A Chinese restaurant which doesn't use MSG?

[Bluegirlblue 10]

MSG gives me really bad headaches, and almost a hangover feeling within a few hours. It can last for days.

Can anyone recommend a place (restaurant or takeaway) that oesnt use MSG at all?

[pete_jim 10]

We had a meal at Little Hanoi on London Road which I know is Vietnamese not Chinese, but it was excellent and neither of us felt 'over salted' or clogged up with fat afterwards. In fact I felt as good as if I'd cooked it myself. It might be worth asking them if the use MSG as I doubt it.

[Bluegirlblue 10]

Thanks, I'll consider it. Where is it?! I went down to Ozmens today, but didn't see it.

[chinaski 10]

Little Hanoi is just a few doors up from Ozmens. Instead of finding a restaurant that doesn't use MSG, which is rare, you're best searching for one that is competent enough to meet your request for dishes that won't contain it. Mandar-Inn, next to Noodle Inn, is a really good Chinese place. I personally think it's the best in Sheffield. Last time I was there they were accommodating someone who didn't want MSG in their food so it's worth asking them.

[scottf 21]

Hui Wei on west street is closest i have found to MSG free food in Sheffield.

[Lixi 10]

I dont want to sound skeptical but I wonder when I see that somewhere says that they do not use MSG if they really stand by their word

[streng1 10]

Hui Wei is quite good

[hypester 10]

All chinese restaurants use MSG for flavouring if they say they dont they are bullsh+ting you, but you can ask them not to use it in your dish!!!!!!!

[DerbyTup 10]

We had a meal at Little Hanoi on London Road which I know is Vietnamese not Chinese, but it was excellent and neither of us felt 'over salted' or clogged up with fat afterwards. In fact I felt as good as if I'd cooked it myself. It might be worth asking them if the use MSG as I doubt it.

 

lovely description that...

 

"neither of us felt 'over salted or clogged up with fat afterwards"

 

That's a great accolade for the place.

 

BTW - it's about as Vietnamese as I am - and I'm from Chesterfield.

[DerbyTup 10]

MSG or Monosodium Glutamate, to give it its proper name, sure comes in for a bad press eh?

 

It has been blamed for all kinds of things but the truth is it is harmless and safe and is a flavour-enhancer which makes food more tasty without the need to add salt.

 

It is naturally occurring as well - so the chances of avoiding it altogether are rather slim. But, you can avoid restaurants who use it in too great a quantity, although the only way you're going to know that really is by eating there in the first place. Unless they proclaim that they don't use MSG - and I don't know any in this area that claim that.

 

Personally, I wouldn't waste time and effort trying to seek out non-MSG places. I'd let your tongue be the judge of that and go to a better standard of restaurant than the noodle shacks on London road and you should be fine.

[moke 10]

Huang Lou Xing on Middlewood road - a takeaway - have prepared us meals without MSG on request - and our MSG sensitive friend had no adverse reaction, so i have no reason to doubt their complicity.

 

fwiw, it's my preferred Chinese in the Hillsborough area - all the others i have tried have been rank beyond belief (though always busy, doubtlessly thanks to the dirt cheap price.)

[chinaski 10]

MSG or Monosodium Glutamate, to give it its proper name, sure comes in for a bad press eh?

 

It has been blamed for all kinds of things but the truth is it is harmless and safe and is a flavour-enhancer which makes food more tasty without the need to add salt.

 

It is naturally occurring as well - so the chances of avoiding it altogether are rather slim. But, you can avoid restaurants who use it in too great a quantity, although the only way you're going to know that really is by eating there in the first place. Unless they proclaim that they don't use MSG - and I don't know any in this area that claim that.

 

Personally, I wouldn't waste time and effort trying to seek out non-MSG places. I'd let your tongue be the judge of that and go to a better standard of restaurant than the noodle shacks on London road and you should be fine.

 

Agree to a point. MSG is in the main harmless and I'm not sure why Chinese food is taking all the flak. You can have adverse reactions to MSG, but the point being if you were going to experience unpleasant symptoms when eating Chinese food, you should also suffer from them after eating many other foods, particularly processed.

 

As for the 'Noodle shacks' on London Rd, I'm not sure how you can judge the 'standard' of a restaurant when you've never been. It's as odd judging an eatery, whether positive or otherwise, without actually frequenting, as it would be to judge a piece of music without listening.

 

I've been to all the Chinese places in Sheffield, and Mandar-Inn is the best one, by a long shot, followed by Noodle Inn. The fact that they can pack both places out any lunchtime is a testament to that. Last time I was in Hui Wei, bar one other table, we were the only one eating. Their kitchen also uses Knorr chicken powder in their food; second main ingredient . . . MSG. I've also just returned from London and taken in a couple of recommended places around Chinatown and they didn't match to Mandar-Inn, though I appreciate there certainly will be better places in London like China Tang and I'm sure Manchester has some great Chinese places too.

 

I was put off from entering Noodle Inn for some years as it didn't impress me from the outside, and there was something unwelcoming about it. After giving it a bash I've never really bothered with anywhere else and, when I have, always wondered why. Give it a go! You too will never look back, and be as defensive when anyone criticises it.