"Tower Hill—the void between the City and the Tower of London—is somewhere we never want to be. But this restaurant serving dishes from the Shaanxi province in northwestern China justifies weaving between confused tourists at one of the city’s most annoying junctions. The standard of excellence at Dream Xi’an is just as high as it is at the restaurant’s sister locations Xi’an Impression and Master Wei, and there’s room in the comfortable, red-accented space for everyone. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch City workers clock off with a cold Tsingtao, crews conduct three-hour catch-ups over wonderfully chewy, must-order beef tripe skewers, and solo diners settle in with a book as servers refresh teapots. You won’t totally shake off anorak-clad sightseers, as many wander in. But what they don’t know is that Dream Xi’an’s noodles are the real crown jewels to seek out in this part of town. Each makes a satisfying bowl for one person, but really you want to attack this menu en masse so you can try them all. Food Rundown photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Combos With Beancurd Skin And Tripe This combo dish comes with delightfully chewy tripe skewers and beancurd skewers bathing in a spicy, nutty sesame and chilli oil sauce. The tripe version is worth a trip all on its own, and the beancurd is nearly as good. You may as well order this combo and get a selection of both. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Beef Biang Biang Noodles The belt noodles are a signature dish at Xi’an Impression, Master Wei, and Dream Xi’an for good reason. They’re bouncy, in a chilli sauce with nuggets of tender beef. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Xi’an Liangpi Noodles With Sesame Sauce Slick with chilli oil and served cold, these narrow noodles are joined by strips of tofu and cucumber. An essential bowl to add to the party. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Potato Slivers An honourary noodle dish that deserves space on your table, and in your stomach and heart. The vinegary, thinly cut matchsticks are stir-fried and peppered with dried chilli. Qishan Hand-Pulled Noodles With Pork In Soup This steaming bowl of hot, sour soup with thin Qishan-style noodles should be prescribed as an antidote to every dreary day. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Stir-Fried Ho-Fun Rice Noodles With Beef Sometimes it’s easy to overlook dishes that are ubiquitous on London’s Chinese restaurant menus, but this ho fun is a cut above. It hums with the flavour of wok hei and is wonderfully balanced." - Daisy Meager
