Han Dynasty

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No, the Broad Street Run didn't go to Han Dynasty but I'm sure for the people that ran the race like my sister, they had quite the appetite afterwards. A classic in University City is Han Dynasty that brings modern life to Chinese food. I was excited not see a General Tso, Sesame Chicken or Chicken Broccoli dish on the menu. Since we were there during the weekend, street parking on the street was free. Otherwise, they do have metered street parking and a parking deck around the corner. If you're using the parking deck, hold on to that ticket stub! Han Dynasty will validate the ticket for you so you don't have to pay.
Walking in, you'll be surrounded by a mix of students in the area and families. You can order out from them, sit at the bar or get a table. If you have a large party, they have long, bench-style tables where you can all sit together. It's classical embellishments with a clean, modern feel. You're greeted by a server who will walk you to your designated area; my sister and I went with a table by the window. While we sipped on some hot green tea, we decided to go with an appetizer and two entrees (family style) to share. My sister recommended the spicy, crunchy cucumbers while we waited for the two entrees to come out: black bean chicken and hot sauce style chicken.

Spicy, Crunch Cucumbers | At first glance, it looked like cucumbers in liquid so I didn't think it would be crunch. I was wrong. The sauce with hints of vinegar and soy permeated the outer layer of the cucumber leaving the inside nice and crunchy. It was tasty yet refreshing.

Black Bean Chicken | I had never had a sauce based on black beans and it seemed like it would have been too thick. The sauce was light and as a great medium to bring out the other spices without it being overwhelming the chicken. It was sauteed in with some chunky onion and bell pepper pieces. Huge fan!

Hot Sauce Style | You have your options of eight different concentrations (Chicken, Pork, Beef, Lamb, Fish, Shrimp, Scallops and Fried Tofu). We went with the sliced pieces of chicken stir fried with cabbage, garlic and celery in a szechuan chili oil-based hot sauce. Although the menu notes it as spicy, the dish was not spicy. The chili oil sauce was nice and thick and paired well with the white, sticky rice they provided us. You can taste the use of garlic however it wasn't overwhelming with the hot chili taste.

The staff was friendly checking in with us in a timely manner to see if we needed anything. Additionally, they have restrooms for their customers. Overall, it's currently #1 in my category for my Chinese food category. Highly recommend all of the items mentioned above!