking Duck. Hunan L’Rose did an admirable job presenting a roasted half-duck with its hallmark crispy skin holding together the tender breast and leg meat within. Served with traditional pancakes, scallion shoots, and hoisin sauce, the duck was a simple, enjoyable dish that met my expectations. The Hunan Scallops were delightful, with a mix of broccoli, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots complementing the quarter-size morsels. The so-called spicy brown sauce had good flavor but little heat.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Hot crispy beef was well-liked by all at the table. Thin strips of beef claimed to be cut from filet mignon (which I doubt) are fried and tossed with julienned carrots and celery in a pepper sauce. If you’re familiar with the popular Chinese dish, then you likely appreciate the balancing act of presenting tender beef that’s been fried crisp and what it takes to achieve this yin-yang within each bite. This version—a first for us from Hunan L’Rose—had good enough flavor and texture for everyone to finish their servings of it. The General Tso’s Chicken was equally pleasing, as well as quite filling—the dark chicken meat being heavily battered, fried, and smattered with the gooey Tso sauce. Just a few nuggets will do for me, please and thanks.
Lo Mein with Shrimp was ordered specifically for my son, a pickier-than-most eater. Happily, he (and we) enjoyed the dense noodles with lightly fried shrimp, the size of which was in the large range. A perfectly fine dish with some bits of veggies mixed in (cabbage mostly) and a smidge of sauce (a bit oily) for an exclamation point of savory flavor.
If you order/eat with similar abundance as us, you’ll have plenty enough to bring home for another meal—like it or love it.
Hunan L’Rose | 1131 Annapolis Road, Odenton; 410-672-2928
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