Daji Spicy Pavilion 黔香阁 Brings Guizhou-Style Spice to Honolulu

“You should take a picture of that sign,” my dad said, so I did. Photo: Andrea Lee

On my first visit to Daji Spicy Pavilion 黔香阁, a girl at the next table is introducing her friends to “food from my hometown.” That would be Guizhou, a mountainous province in southwestern China whose sour-spicy food is distinct from Sichuanese mala spice. Daji opened in the Chinatown Cultural Plaza last year, but I never got there until my dad, our team’s unofficial Chinese food authority, suggested we go for lunch. Now, it just may be my new favorite noodle shop.

As far as I know, Daji is the only Guizhou cuisine restaurant on O‘ahu. The menu features noodle soups and dry mix noodles plus dumplings and appetizers like spicy cucumber and sweet and sour ribs. The $7 keiki meals are smaller versions of some noodle dishes. And it looks like the menu changes—I see additions when I refresh it while writing this story.

SEE ALSO: Is Mei Sum the Best Dim Sum in Chinatown?

Photo: Andrea Lee

We try the Signature Beef Brisket Noodle Soup ($15.99), which my dad has enjoyed before, with thick, chewy egg noodles. Cabbage and bean sprouts add a nice crunch, and the green onion and cilantro garnishes are bright and refreshing. The broth is clean and comforting. My dad notes that the brisket is juicy, not dry like other places’, and light despite being fatty.

The soup is so yummy that we order it again on our second visit. It’s just as good this time around, and distinct from the beef brisket noodles we’ve had at Cantonese- and Taiwanese-style restaurants.

Photo: Andrea Lee

But it isn’t spicy, so to try something that’s distinctly Guizhou, we get the Crunchy Cui Shao Dry Noodles ($15.99) with the thick noodles our server recommends. The pork belly in it is unlike any we’ve had before. The eponymous cui shao 脆哨, small cubes of pork dotting the noodles, is like crackling fried to a crisp. Its smoky taste reminds me of burnt ends but without the bitterness, while the ultra crunch that rings in my ears gives crouton vibes.

The spice is the kind that builds as you eat and tingles your lips and tongue. It’s too much for my dad, who doesn’t typically go for spicy, and hot even for me—and I like spice—so keep that in mind. The crunch factor might be too much for folks with sensitive teeth or dental issues.

Photo: Andrea Lee

The popular Pan-Fried Dumplings ($12.99) have an extra satisfying chew that’s worth the longer wait than the boiled dumplings. Be warned—these are juicy! The first one I bite into squirts a long stream across the table. (I successfully aim the juice of the next one into my bowl.) My dad proclaims these fresh and handmade. The pork and cabbage filling, already juicy and comforting, takes on a greater depth of flavor when dipped into the mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and chile oil at every table.

Ordering at Daji is via the QR code on the table or with a server. You can customize every noodle dish with your choice of rice noodles, thin noodles, thick noodles or ramen, plus add-ons for extra charges, ranging from choy sum to more meat. You can also remove ingredients that are typically included, such as green onion and peanuts. A large order of noodles is just $1 more. I recommend perusing the menu through the QR code to explore all the options and asking the server which noodle goes best with which dish.

Photo: Andrea Lee

Daji Spicy Pavilion is on the ground floor of Chinatown Cultural Plaza facing the courtyard stage. It’s pretty small, with five tables and a low-key, mom-and-pop feel. Paid parking is available in the plaza garage.

Open Wednesday through Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Chinatown Cultural Plaza, 100 N Beretania St., #117, Chinatown, (808) 538-8888, @dajispicy8888

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Andrea Lee is the digital editor of HONOLULU Magazine.