Butter Chicken Roti sat next to The Common coffee shop near Bloor and Dovercourt for about 5 years. I never went because the first location wasn't that compelling and Pam's Roti or Uncle Sid's had tastier fare. The Common moved into Wenona Lodge and was replaced with Gus Taco in 2023. The Butter Chicken location hosted the short-lived Pat's Jamaican. For Tuesday's lunch, I stepped inside the latest contender: Szechuan Noodle Bowl.
Apparently this (probably) family-owned business started in Hamilton. Then it opened a location in Mississauga and another one in The Annex. Now, the latter has relocated a little west to Bloorcourt. There was a fairly extensive menu with reasonably priced items. With pork intestine as a option, there was a good chance the food here hasn't been toned down for mainstream taste. I chose their go-to dish: a bowl of hand-pulled noodles with diced chicken ($12.99). As my tolerance has decreased with age, I prudently opted for medium spiciness.
This was an excellent dish and this place immediately went on my regular list (for now). The noodle had great chew and the broth was fragrant with just the right amount of kick. But what convinced me was the chicken. Often, these protein were just plopped into the soup without much flavour. The chicken was stir-fried separately and retained a tasty glaze. The pieces were also tender with a crispy exterior. This was a wonderful combination.
On a downbeat note, my waiter was a student from Beijing who completed her finance degree at Humber. But with all the recent bank layoffs, there were no job opportunities. She was living cheaply at Bathurst and Dundas, no doubt one of those sketchy multi-tenant rentals, and working in restaurants until her work visa expires in June. She was fairly sure it won't be renewed. My fortune today read that "others admire your generosity". But as a recluse, my work network wasn't extensive enough to help.
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