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Darda Seafood Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Halal Chinese, Seafood, Halal
296 Barber CtMilpitas, CA 95035
(408) 433-5199
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
413 reviews for Darda Seafood Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Sesame bread with green onion - my favorite dish."
(in 19 reviews)
"hand made noodles: really yummy."
(in 18 reviews)
"Also, their lamb and pickled cabbage warm pot is heavenly."
(in 10 reviews)
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413 reviews in English
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Review from Sam C.
Santa Cruz, CA
2/21/2012
*DO NOT ORDER THE MILK TEA! I'll explain why in a bit*
Parents convinced me to go to this place during one of the weekends I was home. You get that kinda hard to explain Asian restaurant vibe going in with those Asian restaurant chairs and those matching Asian tables with some workers preparing the veggies right in front of everyone in one of the tables (not necessarily a bad thing; you kinda expect this going to Chinese restaurants in San Jose). I guess that's how you find out if the restaurant is legit or not.
Place was packed during dinner but we didn't have to wait for our seats. Every table gets served complementary tea. I don't remember exactly what we ordered but I remember we got the thick sesame bread with onions (that stuff fills you up!), mongolian beef, some lamb dish, another lamb dish with soup and noodles, and a spicy beef short rib dish. The food was served pretty quickly and everything was tasty (though I thought the soup was meh but it wasn't bad)! Can't speak about how authentic the food is since I'm ABC, though I remember my parents saying the mongolian beef here is more authentic than other places b/c it isn't sweet. Portions are also generous. In the end I came out stuffed and happy.
Oh, and the milk tea? AVOID! My mom found out it was buy one get one free and fell for it and ordered one for me and herself. Not only was it grainy, but it was wayyy too sweet and the pearls were semi hard. I ended up throwing it away after drinking half of it. -
Review from Tiffie L.
2/13/2012
I used to frequent the Cupertino location back in the day... love the thick sesame green onion pancake. This is pretty much the reason I go to this restaurant! It's still just as good as it always was. My friends and I also ordered a beef & leek dish as well as a lamb dish. Both were great -- the beef was very tender and the lamb was not too gamey.
The service is incredibly fast... I think we got our food about 5 minutes after ordering!
Cautions:
- parking at Milpitas on the weekends for lunch or dinner is a pain.
- there are long lines at Darda at those peak hours, as well. Plan accordingly.
- minimum $20 for credit card charge. -
Review from Matt V.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/29/2012
Food here is good, ambiance is decent, and service definitely needs improvement.
When you walk into Darda, you'll notice the green, patterned, carpeted floor, with green chair cushions to match it. Tables are packed in closely together, and paintings are hung from the walls. It's not a bad atmosphere overall.
The servers who come by want to take your order as quickly as possible, and then run back into the kitchen to prepare it. One of the waitresses even yelled at my girlfriend because she asked too many questions about the menu, and the waitress wasn't able to take the order as quickly. Yay for customer service?
That said, the food does come out pretty quickly. You never have to wait long here.
The spicier dishes are definitely the way to go at Darda; the chicken with chili sauce and the spicy Hunan lamb are among my favorites.
I'm not crazy about the green onion pancakes. The people I was with kept telling me I had to try it, and that it's like a "Chinese pizza." That metaphor could not have been further off; it doesn't have any cheese or sauce, and the flavor is oniony. Not much to resemble a pizza at all, although of course, that's not what made it objectionable either. What made it objectionable was just that it was far too starchy.
EDIT: After writing this review, I went to Ma's Restaurant, which is nearby and offers a similar Halal Chinese menu. I tried their green onion sesame bread (also on the menu at Darda), which is basically the same thing as the green onion pancake except that the dough is risen into a bread. If Darda's sesame bread is anything like Ma's, I would greatly recommend choosing that instead as it eliminates the starchy flavor of the pancake, and just leaves you with a really nice onion flavor that I rather enjoyed.
Overall, Darda is a pretty good restaurant. The four stars I give is largely for the food; you can deduct accordingly for bad service if you like. -
Review from Marcia L.
