Truly Great Hot & Sour Soup?

[Googs]

Rather than revive an ancient thread, I thought I'd see what current opinion is on where it can be found. Bonus points if you can answer this question: Several years ago there was a place on the west side of Pharmacy just about spitting distance south of Sheppard called King Chai. I have never had hot & sour soup as good as their's before or since. If you know what I mean by this and have a place that's similar I would be eternally grateful. Okay maybe not eternally, but at least for a while...

[piccola]

My favourite is New Ho King. Thick, spicy, full of tofu, mushroom, egg, etc. YUM.

[CeeQueue]

My favourite so far is at Sam Woo Seafood restaurant in Bamburgh Circle plaza (east side of Warden, 1 block south of Steeles). I haven't had it in a few years, though, having moved away from that area. Back then it was the standard by which I judged every other H&S soup I had.

I was surprised to find that Happy Panda buffet at Brimley and Eglinton (my mother's current favourite place to be taken for every occasion) has a decent H&S soup. It's thick but not goopy, red in colour with lots of stuff crammed into it. I like to add some steamed rice and make it really hearty so I don't have to eat much of their other offerings, which are very hit and miss (but mostly miss).

[currycue]

The one I've had at Swatow on Spadina, just north of Dundas is stellar. I always go for it if I'm feeling under the weather. Best prescription in town!

[atomeyes]

Swatow's is pretty good. not mind-blowing but pretty good.

here's something to add to the question: red vs yellow broth? Traditionally, its a red-based broth, but I've also had a yellow H&S (not in Toronto) that has an egg-drop consistency. different type of delicious, but still delicious. not sure if/where you can get that in TOronto

[Sadistick]

Mmm...Hot and Sour Soup...how I adore thee!

It is one of my life long goals to find the king of H&S soups...every restaurant that has it, I will try it!

My top 3 -

Lai Wah Heen - They have a fantastic seafood H&S soup.
New Sky - Down on Spadina, another great one.
Pink Princess (I think its called?) A thai place on King just east of Spadina, amazing (and very spicy) H&S soup!

Peter's chung king used to have an awesome one, but it has gone downhill as of late.

[tochipotle]

I don't know King Chai, so I'm not sure if this fits your bill - but I do really like the soup at Buddha's Vegetarian:
666 Dundas Street West
[phone]

[Googs]

tochipotle, should I assume that Buddha's has no meat in the soup or stock? Sounds like a dumb question I guess, but one never knows...

[tochipotle]

Well I've never asked - but it's a vegetarian restaurant, so I would assume so. Honestly, I'm no expert, I just happen to really like this soup - it is so full of ingredients - mushroom after mushroom, tofu, bamboo etc. I've had some H&S with seafood etc before (not with beef as I'm not a fan) and all have seemed to be lacking in ingredients compared to this one.

[oracle347]

I adore hot & sour soup. I've been lucky enough to have had it in Hong Kong and nothing I've had here come close! No matter where I find it (even in Ding Tai Fung!! And I think SO highly of them - I think their "Shiu Ling Bao" is better then what's been offered to me in Shanghai!!!) I find it goopy :(

So to remedy this situation - I make it myself :-D I'll be happy to post my recepie - it is SO easy, ten minutes in the kitchen AND you'll never settle for resturant stuff again!

[Joshman]

Please post the recipe! I've been angling to make this for ages!
My favourite hot and sour is at Lum Kee which is in a little strip mall (with the McD's and Price Chopper) at Midland north of St Clair (Greystone Walk).. My pals and I ordered some up the other weekend and it rocked!

[The Chowhound Team]

Please post any recipes over on the Home Cooking board. You can add a pointer to it in this thread.

[Googs]

If you decide to post the recipe, and I sure hope you do, please let us know. Thanks Oracle!

[oracle347]

HI guys!!
I realize I'm a little late, but I've finally posted my Hot and Sour Soup Recipe in the Home cooking Board. I hope you guys enjoy it!

[abigllama]

Thanks Oracle, will be making that for sure in the next couple of weeks!

[abigllama]

I don't know the place up north you're talking about so can't help you there. But I love a good hot & sour soup. King's Noodle is probably the best I've had in downtown. Really solid flavour and tastes very fresh.

Up in Markham, the Hot and Sour at Ding Thai Fung is killer. Like everything there it's sometimes kind of inconsistant depending on the day you get it. But it's always really good, just sometimes better than others. The heat/spice level is always slightly different too.

Like I said I love Hot & Sour but the gloppy stuff freaks me out. I have had nightmares that I leared it was stuff from the floor of the kitchen that was tossed in there. I had a craving on a cold, snowy day and broke down to get some at Garlic Pepper on Yonge. It was so bad that I thought thought the nightmare had become a reality. It was like it had been reheated about 10 times before it got to me.

[Googs]

Oddly, that's very similar to the description my friends and I had about the H&S at King Chai. We used to laugh about it looking like it soup and garburator remnants. What we meant was that it was loaded with stuff unlike some of the chintzy H&S's I've experienced since. It wasn't thick with paste, just ingredients. It was just the right hot so as to make the sweat break out across the bridge of your nose and no more and leave your tastebuds open to all the flavours. We had to have it every time we went there. Must try this King's Noodle place. Thanks.

[tochowchick]

I had some particularly yummy hot and sour soup at Thai Plate on Bathurst a couple of weeks ago. Was not that horrid thick gloppy stuff...nice balance of heat and acid...may not reach the heights of GREAT but on a cold wintry night it was very enjoyable.