1 Northern Chinese Chef + 1 Southern Chinese Chef + 1 BBQ Chef = Your Taste Buds Running Wild
When restaurant Village North opened on Convoy Street this May, no doubt we were excited about getting our hands in some Northern Chinese cuisine – something that’s been near impossible to find in San Diego before now.
And yet, after multiple sessions of edible research, we found that Village North just so happens to be the tasty gift that keeps giving. Possibly even more exciting than the Northern Chinese cuisine, is that the restaurant boasts three chefs under one roof – one specializing in Northern Chinese cuisine, one in Southern and one in barbecue.
Owner Steven Ji claims “You’ll find nothing Americanized on the menu. Each and every dish we serve has to pass the ‘would my Grandma approve?’ test.”
A UCSD grad and La Jolla resident, Ji is originally from a region in Northern China that borders Russia and Korea, so the food at Village North isn’t your typical Chinese fare, it has a distinct and unique character of its own. Compared to your typical Chinese meal, it’s heartier, warming foods, that places more of an emphasis on wheat than rice – which is understandable given it’s close proximity to cold Russia.
Think bubbling pickled cabbage, pork hot pot, and braised chicken with Chinese mushrooms in a star-anise flavored gravy.
A region with a rich history of peasant food, you’ll also find some of the wildest things on the menu, like pigs ears, lung, lamb testicles – served with the ‘numbing spice’ Szechuan Pepper that sets the stage for hot spicy dishes.
Southern dishes and barbecue skewers are also offered alongside these Northern dishes, allowing guests to sample different corners of China in one meal if they wish.
We don’t know about you, but that sounds like pure “I’m so hungry but I can’t figure out what I want to eat” bliss. And with doors that are open until 12:30am on the week days and a startling 2:00am on the weekends, the minute you feel that hangry-confused come on, all you have to know is: just get yourself to Northern Cuisine and the rest will be easy.
But seriously, all hangry aside, if you are looking for more than just a dinner – if you’re looking for an edible adventure that winds you through the cultures of China, this is the spot for you.
“I’m positively overwhelmed by the feedback we’ve received so far,” said Ji. “I’m really proud of what we will be bringing to the San Diego dining scene and I think my grandma will be too.”
Village North is located at 4428 Convoy Street, Ste 330, San Diego, CA 92111.
Opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday (except closed on Tuesdays): 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
- Friday – Sunday: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