Santa Clara, CA
2/20/2012
Definitely have had better Chinese food. I was expecting something exciting and new and fusion-like with Chinese Muslim food, but it was basically Chinese food I guess with Halal meat killing
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Review from Meena S.
Santa Clara, CA
2/15/2012
Though I like the food here( kung pao chicken,string beans,egg noodles,scallion pancakes )
I have my doubts abt their hygiene standards. -
Review from Michael P.
San Jose, CA
Been here many times the food is always good service is hit and miss but the shark fin soup is really good and they have dim sum first time trying it and it was fresh
This place gets packed for lunch it's best to get there around 1130 for lunch there is never parking around here you might end up eating at the same table and the person that cut u off in the parking lot just might be them -
Review from Karen H.
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love the sesame bread with green onion. Also... I am a huge fan of their honey walnut shrimp (they give very generous portions!) Not a huge fan of their eggplant plates, but their soups and fish-dishes are extremely delicious!
I heard that it gets extremely busy during lunch time, so I would recommend avoiding it for lunch, especially during the weekdays...and parking is a pain during lunch!
Food is very generous for the price. Definitely recommend it! -
Review from Ngoc L.
I went here to have dinner on New Years night and the place was packed. There was like at least 20 people outside waiting for a table. We got seated within 5 minutes without a week cause we were only a party of 2 so they just stuck us in the corner with a small table, the size of a small desk in an elementary school. We ordered:
Three flavor house noodle: This was actually pretty good. Try to eat it hot right when you get it cause the noodle gets kinda tough and too chewy after awhile since they're fresh noodles.
Scallion Duck: This was the worst dish we ordered. All I tasted was tofu mixed with beansprouts. You can barely taste any duck. The flavor was really bland..This plate is definitely one you would want to pass.
Lamb with Onion: This was recommended to us by our waitress. She said it was one of their popular dish. It definitely was good and we enjoyed it with our rice.
The portions here are huge! You definitely get your money's worth and the food here is also good. Definitely above average..but I guess you just need to know what to order. The menu is large so you really have plenty to choose from. If you were to order a dish with noodle..I would totally recommend paying a dollar extra to get their fresh house noodle. I really wanted to try their sesame bread which everyone was raving about but it was just too much and I wouldn't have been able to finish it. I am not sure if I'll be coming back anytime soon because there's really nothing extraordinary that I love so much here.
The service here wasn't that great for me..Maybe it was because it was New Years night and they were super packed. It took them 5 minutes to bring me my order of rice so my food got kinda cold waiting for the rice to come. Also, the hot sauce that I asked since the first plate came out never even came. -
Review from Susanna W.
Palo Alto, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
AMBIANCE: Crowded, noisy, typical Chinese restaurant.
SERVICE: Not completely unfriendly, but man, they were SO pushy. I felt like we were being rushed through everything, from ordering, to eating, to paying the bill. Usually this doesn't bother me THAT much, but this time we had a large group and were trying to catch up after not having seen each other for a while.
FOOD: Meh. Based on our group we ordered a bunch of Americanized Chinese dishes, which I thought only tasted so-so. Everything came out incredibly fast, but for whatever reason was lukewarm and did not look so appetizing. If you're going to order anything at Darda, make sure to order their thick sesame bread. I prefer it without green onions... it is so fragrant and DELICIOUS.
OVERALL: Our group of 10 ordered 8 dishes, 2 thick sesame breads, and rice for $12/person (including tax+tip). The bread alone is 5 stars. My family likes to get it to-go. Everything else... ehhhh. After my last visit, I remember why I usually don't eat here. -
Review from Christine K.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2012
Just take them to Darda. Friend in town? Bad day for your boo? Miss mom? Let Darda help. I mean, what better place for the aromas of home and loud Chinese people than this local joint? There is simply no room for your problems here.
