Like many people, I became obsessed with Xi'an's Famous Foods after one acne-inducing bite of their infamous cold skin noodles. That's why I was uber excited to eat at Biang, where I was able to properly enjoy cheap Xi'an cuisine without having to worry about rickety taped-up chairs collapsing underneath us.
Biang is known for their selection of rustic hand-ripped noodles, once considered the poor man's meal. Unfortunately, the noodles didn't turn out like I had hoped for; they were clumped, and the thickness rendered them bland. But the meat toppings, complemented by braised cabbage, were succulent and tender.
The first bowl held chili lamb slices with hand-ripped noodles. Eventually, the heat and spices became overwhelming. They managed to go a little overboard with the chili oil.
For the spice-averse, there's the tender oxtail, which is stewed in a light soy sauce infused with star anise and tea.
The stewed pork belly in the third bowl, which sounded rather plain on the menu, stood out by far. The fat and lean meat melded together to make for the most luscious, savory bite if pork belly I've ever had.
We ordered over a dozen cumin and chili rubbed lamb skewers for the table. The smokey lamb is tender and occasional nibs of fat melt easily when chewed.
The chilled quail, marinated in light soy, was the unsuspected highlight, served alongside a vinegary salad of cilantro, celery heart, cucumber, and scallion. The meat was surprisingly delicate; I had been expecting to wrestle it off the bones.
In short, Biang offers street food in a non-chaotic, clean setting. (And possibly more hygienic too?!) Cumin, vinegar, chili oil / powder, and scallion seem to dominate the menu and are deemed "proprietary spices" on the menu, and I don't mind. Not one bit. I will be back once my BBQ lamb skewer craving sets in again sometime this summer.
....And strawberry shortcake style birthday cake from Paris Baguette to finish: I typically prefer cakes from Asian-inspired bakeries because I find Western pastries overwhelmingly sweet and dense. Cool whipped frosting, spongy cake, and fresh plump strawberries ended the spice-packed meal nicely.
....And strawberry shortcake style birthday cake from Paris Baguette to finish: I typically prefer cakes from Asian-inspired bakeries because I find Western pastries overwhelmingly sweet and dense. Cool whipped frosting, spongy cake, and fresh plump strawberries ended the spice-packed meal nicely.
Happy birthday Christine!
Biang
41-10 Main Street
Flushing, New York
