Noodle Journey Episode 35: Mom’s Dry Noodle Dandan Noodles

I’m finally reviewing something from Mom’s Dry Noodle, also known as Lao Ma Noodles, a popular Taiwanese brand that’s made frequent appearances on the Ramen Rater’s top ten lists. This is my first Dandan-style noodle, and I’m hoping it lives up to the hype. These are air-dried, sauce-based noodles without broth, and this particular variety is essentially a mildly spicy sesame noodle with some Sichuan flair.

I paid $8.59 for a four-pack at my local Asian grocery, though you can also find them online at places like 99 Ranch Market or Amazon, depending on availability. The sodium is a reasonable 1200mg, or 52% of your daily allowance. Everything about this feels premium, down to the packaging and the inclusion of four separate seasoning packets per serving.

Inside each serving are thick air-dried noodles made from just wheat flour, water, and salt, with no weird additives. The flavor comes from the aforementioned four separate packets: soy sauce, a sesame paste blended with oil, chili oil, and a dry seasoning packet that includes fried garlic, extra sesame seeds, Sichuan peppercorn, MSG, sugar, and vegetable extracts. The whole thing smells amazing right out of the pack, and to the best of my knowledge, it appears to be vegan, but double-check if that’s important to you.

Noodles:
These are incredible. They cook in about six minutes and have a fresh, handmade taste and texture. They come out thick, chewy, and perfectly al dente. They might be a little tricky to separate after mixing, depending on your technique, but the flavor and texture are flawless.
• 10/10

Spiciness:
This isn’t crazy hot, but it does bring a tingle. The chili oil delivers a gentle, warm heat, while the Sichuan peppercorn adds a tingly, floral sensation that lingers on the lips and in the back of the throat. It’s pleasant and pretty entry-level for spicy food.
• 2.5/10

Overall:
The flavor here is fantastic. The sesame paste gives a deep nutty backbone, balanced by earthy chili oil and just enough soy sauce to add flavor without it being too salty. There are pieces of fried garlic and extra sesame seeds in the dry packet, which add crunch and depth. If you don’t like sesame, this won’t be for you, but if you do, this is everything you want. The flavor is rich, complex, and well balanced. My only issue is that the noodles can clump a bit if you don’t stir aggressively or add enough water, but that’s a preparation flaw, not a flavor flaw. This is an outstanding noodle experience, and I’m already excited to try the other varieties.
• 10/10

There are three more packs in the bag, and they won’t last long. If you’ve tried other flavors from Mom’s Dry Noodle that are available in the US, let me know which is your favorite.

Notes since filming: Sadly, shortly after filming this review, my local Asian market stopped stocking Mom’s Dry Noodle products entirely, and so I was unable to buy any of their other varieties for review. Hopefully someday soon I can rectify that! It’s worth noting that as of late 2024, Mom’s Dry Noodle’s export products now go by the name “Surfmama” if you happen to spot this or any other noodles with that branding.