Order the dao xiao mien (knife-cut noodles) in spicy seafood broth, the tofu casserole that is silky tofu covered with a thin layer of egg and rich brown sauce, and the tangy lettuce beef casserole dish. Get a fistful of that sesame chive bread and use your other hand to flag down the waitress for more tea because dinner is going to take a while. -
Review from Angelina M.
Tracy, CA
1/25/2012
Clean and excellent food. Just the staff need to be a little more friendlier and smile a little more. But over all its a great restaurant.
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Review from Kar-mun W.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/6/2012
Very popular Chinese restaurant in this area. Expect a wait during meal times, so go early. Once seated, service is quite fast.
Our family's favorite is the 2 portion live fish dish, which comes as a soup and steamed fresh with soy sauce. The soup is delicious and the fish is fresh. But order with a bigger group, as is enough for 5-6 people.
Other favorite dishes include the Orange beef (crispy!), bean curd casserole, walnut shrimp.
This is one of the handful of Chinese restaurants in the Bay Area that serves halal food (according to Muslim rites). No pork and no alcohol served. Hence you often see a varied clientele here and often middle-eastern and south asian customers too. Very popular with non-Muslim Chinese crowd too!
The manager is friendly towards kids. A few times, he gave out small toys to our kids! -
Review from Becky W.
San Jose, CA
12/27/2011 2 photos
Most of the dishes here are mediocre, but the sesame bread with green onion is so delicious. Warm, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Did I mention how good it smells too?! You must get these bread if you come here! The noodle soup here is pretty good as well, I like the texture of the noodles and the portion is huge. I do like their lamb with sour cabbage noodle soup, but the soup is slightly oily for my taste.
Service is good for Chinese restaurants, haven't had problems. Okay service, decent food, and affordable prices- give it a try if you're in the area! -
Review from Patty L.
Newark, CA
1/3/2012
PROS: Even on a busy New Year's Eve, our order was ready in 15 minutes ( We ordered 10 dishes to pick up). Friendly employees despite how crazy busy it was.
CONS: Either for cost reasons or simply no time, their thin green onion sesame bread has become pan pizza crust thin - half the thickness then before.
Secondly, we ordered ten dishes and one of them was the Bean Curd Casserole.
( we live about 10 to 15 minutes away so I drove to pick this order up. I double checked to make sure I had all the food but...) I got it all home and we enjoyed our meal UNTIL taking a bite of the tofu with egg and sauce casserole...WE FOUND EGG SHELL PIECES. Unfortunately, service and quality should not suffer because of a busy time day. That was just a disaster.
SUGGESTION: I pray that they can read this and improve their standards for correcting cooking mistakes. As the cooks, if you goof up and cannot save the dish for the better of the customer, THEN PLEASE START OVER. Having to pick out egg shell was very sad and ruined the meal.
We will always return to the Milpitas Darda Seafood Restaurant for their overall quality and selection of food. -
Review from Leen K.
Houston, TX
Still my favorite Chinese restaurant in the bay area. My family comes here every time my brother and I are in town. We've tried just about 2/3 of the menu and haven't found a single dish we didn't like. Everything is delicious, generously portioned and comes out fast. The wait can be long if you come on weekends for dinner, try to get there around 5pm because they fill up fast!
Our family's favorite dishes are:
-Lamb with green onions
-Braised scallops
-Honey walnut shrimp
-Short ribs with garlic
-Black bean sauce fish fillets
-Thin sesame bread with scallions1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/19/2011
Every time I return to the bay area, my family always come here at least once. Last night was no… Read more »
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Review from Prima S.
San Jose, CA
1/16/2012
Darda has really delicious food. I last went there with my family during winter break, and let me tell you, it was CROWDED. So many people. I saw Chinese families, Muslim families (since they serve Halal), and even college kids.
It was so crowded, they even gave my table of four a number so they could keep track of who first came in. :/
I had the same experience with service as Susanna W. I felt rushed through the entire thing, and felt like I had no time to socialize with my family and take our time eating. I wonder if it is the same when Darda is not busy.
