Xi’an Cuisine
Hi! I’m Liang, also known as @hotcheetomama on the ‘gram.
You know that saying, “food is life”? Well, it literally is for me! I love food so much, I made a living out of it. Previously, I worked as a coffee scientist, and recently switched to the meat science industry. When I’m not working on food projects, you can find me in the kitchen, whipping up some multicultural dishes, or exploring the delectable wonders within Chicago.
Being a Bridgeport resident, I will always support restaurants on the South Side. There’s something incredibly enchanting about leaving the skyscrapers in the heart of downtown and venturing past the “Roosevelt” stop on the train. In Bridgeport, there is still a grittiness about the neighborhood, which is slowly softening around the edges, despite being dotted with warehouses and industrial spaces, a reminder of its blue collar past and present residents.
I am lucky to live equidistant from Pilsen and Chinatown, two of the best neighborhoods for affordable eats. Chinatown has a special place in my heart, redolent of college nostalgia. I spent many a late night with good friends, celebrating the end of exams with a steaming bowl of noodles that warmed the soul.
Today, I wanted to share with you my favorite unsuspecting “hole in the wall” joint in Chinatown: Xi’an Cuisine. Nestled toward the end of Cermak Road in the beginning of “Old Chinatown,” it is easy to see how patrons could miss this spot and head straight for the shiny dim sum displays within “New Chinatown.”
Walking into the restaurant, the décor is nothing to write home about. The restaurant adopts a no frills policy, with booth seating sagging slightly from years of use, and the type of fluorescent lighting that is every Instagram foodie’s nightmare. The menu itself is not very extensive—Xi’an Cuisine breaks it down for you pretty simply: appetizers, noodles, and their infamous Chinese lamb buns, also known as “rou jia mo” (肉夹馍). Shaanxi province in China, where the city of Xi’an is located, is known for
having a large Muslim Chinese population, and the lamb heavy cuisine reflects it. Xi’an Cuisine expertly highlights lamb in many of its entrees. The entrees will run you about $10 maximum, and the restaurant itself is BYOB. Score!
My recommendations are to start off with several of their lamb kebabs ($1.50), which are alternating pieces of juicy lamb meat and fat strung along skewers and chargrilled. The meat is succulent, a little bit charred on the outside, and coated with addictive cumin seasoning. If you’re an adventurous eater, get the pig ears – they’re a cold dish with a clean flavor and pairs perfectly with Tsingtao beer. You can’t forget to try their “rou jia mo”, which is your choice of ground protein in a savory soy sauce, served on two homemade buns. The buns are crispy from being pan fried on the outside, but are steaming soft on the inside.
My husband and I have tried the hand pulled noodles, which is another specialty of theirs. We found most of their hand pulled noodles to be a bit tame for our aggressive seasoning loving palates. However, two of their noodle dishes pleasantly surprised us by being the perfect balance of the 3 “S”: savory, salty, and sweet.
The first dish is their “biang bian mian”, a combination of hand pulled noodles, a tangy tomato based sauce, chopped vegetables, and ground pork. Each element of the dish complements one another, creating a complex flavor explosion with each bite.
The other noodle dish we loved was the “cumin lamb stir fried noodles,” which is an interesting twist on lamb. Thick pieces of noodles similar to udon in texture are stir fried in a piping hot wok, creating a smoky flavor from the “wok hei” (“breath of the wok” in Chinese). Tender pieces of lamb complete the dish. A heaping pile of these noodles makes for a fun and easy dish to share on a date – just think, recreating Lady and the Tramp’s spaghetti scene.
Not only does the unassuming décor feel comfortable, the service at Xi’an Cuisine makes patrons feel at home. Every time I eat here, I always see the same servers and hostess, who are quick on their feet to constantly refill waters while effortlessly cracking jokes. Definitely give Xi’an Cuisine a try, you won’t regret it, and invite me along when you visit! ☺
xoxo
– Liang