We Found the Original Dan Dan Noodles (Part 1)

Thick, nutty, spicy-Sichuan-style dan dan noodles are a beloved dish around the world. And obviously, they come from Sichuan, right? But when we went to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, we found a completely different version of dan dan noodles that led us down a rabbit hole: where exactly did dan dan noodles come from?
This is part one of our two-part series in search of the original dan dan noodles.
0:00 Dan dan noodles around the world
0:41 The origins of Sichuan dan dan noodles
1:34 What makes an authentic bowl?
2:22 Where’s the soup?
3:15 The story continues…
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If you liked this video, we have more stories about Chinese noodles, including:
Hong Kong’s Bouncing Bamboo Noodles - Eat China (S2E9)
• Hong Kong’s Bouncing B...
China’s Longest Noodle - Eat China (S2E8)
• China’s Longest Noodle...
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Producer: Jessica Novia
Videographer: Guo Yong
Editor: Samson Jr C De Guzman
Mastering: Victor Peña
Music: Audio Network
#chinesefood #dandan #noodles

Пікірлер: 48

  • @Soulixs
    @Soulixs3 жыл бұрын

    Can we get the address for the dan dan noodles

  • @gonzalosthedolphin

    @gonzalosthedolphin

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's at 56 Jinma Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu :) - Jessica

  • @Soulixs

    @Soulixs

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@gonzalosthedolphin thanks queen

  • @MrYokyScape
    @MrYokyScape3 жыл бұрын

    Woah, I never knew there was a soup version. I always have the dry version

  • @jasmin2475
    @jasmin24753 жыл бұрын

    ive been craving this dish! literally looked up a recipe this morning

  • @whywho8887
    @whywho88873 жыл бұрын

    Loving this . You captured the spirt of the restaurant. Excellent reporting once again. Be safe healthy and Whatever You do Have a Fantastic Day Everyone

  • @SloreTactician
    @SloreTactician3 жыл бұрын

    Oddly enough, I can't find soupy dan dan noodles anywhere near me in the States and always assumed it was dry.

  • @chidon7465
    @chidon74653 жыл бұрын

    I just wish the episodes were longer. I love food legends

  • @xirogs
    @xirogs2 жыл бұрын

    Very quality content. Make me happy when I see all these passionate folks talking about their work. Great channel I watch many of your videos enjoyed all of them hope you continue releasing great works.

  • @NestyAngel
    @NestyAngel3 жыл бұрын

    I've had both, def the authentic dry one is to to my liking!!! The soupy Canto one ie too runny🤭

  • @Name.is2
    @Name.is23 жыл бұрын

    I’ve never knew there was a soup noodle dish call Dan Dan noodles, I’ve always ate it the authentic way.

  • @teongbengang9515
    @teongbengang95153 жыл бұрын

    It's delicious, smooth, soft, warm and aromatic.

  • @BuildingCenter
    @BuildingCenter3 жыл бұрын

    Dedication to deliciousness. Goldthread delivers.

  • @trdartz
    @trdartz3 жыл бұрын

    One of my fav noodle dishes !

  • @2010XJP
    @2010XJP3 жыл бұрын

    看餓了。口水一直流出來😋🤤👍

  • @coolnewpants
    @coolnewpants3 жыл бұрын

    The explanation for why they're called Dan Dan noodles is a little unclear when viewers are just reading the subtitles. You might want to include the transliteration of "bamboo pole" in the subtitles to give more context to people who can't understand Chinese.

  • @Drownedinblood
    @Drownedinblood3 жыл бұрын

    I guess I have to travel to Chengdu someday for the real stuff.

  • @Rotorzilla
    @Rotorzilla3 жыл бұрын

    I want to go try the original in China. When I lived in Japan my favorite was the Japanese version of dandan noodles. tantanmen ramen and soupless tantanmen 汁なし担々麺. You should try both at 175 deno in Japan. I would like to see what you think about it.

  • @clarissaadam6822
    @clarissaadam68222 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the video! I moved from Chengdu to Hong Kong, and been looking for dry dan dan noodle restaurants. Any recommendations?

  • @kylin3197
    @kylin31973 жыл бұрын

    even tho it's inauthentic, had no idea soupy dan dan noodles were a thing!

