Dandan Noodles

I'd never even heard of, or had, Dandan noodles until I moved to San Francisco. There's a Chinese restaurant in the city where it's our favourite menu item, even if we need  a gallon of water to get through the meal because of the amount of chili oil in it. I grew up eating exceptionally spicy foods, but somehow my tolerance has subsided over the years. I still have the old mindset though, so when Alex warned me that perhaps medium dandan noodles in Hong Kong might be a bit much, I ignored him. It was one of those "I should have listened" moments and I cursed myself the entire meal for not making my order mild.

Traditionally a Chinese Sichuan dish, Dandan noodles are typically a mix of minced meat, preserved vegetables, and a spicy sauce served over noodles. On our first day in Hong Kong, we went to Dandan HK, in Sheung Wan, to get our fix. Owned by a young French-Sichuanese couple, the restaurant’s menu focuses on authentic Dandan noodles with a small but exciting (to us) menu. - Mina