XI AN NOODLE HOUSE
I was taking myself on a well-deserved solo date when I discovered this literal hole in the wall. A google search for ‘Biang Biang noodles in the CBD’ treated me to a trusty Reddit post listing Xi an Noodle House as a go to. Hidden within the food court of the Meriton Precinct just off George St, Xi an Noodle House is quaint and very no fuss beyond their red lantern canopy and communal free soup bowl. Now there’s almost no information for them on google, no menu, nada. Even their opening hours are incorrect, I can vouch for that after the numerous times I have showed up to closed doors. It really is fate if you can find yourself on those wooden tables slurping down their exceptional noodles. And personally, I think all this mystery equates to some pretty freaking good food.
I can’t speak on too many items on their menu because I obviously came for one reason and I struggle to stray from something tried and true. Titled chilli oil spilt noodles in their endless binder of a menu, they are just simply noodles bathing in a chilli oil with a few scattered green vegetables for balance. Once you mix everything together, this bowl sits below you like an artwork. Bright orange noodles slithering around the green of the pak choy, an acidic smell wafting. Taste wise, this dish is unmatched. A vinergary, garlicy mixture that’s come straight down from heaven. The starchiness of the incredibly wide and thick noodles do nothing but compliment the acidity of the dish and the perfectly steamed pak choy assist in that balance of spice and health implications. Be cautious with that spice (nothing a pro can’t handle)!
MY RECS
Now you can’t visit a Chinese restaurant without getting dumplings. The ones I ordered, the pan-fried pork dumplings, were chunky packages of the juiciest pork mince. They are fried to perfection, a grand contrast of the crunchy wrapper with the soft and tender meat.
This is one of those places you need to go to. No scanning of the menu before, no trying to organise it as a dinner plan (because you actually can’t). It’s ideal for a lunch visit, a hefty and very cheap lunch consisting of good freaking noodles and good freaking dumplings. Lucky you if you ever manage to make a visit.
