1919 Lanzhou Beef Noodle

There are seven noodle shapes to choose from at this perpetually busy strip mall joint, each with its own appeal. The wide ones offer extra springy texture, while thin, angel hair noodles are better suited for soup. No matter which you pick, you’ll have a view of the in-house noodle master swinging long strands like a ribbon dancer. The move is to get the house special beef noodle combination, which comes with a tea egg or fried egg (get the tea egg), a cold side dish (go with the hot-and-sour kelp), and a drink. Dry noodle options are great, too, like vegetarian cold noodles or stir-fried noodles with a choice of protein.

photo credit: Matt Gendal