Albert T.
Yelp
I've been to Lan City in Ypsi many times over the years, but I never had the chance to try out this new location until now! Instead of sit-down service, as with the original location, this Lan City Noodle offers counter service in a spacious, updated space. Ordering was really easy, and we chose two of our favorites.
Hot Pepper Oil Noodle ($13.25) - The rendition at Lan City Ypsi is fantastic, with a fragrant, tangy, garlicky, exceptionally savory and slightly sweet taste that punches you right in the mouth on the first bite. Super delicious and is the reason I always come back to this dish. The rendition served at this Lan City location seems to be a bit different, with the barest hint of spice despite a red-orange pool of shimmering oil and absolutely no mala mouth numbing elements as promised in the menu description. The dish is served with biang biang noodles - irregular and about 1 inch in width, made in the window to the kitchen right behind the order counter. You can hear the thunk of the dough as it's being pulled. The thickness is a little inconsistent, with most being on the thinner side and being a bit overcooked, reducing the amount of chew. The thicker pieces retain the chewy texture, but on average, the noodles are a bit overdone. It's an imperfect canvas for the symphony of flavors this dish has to offer, although the crags do allow for the minced garlic, oil, and very savory broth to cling on with each noodle slurp. For being a mostly dry noodle dish, I found there to be too much soup at the bottom of the bowl. The dish also includes a lot of sliced, blanched bok choy, cooked perfectly. There must be at least two heads of bok choy included - additional veggies are always welcome! My review may sound a bit critical, but this is still a dish I would come back for time and time again. (4/5)
Chongqing Noodle Soup ($13.25) - This dish has a mild spice that hits the back of the throat. The broth is smoky and fragrant but isn't nearly as spicy as other Chongqing noodles I've had and again is almost entirely missing the mala brought on by Sichuan peppercorns. The initial spoonful of soup captures the thick layer of chili oil floating on the soup, but it then transitions into a savory, but extremely salty, stock underneath. The noodles here are long and cooked perfectly, with a nice chew as you eat. If you slurp, you risk flinging drops of oil everywhere. There's a couple of leaves of blanched bok choy, a bit of preserved vegetables, soybeans, diced garlic, and tender ground pork adorning the dish, but when you mix them in, they get a bit lost in the soup physically and flavor-wise. It's still very tasty, but if you're looking for a fiery hot, mouthnumbing soup, this is not it. I wonder if it's toned down a bit? (4/5)
One of my favorite chili crisps is sold at the Ypsilanti Lan City Noodle location. It's spicy, super fragrant, complex from multiple chilis, with a wok hei smokiness. The one served here in the dishes and provided at the table has most of the same characteristics, but the spiciness is a bit muted. In fact, I went home afterwards and tried out some of the chili crisp from the pint I bought last year. There's a heat that starts mildly but builds up over 30 seconds. I didn't feel that heat at all from the batch in the restaurant. I wonder why?
While this location of Lan City Noodle rates a bit lower than the original location, I still highly recommend eating here. The food, although not as spicy as required, still captures the extremely fragrant and savory elements as expected of the dishes. In fact, I may actually choose this location over the original in the future simply because the ordering experience is superior.
Bathrooms - Two larger bathrooms with multiple stalls. Air hand dryer only.
Overall rating of the food this visit: 4/5