  • @piguy3945
    @piguy39453 жыл бұрын

    0:36 Yang Gang lmfaooo

  • @footballgodismessilouis5889
    @footballgodismessilouis58892 жыл бұрын

    I ate my first bowl of Sichuan dan dan at my 5, was a sad crying afternoon, my mom was punishing me for not getting home on time, lock me up from the door, I was sitting beside some bushes in the yard hadn’t stopped crying, a girlfriend of my mom passed by asked what happened and comforted me then took me to the only dan dan noodle restaurant then in the town. I had calmed down for a while when the bowl was served, but still congested at my nose, I smelled nothing about the noodle, I was hungry but felt little appetite towards it, it’s too dry to me, after all the tears running out and intense mood swings, It was a little bit dehydrated in my mouth, while my aunty encouraged me, I tried some bite, it’s just too dry too hot for a exhausted 5 year old, and this first impression lasted 7years till I was in grade 7, after the second time try this noodle I finally fully experienced the beauty of this snack, and put it at the shrine position of my food list. It then became my first choice of breakfast for a long time till I left town. Beside the first noe, there were other 2 dan dan noodles restaurants stood for more than 25 years in town, all small family running, the owner of the 1 refreshed my view on dan dan noodles were young couple when they started, the lady was expecting that time, me and friends heading to theirs all the time, seeing their boy from a infant to an graduated student from college, and finally one day, their son chose not to take it over, they ended it. The other one is running by 3 siblings, they were my parents age, started a little earlier than the young couple, their location was off my daily routine till high school, it’s a greasy spoon, really small, at top 22 or 25 seat crowed together by 5 little square tables, personal space was nonsense there, they opened early at 6:00 am, sold out everything before 1 pm everyday, none exceptional for decades. Funny thing was, no clue since when, customers and the owners formed some natural pace together, the whole morning from open to close, the tables keep full most time, no lines waiting outside, bowls served precisely with in 7 or 8 minutes, nobody stayed after empty the bowls, no one rushed either, the cashier lady shouted clearly to the kitchen right after no matter how many different kinds of bowls with different preferences been ordered, no more repeating needed, and customers took seats for minutes then began to enjoy. One day I was blown up by her, after she rapped everything to the kitchen once me and friends ordered like 28 different bowls at my face, she shifted back to an earlier chatting smooth as nothing happened, and she did that all day, every day, such a great skill. She remembered most frequenters’ preferences, and was a good chatter, made this restaurant a truly hole on the wall in town, I can’t remember how many times someone else paid my bowls. After many years, I went back, the lady still recognized me, and told some stories of my friends I didn’t learn. For me dan dan noodles is not just some nice food, it’s more like a anchor, after mom and grandparents passed, while everything in town is fading strange, the aroma and flavor and texture brings me to somewhere safe and familiar, like a womb on palate, a saviour.

  • @drifter4training
    @drifter4training3 жыл бұрын

    Do zha Jiang mian please !!

  • @parker4406
    @parker44063 жыл бұрын

    Lol my version of dan dan noodles was always dry Interesting to see I was actually following the original recipe instead of the commercialised version

  • @yuyang3991
    @yuyang39913 жыл бұрын

    My college dining hall served it with peanut betters ONLY : (, I missed the real Dans Dan noodles

  • @gregcyrus2739
    @gregcyrus27393 жыл бұрын

    Anybody knows the film TAMPOPO?

  • @caimaccoinnich9594
    @caimaccoinnich95943 жыл бұрын

    1:26. Damn long hair boi is cute.

  • @MultiCklee
    @MultiCklee3 жыл бұрын

    The dan dan version 2 is not for me. Too strong of a sesame taste. The authentic ones in chengdu is to die for.

  • @joems
    @joems3 жыл бұрын

    Should have just put part1 & part2 together since this video is only 4min.

  • @dryoutube
    @dryoutube3 жыл бұрын

    Didn't know there's dry version and that they are considered snacks!

  • @csong9940
    @csong99403 жыл бұрын

    I always thought of dan dan noodles as dry but I am from Taiwan

  • @jdkgcp
    @jdkgcp3 жыл бұрын

    Maybe it was lost in translation but that explanation as to why they are called Dan Dan noodles didn't actually make any sense. Something to do with a bamboo pole? lol

  • @cherilynke7455

    @cherilynke7455

    3 жыл бұрын

    People in the past carry a pole made from bamboo with baskets hanging from each ends. In chinese it’s called 担子. Which is ‘dan zi’. Therefore called ‘dan dan’

  • @jdkgcp

    @jdkgcp

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@cherilynke7455 Thank you! That explains it! "dan zi"...dan dan as a nickname. I knew it had something to do with the bamboo pole. I appreciate you taking the time to break it down for me.

  • @foodleveling
    @foodleveling3 жыл бұрын

    Look yummy I Food Leveling

  • @misubi
    @misubi3 жыл бұрын

    I lived in Chengdu but I prefer the soupy version still. 😂

  • @dyaaong6030
    @dyaaong60303 жыл бұрын

    I'm hungry

  • @peterchan4332
    @peterchan43323 жыл бұрын

    Food from the east will always be different than hybrid food for the west

  • @duncanmit5307
    @duncanmit53073 жыл бұрын

    💜💜💜💜💜👍👍👍👍👍👍

  • @hultonclint
    @hultonclint3 жыл бұрын

    How is the Hong Kong one "popular worldwide" when so many of us have never seen it? Is it like popular in Malaysia and Singapore or something? Never seen it in USA. Then again, if I go to a Cantonese restaurant/diner and I see dan dan mian on the menu, I wouldn't order it... so maybe that's where it's hiding?

  • @kst6153
    @kst61533 жыл бұрын

    'they're surprisingly delicious'?? why would it be not delicious?

  • @sekarayu8600
    @sekarayu86002 жыл бұрын

    😁😁👍👍👍👍👍👏👏

  • @bz1138
    @bz11383 жыл бұрын

    i never enjoy dandan noodle at all, nit sure why and what people like it except it is spicy soup noodle. I think that it is too much hype in dandan noodle. i like chongqin cold noodle much better than Chengdu dandan noodle.

  • @esteebrown4102
    @esteebrown41023 жыл бұрын

    👍🏻🤤🤤🤤

  • @Omniback20
    @Omniback203 жыл бұрын

    Dandan noodles never come in soup even in north america...The only ones that are in soup are the cantonese version of them.

  • @excaliburdesu4459
    @excaliburdesu44593 жыл бұрын

    Early for once