Lanzhou Noodle Bar

This Chinese noodle bar near Leicester Square tube is cheap, fast and open into the early hours. The main attraction is the hand-pulled noodles, which are made to order. There are two types: la mian (which are stretched repeatedly and end up looking like fat spaghetti), or the dao xiao mian (where the dough is formed into a long loaf, then strips of dough are quickly sliced off the loaf directly into boiling water). These are served in three variations: in a soup, dry, or fried. The hundred-plus permutations include: vegetable with seafood; chicken or duck; pork, including pig's ear and stomach; and beef. Be warned that it's a humble place, and many of the other dishes – the ones slathered with brightly coloured sauces in the window, for example – are not the choicest of the options.