Varchar column sending unicode

[mk9753]

I think I'm coming across something related to this issue...
There is a column set up as varchar:
modelBuilder.Entity<Quotes>().Property(s => s.StripInsuredCorporationName).HasColumnType("varchar(500)");

Query:
var tmp = (from q in context.Quotes where (q.StripInsuredCorporationName.Contains(strippedName)) select new { q.QuoteID });

The resulting SQL:
SELECT [q].[QuoteID] FROM [tblQuotes] AS [q] WHERE CHARINDEX(N'Test', [q].[StripInsuredCorporationName]) > 0

Since the column is defined as varchar, not sure what is causing the N to be there.
Thanks

Further technical details

EF Core version: 1.1.1
Database Provider: Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer
Operating system: Win 10
IDE: VS 2017

[smitpatel]

Added #4978 (comment) to existing issue. Closing as dupe.