On a cold, chilly evening, a hot bowl of noodle soup is exactly what someone needs to warm them up. If you ever feel in need of a nice meal with friends or family, Mr. Dragon Noodle House located at 20657 Golden Springs Drive, Diamond Bar is the place to go.
I was immediately greeted by the fragrant aroma of spices when I stepped into the bustling restaurant. The menu consisted of a variety of options, the most popular being their noodle soups. I ordered their signature braised beef and tendon noodle soup, Dandan noodles (Chinese style noodles drizzled with a spicy sauce), pork dumplings and a cold seaweed salad. For drinks, I tried their iced milk tea for $5.50 and honey green tea for $5.99. The food was prepared and sent to our table at the speed of light; it was like my hungry prayers had been answered.
My first taste of the beef noodle soup was slightly underwhelming. The noodles were extremely chewy in texture, while I prefer my noodles on the softer side. The beef and broth were also saltier than expected, which overpowered the rest of the spices and delicate flavors. However, what did the trick for me was adding the pickled vegetables that came on the side. It balanced the rich flavors out and provided a briny yet equally sweet flavor to the broth. Overall, it was not my favorite but the restaurant’s famous noodle broth was still pretty fulfilling for $17.99.
The Dandan noodles came piled with spicy chili sauce, minced pork, sliced cucumbers and chopped peanuts. The spicy sauce is the perfect, flavorful kick to the dish, and the noodles would simply be incomplete without it. As for the minced pork and sliced cucumbers, the two created a crunchy texture that perfectly harmonized with the chewy noodles, finished off with a nutty relish. For only $13.99, this dish ultimately impressed me the most.
The pork dumplings also lived up to their expectations, costing $14.99. Each bite was juicy and far from disappointing. The best way to eat them that I found was to dip them in vinegar for the tangy taste. However, the skin of the dumpling was quite thick, and I think a softer exterior would make the dumpling even more appealing than it already was. For a palette cleanser, the cold seaweed salad, which was $8.99, got the job done; it was extremely refreshing and just salty enough in a way that simmered down the powerful flavors of the other dishes.
After the meal, my cold, sweet beverage cooled me off, which came in colossally large cups. Overall, the setting was incredibly welcoming with quality service and a warm, comforting ambience. It wasn’t necessarily an astonishing experience and I’m not sure if I would come here to eat regularly, but it was definitely a wonderful place to stop by and grab a bite. I’d recommend this place to anybody looking for a convenient, tasty location to slurp down some noodles.
For more information, visit the restaurant’s website, mrdragonnoodle.com. They can be contacted at (909) 655-6020 and are open everyday except Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
