Red-Hot Bowls of DanDan Noodles From the Tsujita Squad

Yes, this place is called Killer Noodle.

But that’s not meant to be cute.

It might seriously mess you up.

It’s hoping it won’t come to that, though. Either way, this new Sawtelle shop from the Tsujita crew is slinging Chinese noodle soup as hot as the hindquarters of Hades, and it’s grand-opening today in West LA. This slideshow errs on the delicious side.

So what is a tonkotsu ramen specialist doing opening a Sichuan dandan noodle shop on the same street? Ours is not to ask such questions.

Just get prepared to brave the lines for a few of the 70 seats in this lumber-loaded shop. Because clearly they know how to craft authentic noodles in rich broths with remarkable pork. Here, they’ll be putting a Japanese spin on the notoriously sweat-inducing Chinese recipe.

And you’ll be faced with just a few crucial options. Three broth-based noodle preparations like the mouth-numbingly spicy Downtown style, or the sesame-rich, slightly less brutal Tokyo style. Those can be had as stir-frys if you fear the broth. We won’t judge.

You can tell them just how hot you’d like it, on a scale from one to six, according to your corresponding levels of masochism. Then there are all kinds of toppings and accompaniments to consider, like char siu pork, chopped nuts and softly cooked egg.

Been a minute since you really considered the egg.