DanDan Noodles in Toronto

[vivsuen]

Hi all,

DanDan Noodles -- silky hand-pulled wheat noodles bathed in a spicy peanut sauce, garnished with scallions and sometimes minced pork, tiny shreds of preserved vegetables adding crunch and balance. This is what I'm craving right now. I blame my father -- on a recent visit to Vancouver he took me to Golden Great Wall Restaurant on Broadway and they have without question the best dan dan noodles I've ever had in my life.

Now I'm craving them something fierce.

So, help me out here, Chowhounds! Where in Toronto can I get really great dan dan noodles? I've tried Jing Peking and was really disappointed: stringy meat clearly intended for a stir-fry, spicy-yet-flavourless sauce, huge lumps of vegetables and a tendency to congeal unappealingly upon cooling. I guess it was kind of like fast food dan dan noodles, which is not what I'm jonesing for.

If I lived in Vancouver, I would be at Golden Great Wall once a week for a bowl of dan dan noodles and a serving of steamed pork dumplings. Basic, traditional Szechuan food, but the best specimens of both dishes that I've had -- even compared to places in Hong Kong!

V.

[chefhound]

I can't remember the exact name of the restaurant but it has "Garden" in its name. It's located in the Metro Square plaza at Warden and Finch (not the T&T plaza). I really like their version of Ja Jian Mein and I've had the DanDan Noodles there as well and liked them too.

[chutchut]

You can also find dandan noodle at the following places. You can start from Ba Shu Ren Jia and Szechuan Legend Restaurant.

Ba Shu Ren Jia
http://www.postcity.com/Post-City-Magazines/Kates-Top-100/Top-100/index.php/name/Ba-Shu-Ren-Jia/record/3248/

Szechuan Legend Restaurant
http://www.sichuanlegend.com/
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6d59f21e0100rdcj.html

Hot Spicy Spicy
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/10/132382/restaurant/North-York/Hot-Spicy-Spicy-Toronto

Chilli Secret
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&gs_upl=24405l24405l0l25249l1l1l0l0l0l0l228l228l2-1l1l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=643&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=(905)+764-9119&fb=1&gl=ca&hq=(905)+764-9119&hnear=0x89d4d5efa0324ca9:0xf73d52812cb23d63,Markham,+ON&cid=0,0,8624581501840959397&ei=K7vaTsbjD6jx0gHp2pX3DQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&ved=0CBIQ_BI

Asian Legend
http://www.asianlegend.ca/catalog/DRIED_NOODLES_M-35-1.html

Chang An Northwestern Chinese Cuisine (2 locations
)1) Unit 110, 240 Alton Towers Circle
Scarborough, ON
M1V 4P1
Tel: [phone]
2) 505 Hwy 7 East, Unit 87-88
Markham, ON
L3T 7T1
Tel: [phone]

Shanxi Legend
http://ads.yorkbbs.ca/hantangfu/menu2...

[plug]

chutchut... do you have any recommendations on the above though or feedback?

[chutchut]

Hey, I'm a person who can't eat much hot and spicy food though I sometimes have the craving to try one or 2 hot and spicy food just to wake up my sleepy stomach. Or sometimes I order the spicy dishes to be not spicy (for some dishes, "not to add hot pepper" is doable). ;-) I dared to order dandan noodle from Szechuan Legend Restaurant once and Asian Legend once. I wasn't able to finish the one from Szechuan Legend Restaurant as it's too hot for my body to take it. I finished the one from Asian Legend. However, my other Chinese friends said that the dandan noodle from Asian Legend is not real dandan noodle. They said that the dandan noodle at Szechuan restaurants such as Ba Shu Ren Jia and Szechuan Legend Restaurant are better.

[plug]

thanks.. well i usually come across 2 different varieties.

one is the spicy peanut based soup/stock
2nd one is more like a chinese 'bolognese'

[phillipking]

I couldn't have said this better myself: there are two kinds, and the one that I'm looking for is the Chinese "bolognese" kind, which they used to serve at the now-closed Beijing House restaurant on Gerrard east of Broadview.

So... are the ones that have been recommended recently, Ba Shu Ren Jia, Szechuan Legend, Asian Legend, etc, the soup-kind or the thick and chunky kind?

[chutchut]

Asian Legend: soup like as you can see from the picture on its website
http://www.asianlegend.ca/products/Dan_Dan_Spicy_Noodles_in_Peanut_Sauce-261-35.html

Szechuan Legend Restaurant: non-soup like (as you can see from the first picture from this blog
http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6d59f2...

