Marrickville has never been short of a good bowl of noodles, so a new arrival needs to bring something to the table. Duan Noodle House does. The noodle-devoted offshoot of chef Lucas Doan’s The D’s Bar & Dining has real-pedigree. Doan spent the better part of two decades in kitchens like Mr Wong and Luna Lu before planting his flag in the Inner West. The premise to the newly renovated upstairs (about two little steps) from D’s is hand-stretched Chinese noodles threaded through with the Vietnamese warmth of his family’s Saigon hospitality roots.
We came for lunch and ordered wide. The pho ($19) arrived deep and delicately built, the kind of broth that tastes like someone respected it overnight and nurtured it for increased depth and robustness. The fresh hand cut noodles are a treat too – part of Duan’s Noodle House’s legitimate appeal.
The braised beef was the clear standout: 12 hours in, and you could taste every one of them, the meat giving way without the slightest encouragement. This is served in the Oil spill Biang Biang Noodles with braised rib ($28). This is the must try menu item for a very good reason.
Even a plate of greens (a slightly cheeky $23) were well tendered to. Generous serving of the snow peas and Chinese broccoli – crispy as you’d expect.
The duck and mushroom fried rice ($24) is generous in duck and beautifully cooked. The individual grains of rice are covered in seasoning that delivers some of the most stand out fried rice in town.
It’s funky downtown vibe in the middle of Marrickville, very China Town London – with a big kitchen taking over most of the space a few tables to the side able to host 35 diners. Wines and beers are available, which is a lovely point of difference to some other spots in the area who like to mix classic with the necessity of modern living!
This is a young room, only open since July, still finding its rhythm. Come for the noodles and the beef, and there is a genuinely excellent Marrickville lunch here waiting to grow into itself. With D’s opening at night this split room venue is catering to a wide range of needs with strong Vietnamese roots and superlative excellence in food.
What we’re Addicted to: The braised beef. Twelve hours of it, and worth every single minute. Literally the best thing we ate for a week and as a second favourite the duck fried rice.
What we need to be more Addicted to: Refinement in service detail but sure they will find their feet.
Duan Noodle House
Shop 1/359 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Open Tuesday to Sunday (12pm to 10pm)
