Xi’an Noodles

I first went to Xi’an Noodles back in like 2016 or 2017…a long long time ago. My friend actually found it on yelp and was like let’s try it! So we drove all the way from Kent to Udisctrict for some noodles. Seems crazy, right? It was so worth it though and I would drive that distance again and again to get these hand pulled noodles. We walked in, very unsure of what to order or how this place worked – we thought, do we sit down? order at the counter? We had no clue and there was no one in front of us, so we probably looked like deer in headlights. But we grabbed a menu and headed up to the front to see how this went. Their menu was simple, but still has a lot of options and can be difficult to navigate if you aren’t familiar with chinese cuisine. This place is all about the noodles, so you aren’t going to find your Sesame Chicken or Fried Rice at this place. What you will find though is some delicious noodles and a friendly staff eager to serve you! This first time I came here was certainly not my last and you can ask all of my friends and family that visit me, this is one of the places I always take visitors because it is unique and so tasty. Sure, it is a drive from where I am located, but if the food is good enough you won’t even be bothered by the traffic. My go to order here is the Spicy Tingly Beef Hand Ripped Noodles without soup – if you aren’t one for spice, don’t fret. I am not a spice girl, but this spicy tingly beef was the flavorful spice that I enjoy! It does leave your tongue a bit tingly, as the name suggests, but not that fire burning that gets hotter with each bite. Normally if a dish has the hot heat, I am unable to finish it or even make it further than a few bites because the spice just won’t stop – but I was able to make it through the entire bowl of noodles and it was the kind of spice I craved. After a few bites, I was almost addicted to the tinglyness on my tongue and kept wanting to eat more to experience it. My second favorite dish is the Tomato Egg Hand Ripped Noodles – this has little to no spice and is a great option for vegetarians. The combination of tomato and egg reminds me of a dish I used to eat almost every day when I lived in China, so this brought back memories instantly. They do also offer several noodle dish with soup and those are perfect for the cold, rainy winters in Seattle because you get a hot bowl of soup, with delicate noodles that will warm you up from the inside out. Make sure to grab a plate of their Wontons in Chili Oil for the table to share, actually grab 2 orders because 1 plate won’t be enough because these wontons are FIRE – not in the hot way, but in the “I want to eat a million of them” way. If you haven’t been to Xi’an Noodles add this spot to your list. It is exceptional food that is prepared fresh and you can tell the amount of work and love that goes in to each dish. The shop is definitely a diamond in the rough, but those places often make the best dishes and are sometimes overlooked – but trust me, don’t sleep on this spot! For their menu click here.