Xi'an BiangBiang Noodles Aldgate East Branch
Chinese noodle restaurant · Spitalfields ·
Hand-pulled noodles, wontons, and smacked cucumber salads
Hand-pulled noodles, wontons, and smacked cucumber salads
"Xi’an Impression is London’s outstanding Xi’an Chinese restaurant and chef-owner Wei Guirong’s small, unassuming restaurant is a specialist in hand-pulled noodles. The most famous are “biang biang” (so called for the noise they make when being stretched and hit against a work surface): Long ribbons of dough noodles arrive coated in a deep, earthy seasoning, with blanched Shanghai bok choy; garnished with hot oil, chopped garlic, spring onions, and ground chilli." - Adam Coghlan
"The Spitalfields sister site to Xi’an Impression is roomier than the original — which means there’s every chance of being able to walk straight in and sit down to hand-pulled belt noodles with braised beef or spicy cumin lamb, wontons and chongqing noodles in hot and numbing broth. The chicken in chilli oil makes for a mind-focusing Monday lunch after a heavy weekend." - Emma Hughes
"A large canteen in Spitalfields, Xi’an Biang Biang’s range of noodles — in both type and topping — makes it well suited for groups who have different priorities in texture and spicing." - James Hansen
"With its canteen-style feel Xi’an Biang Biang has the right vibe for solo dining — get the liang pi, slippery and chewy and slick, and the Chongqing-style noodle soup." - Sam Orbaum, James Hansen
"A sort-of sister site to London’s outstanding Xi’an Chinese restaurant in Highbury, Xi’an Impression. Co-owner Zhang Chao, along with Sichuanese head chef Li Liang, has brought to Spitalfields Xi’an’s regional specialities: Wide hand-pulled “belt” noodles, covered in an umami-rich Sichuan peppercorn, soya-based sauces, and chilli oil — served with Chinese greens; braised beef; or cumin-spiced lamb. Elsewhere there are refreshing cold skin noodles, with sesame or chilli dressings; smacked cucumber salads; boneless poached chicken in special sauce, and wonton and Qishan soups." - Adam Coghlan, James Hansen