Pulled noodles are the stars at Lanzhou Ramen - Review - Atlanta - The Infatuation

"Peek through the kitchen viewing window to check out the Lanzhou Ramen chefs stretching and dangling long strands of noodles from their hands. Not many places in the city are doing hand-pulled noodles, so the mesmerizing show almost feels like a flex. But if anything, it's just showcasing the feature that makes this Buford Highway spot a ramen favorite. Once you grab a table in the low-key dining room, the next (and not-so-hard) step is mulling over what type of noodle dish you want. The stir fry noodle plates are a wise choice. Yet, the Lanzhou ramen here is like opening the door to a presidential suite—super luxurious with a level of comfort you never knew existed. The noodles are silky with just the right amount of chew. A generous portion of those noodles dance in a clear, beefy broth that could win its own awards. Plus, we appreciate that you can pick your preferred noodle thickness (we usually do regular but there’s no wrong size). And the customization keeps going with protein choices like ox-tail, shrimp, and duck. The beef, served in thick meaty slices, is our favorite out of the 19 options. photo credit: Sarah Newman video credit: Sarah Newman photo credit: Sarah Newman photo credit: Sarah Newman Pause Unmute For those among us who are not noodle lovers (sorry to those friends), Lanzhou Ramen has plenty of other Chinese dishes to fill the void like sweet Mongolian beef or giant steamed pork buns. Those options handily prove Lanzhou Ramen isn't just a one-hit wonder. And that's evident by an steady stream of diners at tables packed with a variety of plates and a constant parade of takeout warriors clutching plastic bags on their way out. We don't have X-ray vision, but we'd guess most of the containers mirror what's on the tables and most definitely including some form of their perfect hand-pulled noodles. Food Rundown Hand-Pulled Noodle Soup You come here for this ramen. There are 19 protein options for this so it all comes down to personal preference. We go for the top-billed beef. The slices are thick, and it pairs well with the beefy broth. photo credit: Sarah Newman Mongolia Beef Usually you can barely see the plate that holds this heaping pile of beef and onions. It’s the typical thinly cut strips of beef, coated in a sticky, sweet glaze. And it's good enough to prove you can (and should) order something in addition to the noodles. photo credit: Sarah Newman Steamed Pork Buns You get five of these per order, and you’ll likely want more, so just order two. The buns are soft and doughy and contain a little ball of minced pork inside that doesn’t need a flavor assist from sauces. photo credit: Sarah Newman Fried Chive Pancake There’s nothing to hate here. It’s fried, flaky, and the chive flavor comes through just enough without being overpowering. photo credit: Sarah Newman" - Juli Horsford