Caroline C.
Yelp
In the depths of Dublin winter, surrounded by a plethora of brown, dull, and tasteless foods Xi'an Street Food is a shining beacon of hope. It promises tasty noodles, a warm cozy shop front, and plenty of Instagrammable food pics. Just, please, don't order the spice bag.
Vibes:
I was instantly charmed by this place. It's simple, casual, interior and open-plan kitchen centers the experience on the food. It was clean, modern, bright, and trendy and a very accessible foray into Shaanxi cuisine. That being said, most of the other diners already knew their way around a pair of chopsticks- I took this as a good sign. There were girlfriends out on shopping trips together snapping pics of their colorful soup bowls and little kids in their strollers being fed noodles by their mums and dads. If Chinese culture has a word for Hygge this would be it.
Experience:
Perched at the counter I could glimpse the chefs hand-stretching and pulling noodles and tending to pans of spicy shimmering liquids, which was a special treat. The one downside I have to report (and the main reason this restaurant receives a 4 star instead of a 5) is that I waited over 20 minutes for my food. It wasn't very crowded but they seemed to have a steady stream of Deliveroo bikers fetching take-out from the kitchen. Fortunately, it was well worth the wait.
Taste:
Three words: Home. Made. Noodles. There's something about biting into a pile of these that makes you wonder why anyone even bothers with the ones that come out of a box. It is rumored that the Chinese taught the Italians how to make noodles, and if that's true then they learned from the true masters who've been making and eating noodles for approx. 4,000 years. I ordered the classic Xi'an Biang Biang noodles with beef and it did not disappoint. It was a colorful bowl of thickly ribboned noodles (like a pappardelle) with a few small, very tender, cubes of beef. The sauce is a chili-based oil with finely chopped veg. like green bean, carrot, and pickled cabbage that added little bursts of crisp texture and flavor to complement the noodles. I ordered mine medium spicy, but to be honest it didn't have that much kick, so if you like some spice in life ask for it! I also noticed a lot of diners ordering the Roujiamo and they seemed to really be enjoying them. Roujiamo is classic street food fare- sandwich buns filled with chopped spicy meat.
$$:
Almost all the dishes here are priced at 10 Euro, with side orders of noodles, rice, or veg. at 5 Euro. Most of the groups ordered multiple dishes to share amongst themselves. However, the dish I ordered was more than enough for one.
Solo Diners:
I am happy to report Xi'an Street Food is solo diner friendly! When you order you have the option for take-out or dining in. There are also counters available for single diners so it's not awkward if you fancy a quick bite on your own.You can even tap into a certain burger joint's wifi from across the street if you need some entertainment while you wait.