Chef Sun | Where Northern Heartiness Meets Sichuan Soul

In this unassuming little eatery, two parallel universes exist side by side: the robust world of beef pies and the numbing-spicy poetry of dan dan noodles. 🥟 Beef Pie | The Golden Armor That Breathes ✨Filling Secrets: Hand-chopped short rib meat with a 3:7 fat-to-lean ratio, mixed with traditional scallion-ginger water and Shaoxing rice wine. The secret weapon? Roast duck fat—replacing ordinary oil to add a subtle hint of fruitwood smokiness. ✨Dough Mastery: A half-hot-water dough technique creates 36 delicate layers. During frying, a splash of steam on the griddle produces a dual crispy texture—steamed on top, pan-fried below. ✨Made-to-Order: Each pie is stamped with a "sun pattern" on the bottom (a nod to the chef’s surname), with edges crisp and translucent like amber. 🍜 Dan Dan Noodles | A Warm Revolution from Mechanical Arms Noodle Awakening Times: The Japanese noodle press runs daily at 10 AM and 4 PM, using Texas hard red winter wheat and duck egg whites. The machine-extruded noodles feature fine ripples designed to cling to sauce. Three-Generation Sauce Recipe: ▸ First Gen (1960s): Pure sesame paste + Sichuan red oil ▸ Second Gen (1990s): Balanced with peanut butter and Zhenjiang vinegar ▸ Today: Toasted macadamia nut crumbs added for a creamy, unexpected twist Serving Ritual: Servers advise: “Mix for 10 seconds, rest for 5, then mix another 5”—allowing the sauce to seep into every groove. 📜 Ordering Codes 🥰Connoisseur’s Combo: “One pie cut into four, paired with a small bowl of noodles, plus a side of quick-pickled vegetables to cut the richness.” 🥰Hidden Menu: Thursdays feature Beef Pie 2.0 (with water chestnut bits and crispy crullers). 🥰Timing Insight: The first batch of pies at 6 PM has the richest fat content; the second batch at 7:30 PM offers the most even sear. #McKinney#McKinneylife#McKinneyfood#McKinneyguide#fooddiary#travelguide#McKinneyweekend