Ba Shu Ren Jia - I just called for you and was told that their dandan noodle is mainly thick and dry.

[burningrome]

Chili Secret link is mangled - here's a better one:
http://g.co/maps/g5nwd

[chutchut]

Tks!

[LTL]

I know this is an old thread, recently revived. At a recent visit to Northern Dumpling House, I noticed Dan Dan Noodles on the menu, but didn't get a chance to try them as we had already ordered too much. Has anyone had them there?

[phillipking]

You could try Beijing House Restaurant, 579 Gerrard east of Broadview, 416-778-7885.

They used to have the best dan-dan noodles in the world - man, I couldn't get enough of those things. However, they got new owners 2 or 3 years ago, and the first time I went back the dan-dan noodles weren't the same. Then my wife became a vegetarian and eating a huge bowl of minced pork in spicy peanut sauce wasn't her thing any more...

But it sure was good while it lasted. From you description of what you're looking for, their old-style dan-dan noodles might not do it for you - they weren't exactly swimming in sauce. The last time I had them it was more saucy, but somehow not as good as the crunchy, spicy noodles I remembered.

[jennjen18]

Try Beef Noodle House on Sheppard, between Brimley and Midland. Its in a little plaza thats on the other side of the little road that goes into Dragon Centre. Same plaza as BMO.

Very nice noodles. Texture just right, very al dente. Sauces and soup bases are rich and flavourful, and toppings, OH MAN, the toppings alone can fill you. Prices are not bad at all, it ranges from $5.95-$7.95 (dont quote me on that!) and there are little side dishes to order too. They also serve other northern China dishes and hot pots.

Please report back!

[s0memale]

sorry to bump an old thread, but wondering if anyone else has any input on this.

[Wil]

Sadly, most of the places in the GTA are all adaquate, nothing truly great. I remember Golden Great Wall, that place was really good in Vancouver. I don't remember any places in Toronto that compare. Mmmm, giving me the urge for some good DanDan noodles!

[vivsuen]

Hmm. The visit to Chinese Tradtional Buns was a success, but the dan dan noodles were not quite what I was looking for. Tasty, but a dryer variety. What I'm hoping for is a great big bowl of noodles swimming in tasty peanut sauce. I think I will have to check out some of the other Szechuan places in Chinatown, or trek out to the burbs. :(

Vivienne.

[TwinklyTerrapin]

Then you might want to try Ding Tai Fung. I recently had the Spicy Peanut Noodles there, and while they weren't all that spicy, they were wading around in a whole lotta peanut sauce. It was kinda like the intriguing offspring of a mating between peanut butter and chicken noodle soup.
If you go, try the number 13 dumplings -- those alone will make it worth the drive. Lucky number 13 fer sher...

[audilim]

I read this thread also in hopes of finding the dan dan noodles you're talking about, and I agree: the recommendation for Traditional Buns was for a dryer version of what I was seeking.

There was an amazing place in the food court of First Markham place on Hwy 7 that was closed the last time I went, though am uncertain if it was for renovations or permanent closure. Just the same, Ding Tai Fung IS probably the next best thing.
There's another little shop in a food court in the Chartwell Centre (Sheppard Ave E, between Brimley & McCowan, in the plaza OPPOSITE the Dragon Centre. When you enter the main building, it's the first shop when you enter the food court, likely with the most customers) that has a great noodle soup with that peanutty/spicy flavor but has served with a pork chop cutlet. Ask for the vermicelli noodles instead. This also might satisfy the craving (at least, for the moment...)

[acd123]

The dan dan noodles at Ding Tai Fung are a different style. They are in a peanut type sauce. I far prefer the version at Chinese Traditional Buns.

-----
Chinese Traditional Buns
536 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T, CA

[vivsuen]

OF COURSE!! I'd forgotten that Traditional Chinese Buns has so much more than buns! Thank you, I'll drag the boyfriend out there after work and report back!

[Atahualpa]

Traditional Chinese Bun -- just west of Spadina on Dundas on the north side in a basement location.

Have the Jellied Tofu too.

[superchick]

This place is great - real hearty traditional ancient style food.

I would also suggest Ding Tai Fung up @ 7 & warden.
I'm not sure if the knock off Asian Legend restaurant is as good but maybe worth a shot.