Acclaimed 40-year-old noodle restaurant’s first Mississauga location now open in Square One

An acclaimed Toronto-based noodle restaurant has finally opened its first location in Mississauga.

Mogouyan, a chain that calls itself one of the most well-known beef noodle brands in China, started in Lanzhou City about 40 years ago. Lanzhou sits on the banks of the Yellow River and serves as the capital of the northwestern province of Gansu.

The city has stood since before 900 BCE and has long been an essential trade stop as part of the Silk Road. During the much later Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE), a golden era in Chinese history, the Muslim Hui people developed a distinct cuisine to be compatible with their then fairly new Halal dietary restrictions.

One of these dishes was Lanzhou beef noodles, a variation of the much older traditional beef noodle soup. Mogouyan specializes in a unique take on this dish that dates to the later Qing Dynasty and features flavourful broth and beef boiled with natural ingredients for several hours.

The chain began in China some 40 years ago. They’ve since spread around the world including Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto. The first international location opened in Toronto in 2019 and two more have since sprung up in the city.

“Each slurp of noodles is saturated with rich broth, highlighted by a springy texture given by only the most skilled hands of a noodle craftsman,” the website reads.

Diners can choose from a variety of noodle shapes and sizes, including classic, thin-round, thin-flat, and flat options. The signature beef noodle soup is made with beef and chicken broth, braised beef slices and chilli oil.

While the menu for the new Square One location has not yet been posted, menu items at a nearby Toronto resto include spring rolls, edamame, chicken wings, dumplings and more.

There’s also a wide array of noodle dishes to choose from, including braised beef, chicken fillet and vegetable and tomato varieties. The restaurant also serves stir-fried and dried noodles.

They announced a new Mississauga location over the summer and opened in the Square One Mall Food District on Nov. 12.

With files from Ashley Newport.

1. Mogouyan