Dahlia on Regent: Noodles inspired by China's Shaanxi Province
A place to love. I could feel the passion of the place, the staff were friendly and every customer inside seemed very satisfied with their meals and overall experiences.
A photo of the interior from Dahlia’s Facebook page
Dahlia on Regent is famous for their Biang Biang noodles which are hand-pulled on site. Biang Biang Mian is a type of hand-pulled noodle which the landlocked Shaanxi province (Xian) is known for. Originally a food eaten by the poorer members of society, these wide, flat, chewy and somewhat thick noodles have become a must-try when visiting the province and have some links to the terracotta army or the XIan army which tbh I need to research a lot more before I get excited by false information! Cumin is a spice often used in this region in china along with meats such as lamb, beef, pork and chicken.
Short Rib and Cumin Biang Biang Noodles (braised short rib, thick pulled noodles coriander and chili)
Therefore the flavours of braised beef and cumin were culturally accurate. The noodles at Dahlia on regent are hand-pulled by the head chef * daily and people flood the restaurant to try it and the internet with great reviews. Onto the plate of Biang Biang noodles I was served on the night: The noodles were visibly fresh and steaming hot when placed in front of me. They had the perfect texture and length and chewy thickness which makes Biang Biang noodles what they are. Coated in a hot and vinegary chilli oil - The dish had all the flavours that it is supposed to - but the noodles were not coated as much and you sort of had to dip it in oil to get the full flavour. Most recipes call for vinegar in the oil. However, I experienced the dishes as all having similar flavour notes and needed to remind myself that maybe the reason why I didn’t LOVE these was that it is a different flavour profile to other Asian foods. My palate needed to be educated in order to learn to crave the flavours presented in the dish, which it subsequently has been. I did personally crave a bit more chilli and maybe a dash of soy sauce which I might ask for the next time I go. The portion of this dish was almost shareable - depending on how hungry you are and whether or not you will be ordering other dishes. And one more little side note: The meal and dish is a lot more enjoyable once you know the history and origins of the dish.
Pickled Daikon and Sichuan Peanut Salad
I’m a massive fan of vinegary, crunchy fresh salads. So I really enjoyed this one. The pickled daikon was tangy and crispy and fresh and the fresh chilli was soothed by the creaminess of the peanuts. A real banger and much needed to contrast with the other dishes which were more rich and fatty.
Mushroom Turnip Cakes (with Edamame and Sesame)
Turnip cakes are actually made from shredded radish and are called turnip cakes in english because the Chinese use the same word “lo bak” for turnip and radish interchangeably. The turnip cakes at Dahlia on Regent were enjoyable but not mind blowing by any means. They were fried which was well executed in that it was hot however with the tempura mushrooms on top it became quite rich. They were topped with tempura shiitake which were hot and chewy (in that good shiitake way). The cakes were soft in the middle and slightly crisp on the outside.
Complementary sesame bok choy
Every dish, especially the noodles, were accurately and spectacularly executed. In the rare instances where I craved more chilli or felt that all the dishes had the same flavours. This restaurant serves authentic Asian food - specifically authentic northwest Chinese noodle dishes. And so the flavour profiles differ significantly from noodle dishes in other Asian countries which might have some more sweet notes. The dishes were quite generous in terms of the amount of oil and therefore on the rich side so take this into account when ordering a number of dishes.
Menu items I got to experience:
Short Rib and Cumin Biang Biang Noodles R115 ; Pickled Daikon and Sichuan Peanut Salad R60 ; Mushroom Turnip Cakes R70
77 Regent Rd, Sea Point, Cape Town, 8060 https://dahliaonregent.co.za/
