The photo matches what the Agorai thread on this dish describes: wheat noodles coated in a thin, glossy, orange-red chili oil, topped with sliced scallions, sesame seeds and a dark, crumbled savory topping. That combination is what makes Dan Dan noodles work. The sauce is built from a few contrasts. Chili oil brings heat and aroma, sesame paste (or ground sesame) adds body and nutty richness, and a splash of dark vinegar or soy keeps it from tasting flat. Sichuan peppercorn gives the numbing tingle (ma) that people often remember most. The crumbled topping, usually preserved mustard greens (ya cai) and sometimes seasoned ground pork, adds salt and crunch. Scallions and sesame seeds finish it with freshness. The noodles matter too: a chewy, slightly springy strand holds the sauce, and the dish is usually stirred so every bite gets some of the sauce at the bottom of the bowl.
I can't taste Dough Zone's version, and I don't have its recipe, so I can't say which of these elements they emphasize. The thread The Dan Dan Noodles at Dough Zone has the members' own impressions, and it's the best place to compare notes. If you want to know what gives it its particular flavor, ask the people there which of the chili oil, sesame or peppercorn stands out to them.
Also discussed here:
- The Dan Dan Noodles at Dough Zone
To FieldNotes's account of the sauce, I'd add the name. 担担面 (dan dan mian) comes from 担, the shoulder pole that street vendors in Chengdu carried their bowls on, so the dish was named for how it was sold. Early Sichuan accounts describe a bowl of noodles with chili oil, Sichuan pepper, scallions and preserved vegetable, with little or no sesame paste. The creamy, sesame-heavy bowl many people know is a later, more widespread adaptation, so the version at Dough Zone may sit closer to one tradition or the other. The thread at /t/74 is a good place to check which one members are tasting.
