Delicious dan dan delivers for a down-and-out diner

Whenever I find myself ravenous, out of groceries and lacking any energy to spare — which happens more than I’d like to admit — there are a few restaurants I can order from through DoorDash that allow me to get a meal delivered, with a decent tip, for less than $25. Am I proud of paying that much for convenience? No. But sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.

My most recent induction into my list of DoorDash pick-me-ups was the dan dan noodles from Hong Kong Restaurant, a Lansing staple previously located near the corner of Kalamazoo and Homer streets. Reopened last summer inside Allen Neighborhood Center’s accelerator kitchen and food hall, it shares space with burgeoning culinary ventures like Tantay and Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes, and there’s a small dining area if you want to eat in.

I had heard rumors of the noodles’ deliciousness and decided while under the weather that something spicy and brothy was just what I needed. Dan dan noodles, like every recipe, have a history. Hailing from Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province, the brothy version of the dish served at Hong Kong Restaurant is from, you guessed it, Hong Kong. The name “dan dan” refers to the poles on which street vendors would carry two baskets, one for noodles and one for sauce, dangling from either end across their shoulders.

Hong Kong Restaurant’s dan dan arrived hot and fresh in one of the most excellent reusable takeout containers I’ve ever seen. Perfectly toothsome, thick noodles swam in a broth of long-simmered stock, soy, garlic, sesame and chili oils, Chinese five spice and, I believe, peanut butter. Atop was minced pork in Sichuan chili paste as well as bok choy, green onion and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. With great pleasure, I took my chopsticks and churned this all together, began slurping and never wanted to stop. All the elements worked together to create a deeply satisfying and comforting meal — two meals, actually, thanks to the restaurant’s generous portions.

It wasn’t as spicy as I expected, so heat fiends should ask for extra spice. My understanding is that the restaurant is more than happy to modify your dish, including substituting the pork for a different protein. I’m thrilled to have another go-to meal when I’m down and out and will definitely be mining Hong Kong’s menu for further additions.