Food was delicious. Ever since I have been seeing Darda and Fatima's reviews, I have ordered the hand-made noodles and the green onion pancakes because they are cheered on so much. Since the first time we ordered three-flavor home made noodle chow mein, I don't think my family will ever be ordering the regular noodles for our chow mein again xD.
I also tried their steamed dumplings, and they always tell you that it takes a while to steam dumplings but we didn't mind because we had time to wait. The dumplings were delicious. I think they give you six or eight. My family liked the filling. It tastes just like kabobs, so for my mom who is very biased about her food, even she could eat it. :)
Darda gives more quantity than Fatima does, I believe. we came out with leftovers that were all eaten the next day. It was that good.
Oh, and the Chinese restaurant green tea they give you was very hot, but warming at the same time on that cold winter night. -
Review from Agnes L.
San Jose, CA
11/30/2011
I forgot how GOOD Darda is. Came here last Friday for lunch after not having been for a few years.
Ordered:
-Lamb w/Green Onions
-Three Flavor House Noodles
-Potstickers
-Thin Sesame Bread w/Green Onion
(Total came out to ~$41 with tax and tip!)
Service was good and they brought out the dishes pretty quickly, except for the potstickers which came out close to the end of our meal.
Definitely order the lamb and the noodles. SOOO GOOD!
Great portions at great prices. Already planning my next visit! -
Review from El Jefe K.
Stockton, CA
11/28/2011
This was a horrible lunch! HORRIBLE!!! We ordered 3 dishes and they didn't bring out the last one until the very end...after we had already finished and walked up to complain. Despite the stuff being horrible, there was a line! DON'T GO HERE!!!
Did I mention that PANDA EXPRESS IS BY FAR BETTER?! -
Review from Johanne M.
Alameda, CA
11/18/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I was never very fond of lamb but once I tasted Darda's lamb with pickled cabbage soup I was hooked. It didn't have the smell and after taste that usually turned
me off from this type of meat. I also come here for their home made noodle, a chunky type of noodle that they serve fresh. Haven't been able to find another place that makes this type of noodle. The other dish I love is their sesame bread with green onion (thick version). So yummy and chewy.
Dinner time is always crowded so get there early to shorten wait time and find easier parking. -
Review from E W.
Washington, DC
11/19/2011
From May 30, 2011:
My first Halal-Chinese dining experience, and it was yummy.
First time eating the scallion-sesame pita thing, and its delicious and not greasy like the usual Chinese green scallion or thousand layer pancakes.
We lucked out with getting a table before the crowd showed up, so I suggest you get there early for dinners on a Sunday evening. -
Review from Raman S.
Fremont, CA
1/21/2012
This place serves very different Chinese food. I never knew there was a muslim Chinese cuisine. But I was very impressed with the cuisine and the taste. We ordered Sesame bread, Seafood noodle soup, Spicy eggplant, Vegetarian dumpling and a beef dish. The food tasted very good. The place was clean and the service was fast. If you get there early for dinner you can skip the crowd. And they were reasonably priced.
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Review from Saunders C.
San Francisco, CA
11/21/2011
I used to eat here all the time with my family, so when I had the opportunity to make a return visit, I jumped at the chance. Some things were just as I remembered them, others had taken a turn downwards.
The place gets pretty crowded, but if you get there early (by about 6pm), there's no wait. The service is good, although on this visit, just like all the other times I remember, they always try to push the whole fish special. I think we made the mistake of ordering it once and it turns out to be hella expensive. Don't get scammed! Otherwise, the service is good and efficient, the food comes out pretty quickly. I believe this place is Chinese/Islamic? Lots of lamb dishes.
1) Thick sesame onion pancake: I love this stuff. It's basically a big round bread that's pan-fried, so it's crispy on the outside, but on the inside its thick doughy folds hold layers of chopped green onions. It's not exactly a flavor explosion, but it's good when dipped in other stews/sauces.
2) Vegetable pie: It's like a chinese calzone, but it's fried on the outside and the filling is a mix of chives, meat, and noodles. I like the filling, but the fried dough pocket was too oily. Still not too bad.
