Wuhan's hot dry noodles are controversial. Those who understand it think that it has a distinct personality and is a must-have on the tip of the tongue; Those who don't understand it think that it has an alternative flavor, like chewing wax. The two points of view have come and gone in the controversy, but they have also brought about the widespread spread of the reputation of hot dry noodles, making them the first choice for outsiders to come to Wuhan.
There are many theories about the origin of hot dry noodles. One is that Cai Mingwei mixed the discarded sesame paste after refining sesame oil into the noodles, thus creating hot dry noodles; Another theory is that Li Bao, a food vendor, mistakenly poured an oil bottle and invented hot dry noodles. According to the records of Wuhan's Local Chronicles, the former statement is more credible.
Chef Zhao's Everyday Red Oil Hot Dry Noodle is one of the most infallible hot dry noodle restaurants in Wuhan, and even after the "premature" peak period, the restaurant is still full of customers and the hall is full. With more than 40 years of operation, it has a stable production and excellent taste, and it is also quite popular in the eyes of locals.
Unlike most of the shops on the list, Chef Zhao sometimes uses ceramic bowls to serve noodles in addition to paper bowls, making this bowl of noodles look much more "grand" than paper bowls. Verdant green onions, finely chopped radishes and dark green cowpeas are the supporting features of this bowl of noodles, and the thick but not thick sesame paste reveals a rich sauce aroma even though it seeps into the cracks of the alkaline water noodles. After patiently stirring, the main character's tahini and noodles appear on each other, and it is smooth in the mouth, and the mellow tahini even leaves marks on the lips. The noodles themselves are firm and springy, and the light crispiness of the radish and cowpea makes it feel rich in flavor with a single chopstick. The mellow aroma of the tahini paste and the saltiness of the toppings make up the most attractive feature of this bowl of noodles.
Another highlight of the store is the fried pancake siu mai, which is freshly cooked to order, with four steaming siu mai freshly cooked pancakes in the belly, which have the crispiness of the oil cake and the salty aroma of siu mai, accompanied by black pepper appetizing and delicious. Chef Zhao's son, Chef Xiao Zhao, has also innovated on top of this - croissant siu mai, which wraps siu mai in croissants, with the meaning of innovative interpretation (for a detailed description, please move to the trusted choice ranking boutique café recommendation list).
Chef Zhao's shop is quite large-scale, with a seven- or eight-meter-long gate that connects to each other, selling hot dry noodles and making oil cakes at the same time, with a clear division of labor. The interior of the restaurant is not clean and tidy, but compared to the "fly restaurant", it is much more comfortable for diners. Service is not the strong point of Wuhan's catering industry, and Chef Zhao has followed this "tradition". After ordering in the center of the store, diners have to line up on both sides of the store to pick up their pancakes and hot dry noodles, which can be difficult to eat at the same time. Diners should be reminded that Chef Zhao, like most of the restaurants on the list, is only open until after lunch.
