Xi’an food is the spawn of the ancient Silk Road, a two-way path connecting the East to the West where spice, silk, art, food, languages and everything besides changed hands. Xi’an Biang Biang opens in July 2018 and specialises in the food of Xi’an – the capital of the Shaanxi Province famed for hand-pulled “belt” noodles, slicked in oil fragranced with lip tingling Sichuan pepper corns and ring stinging chilli. There’s also smacked cucumber salads and jellyfish salads that come with glistening hot oil too; pork burgers; and hand pleated dumplings feature too. It’s the Silk Road right in Spitalfields and another addition to London’s essential Xi’an Chinese restaurants. The canteen style venue has wipe-down laminated menus with pictures if you’re stuck and is run by the same folk as Xi’an Impression in case you wanted to know and that review can be seen here.
Signature pork dumplings £6.20 come with a dense ivory coloured wrapper so they don’t disintegrate in the hot water they’re blanched in, then their doused in fiery oil, vinegar and soy. We found ourselves dredging the dumplings into the dark powerful liquid.
Chicken and veg pot stickers £6.80 are crisp and compelling, especially when they make friends with the shimmering chilli oil.
The main event were the hand pulled noodles, so called “biang biang noodles” for their elastic nature when stretched and whacked against the surface they’re being bounced on – biang biang is the noise that it makes apparently. They’re long and come with a really satisfying gummy chew here – it comes in a pool that fiery oil, punched up with soy, black vinegar and Sichuan pepper. It definitely makes itself heard on the palate.
Wok-seared choi sum £7.90 with anti-social amounts of garlic does it’s thing with gusto too.
Verdict
When did I go? Oct 2018
The damage: Expect to pay £20/30 per head sans booze
The good: For £20 you could get a taste of Xi’an right in Spitalfields, the slippery biang biang noodles submerged in that bold fiery liquor is the way to go. They are intensely satisfying. Don’t just take my word for it, check it out for yourself.
The bad: Don’t come here to linger, but to be fed and sent on your way.
Rating: 3.5/5
Would I go again? Yeah
Address: 62 Wentworth St, Spitalfields, London E1 7AL
Web: http://xianbiangbiangnoodles.com
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