3) Sizzling rice soup: I never really order this, but it was nice and light, pretty flavorful, although I though the crispy rice tasted a little too fried.
4) Dry bean curd beef: Probably the best dish of the meal. Strips of dried bean curd, beef, chili peppers, and bamboo shoots. Great with rice.
5) Sweet and sour chicken: It was sweet and sour chicken. Not a bad version, but I would suggest trying something more unique on the menu.
6) Seafood pan-fried noodles: Not a lot of noodles, and definitely not the thin noodles that you might get at other chinese restaurants. Lots of seafood, though, but not a very successful effort.
Lastly, I have to admit that not long after the meal, I found that something in it did not agree with me. I'll leave it at that. Still, one of the only places I've seen the sesame green onion pancake, and overall I think it's a good value restaurant with some interesting choices. -
Review from Jim C.
10/27/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The food is good, definitely go for the hand cut seafood noodle soup, and the pancake, I like both kinds, the thick is soft and chewy in the inside, the thin is also good.
The soup and pancake is great lunch combo, beware the soup is huge, enough for 2 people, it's a lot of food for lunch, after eating there, i would wobble back to work in a food coma.
Service is good b/c we're regulars, the food usually shows up quick too. I don't come here anymore ever since my work have them deliver dinner to us when we work late. -
Review from John C.
Dublin, CA
1/16/2012
A family favorite, Darda has very very good Chinese food. It gets extremely busy during lunchtime and the parking lot is commonly full as it is shared with a Ranch 99 and many other stores. The thick sesame bread with green onions is a must have and the homestyle noodles are the best noodles I've ever had. The menu is extensive and prices are excellent for the amount of food you get.
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Review from Christine C.
Pleasanton, CA
1/6/2012
FAST service, and delicious food- what more could you ask for? This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the area and my family and I have been coming here for years. Sometimes we order and, no exaggeration, the food starts coming within 3-4 minutes. I highly recommend the Three flavor House noodle!
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Review from Nasir M.
Milpitas, CA
9/18/2011 4 Check-ins Here
One of the perks of living in Milpitas is having easy access to Darda which as far as I am concerned is the Gold Standard when it comes to Chinese Food.
My family has been coming here for years and for good reason, they have good portions and good quality cuisine. And you actually see Chinese People eating here which is always a good sign. Getting seating on weekends can be tricky, however they do carry out so always keep that option in mind.
The best items on their menu are in my opinion (in order of importance to try) their dumplings, combination chow mein, Mongolian beef, and sesame bread. You could make a meal just out of the dumplings. One thing I like to do is order their sesame bread and mongolian beef and stufff the beef into the bread and have essentially a mongolian beef sandwich. Good shit.
My one beef (don't groan) is that they are stingy with their shrimps in the combination chow mein. In one order you will get maybe 3 or 4 shrimps. Also they lack any real dessert options as far as I could tell. It was my moms birthday and they brought her an orange. A healthy finish to an unhealthy meal.Listed in: Best of the Bay Area:…
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Review from Andrew C.
9/22/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Darda was my first ever place to try out muslim chinese food...and I can say that it definitely lived up to its hype!
I've been here on many occasions with the gf and friends, and each time has been just as busy as the other. My most recent trip was last weekend at 5pm, and we were luckily able to get seated immediately. Even though there's a large dining area, there is usually going to be some small wait, but don't fret because they are efficient in getting their patrons food FAST.
and by fast, i'm talking about...we order, I get up to use the restroom, get back to my table and the green onion pancake bread is laying out there, waiting to be eaten. Soon after that, our beef noodle soup with "dao xiao mian" (basically hand-cut noodles) appear.
I've also tried a variety of their other dishes and what sticks out the most is the Lobster with Clear Glass Noodles...which isn't on the menu but was recommended to me by a friend. I don't think it's possible to go wrong here!
Filling, fast comfort food that you can't go wrong with!
