担担汤面 (Dan Dan Noodles Soup)

Lunch @ "宝贝面馆".

 

A new noodle place had sprung up and I am always game to try a new noodles place.

 

There are only 7 items on the menu and this dish is the most expensive at 40RMB a bowl. (This is by no means cheap as most noodle dishes are less than 25RMB in the city in the local eateries)

 

As Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles goes, this is not authentic. There is no such thing as "Dan Dan Noodles Soup" as the real McCoy is a dry blended noodle with spicy minced pork, blended with lots of fiery chilli oil.

 

Here, I can see a number of dishes gelling into one. First, the Shanghainese signature of braised pork ribs had replaced the minced pork. Second, instead of chilli oil, a spicy broth/soup was used, a distinct signature from the surrounding 2 Suzhou and Zhejiang provinces. Then the noodles closely resembled that of Japanese ramen - more al dente; more springy.

 

So how does this bastardised noodles taste? It was FANTASTIC! The serving was hearty. The soup umami. The pork ribs melting like butter.

 

Oishi!

Done