Guirong Wei is raising the profile of Shaanxi food
With Xi’an Impression in Highbury, Master Wei in Bloomsbury and Hammersmith, and now Dream Xi’an in Tower Hill to her name, Guirong Wei has been building a loyal following thanks to her excellent food but she’s hit a whole new level thanks to a turn on Netflix’s Chef’s Table.
Dream Xi’an is her largest restaurant and it was bustling on the very chilly November night we stopped by – whether or not it’s all Netflix’s doing, people are clearly seeking out her Shaanxi food.
Eat This
A bigger restaurant means a bigger kitchen, which means Dream Xi’an is able to offer a relatively extensive menu. Hand-pulled noodles are the most famous food from this northwestern Chinese province, where there is a long tradition of producing wheat-based foods. Biangbiang noodles are Guirong’s signature dish, and though the beef served with ours could have been a touch more tender, the thick, chewy belt noodles swimming in a chilli sauce really are standout. Forget about making a mess, just dive on in and slurp away.
Breads are also common in northern China and the pulled pork ‘burger’, or rou jia mao, showcases the bread-making tradition from Shaanxi, with a dense leavened flatbread bun encasing a rich braised pork filling.
Whatever you order, you can expect plenty of seasoning, plenty of umami, and lots of texture. The smacked cucumbers drenched in a sesame and chilli oil dressing are a must, and there’s also an addictive yellow bean, chilli oil, sesame oil and vinegar sauce that accompanies the nicely rubbery beancurd skins. The salt and pepper spare ribs are great for a bit of crunch, and the dry fried green beans, flecked with chilli and salty minced pork, comes in a mountainous portion – we ate the lot.
Drink This
There’s a handful of wines and some classic cocktails on the menu, but keep it simple with a Tsingtao, or a jasmine tea if you’re off the sauce.
Why Go
If you’ve not had Guirong’s biangbiang noodles yet, you need to change that but there are also plenty of Xi’an specialties on offer that aren’t as common on other Chinese restaurant menus. You really need multiple visits to try it all so you might as well start now.
Key Information
Address | Tower Place, London, EC3R 5BU
For more information | dreamxian.co.uk