Quick Tip:
1) Hand Cut Noodles
2) Green Onion Pancake Sesame Bread (they have thick/thin, based on preference) -
Review from Chris E.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2011
Like the food here a lot. Gets crowded though during rush hour for both lunch and dinner.
Even though my expectations involving their business ethics are very low, I do get annoyed with the hidden receipts and the extra tip above the added tip for large parties. I just don't pay. Sadly, my Chinese isn't good enough to scribble "nice try" on the receipt. -
Review from Rose C.
Milpitas, CA
7/22/2011
I absolutely love this place. I live very close to where this restaurant is located. Though there are plenty of good places to eat in this plaza, Darda is still one of my favorites!
It's always busy every time my friend & I go, but we never have to wait more than five minutes to get seated. The waiters and waitresses are friendly (my cup of water always gets refilled without me asking), and it's relatively clean.
My FAVORITE is the thick, chewy and saucy three flavor home-made noodle. It has shrimp, chicken, beef, and lots of vegetables. I love dumping hot sauce over it for some heat because it adds to the delicious-ness. Overall- I love this place. Cheap, yummy, and satisfying. -
Review from Christina L.
San Jose, CA
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
How to put this in words...
Let me start with the fact that when one of the people I work with told me about me about this "awesome Chinese place" that caters to both "me and my wife's dietary preferences" (okay so he didn't say that so much like a nutritionist, but basically his wife is a vegetarian and he is not). Then he told me about how he and his wife had been going there forEVER and absolutely love it and can't stop commending the place. At the end he goes, "yea, and it's unique because its Chinese-Muslim food."
WHATT?!?!?! Have you EVER heard of Chinese-Muslim food???
One word. Darda. Darda = Chinese-Muslim.
Anyway, so me and A decided to check this place out for lunch one day and it was DEEEEEEEELICIOUS.
We had a beef dish, lamb dish, and fried rice with sesame green onion pancakes. AAH! I love lamb and A doesn't, so when he said that the lamb was pretty good, all I could feel was SUCCESS, we now had a go to where we can both enjoy EVERYTHING!!!
Darda to me also means... "caters to everyone's dietary preferences" -
Review from Sandra L.
I recommend the Three flavor home made noodle. The noodles are hand pulled, uneven in length, chewy but firm. It includes prawns, beef, and chicken.
Snow pea leaves with garlic (mieu dawh) is good
Dumplings are dry inside and does not have any juice. Nice try but I do not recommend getting these. -
Review from Hanh H.
Hayward, CA
8/9/2011
I went here a few times for their homemade noodles. YUM! It tastes so fresh and you can get it dry or in a soup and they are all fantastic. We got the combination house noodles and it was fantastic. I am a huge fan of the black vinegar so I dunk my noodles in that and it's so good. We also got their egg drop like soup that was really good as well. My boyfriend ordered beef dumplings which he thought were unusual, so he gave it a try and really enjoyed it.
Their fresh sesame breads are the best here. I found a place that sells bread this yummy and delicious. A lot of people always order a bunch of these when they come here.
Try this and all the other great foods and recommend me some great dishes. -
Review from Steph F.
Milpitas, CA
This place is awesome! My family has been going here for years. The service is great, the prices are reasonable, portions are large, and the food is consistently good. The dishes here are a lot less oily/greasy than a lot of other places and the food comes out fast and hot.
We usually come on the weekends for their dim sum. Unfortunately, if you don't read Chinese, it may be a bit hard to order since that section of their menu is only in Chinese.
This place is known for their sesame bread with green onion. There's no place else that serves this that I' m aware of. It comes either thick or thin. We usually order the thinner version. It's super good but very filling!
My weekend favorites consist of fresh soy milk, stick rice rolls with the fried Chinese donut, the homemade knife cut noodles, and the red bean cake. The homemade knife cut noodles here are the best! If you like chewy noodles, you won't be disappointed!Listed in: Weekend favorites
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Review from Jonathan L.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2011
AMBIANCE: Big Asian flair throughout the restaurant. There's not just Chinese decor on the walls but also Islamic photos. It's pretty interesting and added to our dinner conversation. The place was bustling with customers. Good sign of a successful restaurant.
