Review: P.F. Chang's - Dan Dan Noodles

P.F. Chang's Dan Dan Noodles feature lo mein noodles with pork, shitake mushrooms, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds with a "savory brown sauce."

An 11-oz box was $3.50 on sale.

These don't really taste much like any dan dan noodles I've ever had at a Chinese restaurant. There's typically a substantial spicy chili oil, sesame paste, or peanut butter component to the ones I've had and there's really none of that here.

Instead, the sauce is an all-too-familiar combination of sweet soy sauce, garlic, and ginger that seems to be the standard for any frozen meal that's labeled "Asian." There's a bit of spicy heat to it but it's not accompanied by any added flavor.

Beyond the sauce, the noodles were fairly tender with a delicate chew. The ground pork stood out with a different taste and texture than the more common chicken or beef in similar meals.

The shitake mushrooms, scallions, and sesame seeds offered more varied textures than any extra notes of flavor.

The paper bowl that the noodles came in was interesting in that it didn't leak or fall apart from cooking in the microwave, although the plastic film that sealed the bowl took off a little bit of it when I pulled the film off.

Overall, P.F. Chang's Dan Dan Noodles turned out nicely enough but didn't feel much like dan dan noodles at all. For a frozen meal of Asian noodles, it's a little bit pricier than other similar options without doing much to differentiate itself.

Nutritional Info - P.F. Chang's Dan Dan Noodles (312g)
Calories - 510 (from Fat - 180)
Fat - 20g (Saturated Fat - 6g)
Sodium - 1080mg
Carbs - 58g (Sugar - 9g)
Protein - 24g