The corner market on San Leandro’s Farnsworth Street contains multitudes. The sign at 88 Manor Market is subtitled: Filipino Vietnamese Chinese Hispanic American Groceries. If that cornucopia of goods isn’t satisfying enough for shoppers, Porky’s Pizza Palace sits right across the street. I trekked down the busy 580 not for imported groceries but to visit the same shared strip mall in search of Dao Artisan Noodle.
Dao offers that artisanal, handmade proof from the get-go. A large picture window separates the kitchen from the dining room. Behind it a woman stands making batches of dumplings. Next to her, a man tosses and twirls long thick strands of noodle dough. He smiled at me when I approached his station to take a picture.
Jerry Wu, the general manager of Dao, told me the noodle-making goes on every day until 9pm when the chef heads home. Other cooks remain in place behind the scenes until the restaurant closes at midnight. Wu partnered with the owners of Asian Pearl Kitchen, a dim sum restaurant in Richmond. When we spoke on the phone, Wu made it clear that while Dao serves some items from a dim sum menu, that’s not the focus of this new restaurant.
“This is northern-style Chinese food, more specifically Lanzhou style, which is famous for their noodles,” Wu said. “But we also have xiaolongbao, which is more famous in Shanghai cuisine.” But Wu and his business partner aren’t interested in being purists. They make some fusion dishes. The uni soft-boiled egg ($11.95) is Dao’s take on a Japanese appetizer.
When the cooks in a kitchen are having a great day, most of the dishes that arrive at the table are indisputable winners. At Dao, the restaurant managed a clean sweep. We started with a bowl of dan dan noodles ($11.95). Our server asked us to choose a noodle type: thin, regular, narrow, knife-cut or wide. We chose thin and got a pair of scissors, as well as utensils, to evenly divide them between us. The bowl was filled with bean sprouts, diced cucumbers and carrots, fresh herbs and a pork ragu. Mixed together it was simply splendid.
Even something as common as a cucumber salad ($5.95) has been thoroughly thought through. Each round slice is stacked up three layers high like the base of an ornate column and then drizzled with a light dressing. “Leo [the co-owner] and I, we’re trying to come up with new things while also making sure the existing menu is up to our standards,” Wu said.
He described Dao’s cucumber salad as “very unique.” Traditionally, the dish is served chilled with a heavy dose of vinegar. But Wu said they also pay attention to presentation and new combinations of ingredients. “We’re trying to think more like a Michelin chef,” he said.
When my friend ordered stir-fried pea shoots ($12.95), I felt an initial twinge of regret. Was that the best vegetable entrée we could have chosen? Yes, yes it was. The pea shoots themselves tasted as if they’d just been plucked fresh from the plant. Little slices of garlic dotted the entire bowl. We didn’t leave a single leaf or stem uneaten. In fact, we didn’t bring home any leftovers at all.
The scallion pancakes ($6.95) are deep-fried to an absolute golden crisp. As a dipping vehicle, they hold their shape against sauces, broths and vegetables. And while the more flamboyant noodle dough maker gets most of the attention, the cook making the dumplings is also worthy of applause. We ate every last pork xiao long bao ($12.95). The liquid in these steamed “soup dumplings” burst open in the mouth when bitten into. They excite a little thrill on the palate.
Dao Artisan Noodle is also one of those rare East Bay spots that’s open late every night of the week. Wu said they wanted to provide another food option in the area for the community. “I assumed people are tired of getting McDonald’s if they’re hungry,” he said. “I really want to introduce the idea that Chinese food is more than orange chicken. We have so much more to offer.”
Dao Artisan Noodle, 15032 Farnsworth St., San Leandro. Open every day from 10:30am to midnight. 510.407.9019. daoartisannoodle.com
