ottawa foodies

market 168 (i always get this wrong, but it is on sommerset, just past preston, over the bridge) has a big selection of fresh noodles. i am fairly sure i have seen handmade ones, but the inventory changes frequently!

These chewy noodles usually come in soup and can be thick or thin. They are Chinese Ramen, sort of like Shanghai noodles but chewier. Unfortunately, I don't think Ottawa has any of these.

Tried something new this time: the Hand Pulled Noodles in Bean Sauce ($12). I believe this is Zhajiangmian, a signature dish of Beijing and the ancient ancestor of Korea's jjajangmyeon.

This is a bowl of delicate flat noodles with a flavourful bean sauce and lots of fresh veggies to mix in. It didn't have much in the way of spice but there is (relatively mild) chili oil at each table that is easy enough to add. I was thrilled when the server brought out a small bowl of broth for me to enjoy alongside this bowl.

Le Mien's noodles are already quite a bit softer than the chewy ones at La Noodle and these were even softer than usual. Even so, I enjoyed this meal and would totally have it again.

Visited again and had the same dish as before. This time our server asked if I wanted it mild or spicy so of course I chose spicy. It was spicy in a nice flavourful way without being too intense. The Medium ($13.99) is really pretty huge and I made a mental note to try the Small ($10.99) next time.

I still put the chewiness of noodle a notch below that of La Noodle, but the atmosphere and location (and arguably the broths) are superior here.

I think that's the daikon.

Looks pretty yum. What's the translucent circular veg looking thing on the bottom left?

I went for the Traditional Hand-pulled Noodle with Beef (Medium, $13.99). I chose the smaller flat noodle "Joye." When we ordered, they warned us that it was spicy but when they brought the food there was no spice at all — our server told us to add chili oil to our own taste.

The broth was mild and clear with a light beef flavour. Lean and tender slices of beef were lovely with the cilantro garnish. Generous slices of daikon added some vegetal crunch to the dish. The noodles themselves were wonderful, chewy and satisfying.

Compared to La Noodle (their obvious competition) the restaurant is nicer but the food isn't quite as great. Worthy of note: it was the first day open and they made me add the chili oil so my food likely ended up underseasoned.