Xi'an Famous Foods (East Village)

Xi'an Famous Foods, 129 2nd Ave

Cumin-heavy hand-ripped noodles from a New York-only chain

Hours

Daily 11:30-21:30 (this branch)

Budget

$10-20 per person

Address

129 2nd Ave

A New York chain serving the noodle dishes of Xi'an in Shaanxi, China, best known for wide, thick noodles ripped by hand. The signatures are Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles and a numbing spicy beef version. It isn't tongue-numbing like mala, but the spices hit hard. You order at a kiosk and pick up yourself in a small shop, which makes eating alone easy. It's where people go when burgers and pizza wear thin and they want something spicy.