Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃

"Xi’an Famous Foods, which started in Golden Mall, has become one of New York City's preeminent homegrown chains. It was a notable feature of Golden Mall, helping the venue gain citywide notoriety." - Emma Orlow

"The Xian Famous Foods Cookbook signed by Jason Wang, $28 While we all checked Instagram incessantly this year, the owner of this iconic western Chinese restaurant wrote a cookbook. Think of buying it as a way to unlock Xi’an Famous Foods at home, especially while some of the restaurant’s locations remain closed. This book is full of recipes for dishes we love (like the spicy, hand-ripped biang-biang noodles and the famous burger) as well as in-depth stories behind each one and personal stories from the owner about Xi’an’s 15 years of making all of our lives better." - Hannah Albertine

"The original Xi’an Famous Foods opened in a food stall in 2005 in the Golden Shopping Mall in Flushing, serving excellent western Chinese noodles and soups. While that stall (and mall) has since closed, you can still find Xi’an Famous Foods’ spicy, satisfying Chinese dishes all around the city (including at their Flushing location on Main Street and in Woodside not too far away). Get the spicy, cumin lamb hand-ripped biang-biang noodles. The noodles are wide, chewy, and coated in a spicy vinegar-soy sauce. It’s one of our favorite things to eat anywhere in the city, and it costs less than $10. Otherwise, add on a cucumber salad and a spicy lamb or a pork burger served in a thin, warm bun. If you’re vegan or vegetarian, know that the liang pi cold skin noodles are just as delicious as the meaty options. Xi’an’s Flushing location is currently open for takeout, delivery, and covered outdoor dining in their backyard. Stop by from Monday to Saturday for lunch or dinner." - Hannah Albertine

"Xi’an Famous Foods opened in 2005 as a basement stand in Flushing’s Golden Shopping Mall. Since then, it’s grown to 13 locations sharing the mouth-tingling cuisine of China’s northwest Sichuan province. Though renowned for its delightful hand-ripped noodle plates, Xi’an’s standout snack offering is its spicy cumin lamb “burger” — sliced lamb, toasted chili seeds, and long-horn peppers layered in a crispy flatbread bun. For those who can’t stand the heat, a stewed pork belly burger is equally satisfying." - Dan Q. Dao

"More rarely, I would take him along on my jaunts to Flushing, where we ate our way through the Golden Mall, testing the original location of Xi’an Famous Foods." - Robert Sietsema