FOOD: We had a variety of dishes but the one that probably stuck out the most was the Peking duck. We got the "liang chi" (literally "two eats") option which meant they used the entire duck. The skin served with buns while the meat and innards were put a soup dish. A definite must if you're with a big group. I also enjoyed the eggplant dish. Overall, the food was great and different from my usual Cantonese food in SF.
PRICE: Good price for what you get. I think we paid around $15 per person for dinner. Not too shabby!
SERVICE: Great service. Our waitress was very patient as we asked for a variety of recommendations. The food came QUICK! 10 minutes tops. I was a bit suspicious but after taking a bite of the food, I quickly forgot about it.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Yum! I enjoyed this place quite a bit. It's one of the rare times I'd recommend a Chinese place to my family who generally stick to their comfort Cantonese food in the city. I will without a doubt be back! -
Review from Tanveer S.
Scottsdale, AZ
8/4/2011
This is a real gem in Milpitas. It's a Halaal (Muslim Kosher) Chinese restaurant. As a result there are no pork dishes in accordance to Halaal practices. The food here is fresh and authentic. The thick sesame bread, home made noodles, hot soup (wonton), and ox tail are amazing must try items.
The service was fairly good. We went with a Chinese speaker, but it appeared that all items could be ordered in English easily. The focus here is on the food, but the ambiance was comfortable. For a large group (we had 10 people), there was a great table with a lazy suzan (or a turntable) in the middle of the table and it was really great for eating family style on the large portions that Darda serves.
I would love to go back and have another great dining experience there soon. Enjoy! -
Review from Bobby A.
Santa Clara, CA
Updated - 1/25/2012
My friends always want to eat there so I ended up there after a long time. This time we all ordered soup, I think mine was mixed but the coworkers ordered cabbage and lamb. What a difference. Much better than there regular dishes. Soup with sesame bread and we were so full. I will go there for soup for sure. Even though soup had same hand made noodles, they tasted better in the soup than in their other dishes.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/11/2011
Yesterday went back for lunch with some friends. We ordered Beef in hot garlic sauce, one lamb dish… Read more »
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Review from kim n.
6/4/2011
Not a lot of Muslim Chinese places that I know of besides Eastern House in SJ. There's no mistake here when you see the huge mural of Mecca. SPicy tripe, Hunan spicy lamb, Braised beef stew, and lamb pan fried noodles rounded out the menu. Co-worker missed the fact that he couldnt get a pork dish and I reminded him that he was a dirty white westerner in a Muslim restaurant :)
We still all liked the food and get a solid meal. -
Review from Jenny M.
7/8/2011
This is a super chinese place (in the sense that the place is full of loud chinese families) but that is what makes it seem so family-like. I also have some personal attachment (is that the right word?) to this place because we always ate here for dinner on the way home from family Tahoe ski-trips.
Their noodle soups are the BEST because the bowls are huge (definitely more than enough for one person), cheap, and the noodles are homemade! You have not had good noodles until you've tried homemade chinese noodles. Their appetizers (like green onion pancakes) are also very good and served in large portions. Service is generally fast and pretty friendly, but it can get pretty hectic.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Milpitas Square -
Review from Grace C.
San Jose, CA
6/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurant to go to in Ranch 99 plaza.
The wait can be long during the weekends, so be sure to have an hour to kill before eating.
Dishes you must try:
-Sesame seed & green onion pancake
-Handmade knife cut noodles
4/5 stars because their service is crap. The waitress always seem to pissed off at the world and up-sell their "live" foods. I always get the same waitress that almost bullies you into getting something you don't really want and gives you dirty looks when you disagree with her.
If they work on their customer service, Darda is a great place to take a family to eat. They have another location in Cupertino, Fatima Restaurant. -
Review from Sbh H.
Sunnyvale, CA
12/11/2011
First time visit here and we were very satisfied! Enjoyed the beef pot stickers and the salt and pepper shrimp. All fresh and tasty!
