These hand-pulled noodles bring a little theater to Chinatown’s dining scene. At 1915 Lanzhou Hand Pulled Noodles and Dumplings, the chefs pull the noodles into thin, regular, thick, thicker, wide, extra wide and prism shapes right before your eyes. Once they’re done, they’re dropped into a broth that’s been simmering for hours, then finished with daikon and a generous portion of dark chili oil.
The vibe: Come for the spectacle, stay for the meal. Watching noodles pulled in the open kitchen seems like the main event—but only until you take the first bite of your bouncy noodles.
The food: Noodles come in a huge variety of widths (from hair-thin to wide ribbons to triangular “prism” cuts), each resulting in a different mouthfeel. Dumplings, served in red chili oil or pan-fried to crisp on the outside, soft on the inside perfection, are not to be missed.
The drink: No-frills teas and soft drinks keep the focus squarely on the noodles.
Time Out tip: Skip the “regular” noodles and go for broke. Triangular Lanzhou prism noodles—with their three springy ridges built to grip sauce—are a marvel of both gluten and geometry.