Everyone has known about Noodle Arts but me! As you walk in the front door you notice posters showing our Noodle Arts Hostess' (and clearly owner/manager) appearances on CTV and with Richard Wollach on CKNW! Their Beef Noodle Soup is apparently famous as are their Dan-Dan Noodles. Still, better late than never, here we are.
Located on Robson between Bidwell and Denman, there is seating for a little more than a couple of dozen diners but I am sure they get quite busy at times. I'm trying to say it might be worth making a reservation. Obviously, they are all about the noodles here and specifically hand-pulled Lanzhou-style noodles.
We started with Green Onion Pankake which we always love but these were a little bit better than usual! I thought maybe it was a regional recipe that made it different but I was told that it has to do with the quality of the oil and the fact that they keep it quite fresh in the kitchen. The result is a lighter colour and taste. It was served with a tasty plum sauce. Very nice!
The Tangy Shredded Potato is marked as spicy but it was not (they may have adjusted for the white guy who told them about his bad Dan Dan noodle experience). We always enjoy this dish which proves that potatoes do not have to be cooked to death. As shreds or noodles, they are allowed to retain some firm texture and are very tasty. A little sesame oil and usually a little heat bring this dish alive.
Of course, the Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles were the main event and the heat was again reigned in for the white guy (to be honest, I like a little heat but I also need to be able to take a shower after!). We ordered this with blade-cut noodles which admittedly, you can't see in the photo. These are quite substantial noodles but so tender and absorbant of the flavours around them. They are worth the price of admittance all by themselves. Along with lots of greens were peanuts, Szechuan peppercorns and sesame oil. Wonderful!
Next up were the Noodles with Chilli Oil as we wanted to try a different type of noodles. Our hostess recommended the wider noodles to go with this and as far as we could tell it was good advice. More greens, peanuts, mild chilli oil and more delicious housemade noodles made this another wonderful dish.
There are 4 desserts on the menu at Noodle Arts and all of them are vegan! Unfortunately, they didn't have the Pear Soup so our hostess recommended the Red Bean Pancake. I tried to pose it to show the filling as best as I could. It was tasty, crispy and very sweet as red bean paste usually is. It is a little rare to see even one vegan dessert so having some choice is very nice!
This is a nice little restaurant with some lanterns and art that makes it feel a little exotic. Our hostess was very nice and regularly topped up our Chrysanthemum tea. It is not cheap nor would I expect it to be. Hand-made noodles are pretty special. There are a few more vegan dishes to try and I am just a fan of any place that indicates vegan on the menu and understands the concept.
Food 4 1/2 out of 5
Vegan Options 4 out of 5
Comfort 4 out of 5
Service 4 1/2 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
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