DanDan, a spinoff of Han Dynasty, to open soon in Rittenhouse
July 1 is the target date at 126 S. 16th St.
Kevin and Catherina Huang, who previously operated Han Dynasty's University City location, are a couple of weeks from opening DanDan, a chic, bilevel Chinese bistro. Though Cat Huang is Han Chiang's sister and dan dan noodles are one of Han Dynasty's specialties, the restaurants are unaffiliated.
DanDan is taking a former print shop at 126 S. 16th St., on a corner with Moravian Street and on the same block as Joe's Pizza and the Happy Rooster. Tentative opening is July 1.
Specialties are Sichuan and Taiwanese cooking. Among the signature dishes are those dan dan noodles (lo mein-style noodles, tossed with chili oil, sweetened soy sauce, sesame paste, scallions and minced pork); fiery rib eye brew pot (sliced rib eye in traditional Sichuan hot pot sauce infused with beer and simmered with enoki mushrooms), and - say this 10 times fast - soft shell shrimp (soft shell shrimp cooked with garlic, fried soybean and fried shallots).
It will have a full bar (and 10 seats), but will operate in the early going as a BYOB until the license arrives.
It will be open for lunch and dinner daily.
Add Susanna Foo's SuGa to the local mix this fall - as it will be two blocks away on Sansom Street - and the Rittenhouse Chinese scene is shaping up nicely.