Western Chinese restaurant chain Bites of Xi’an has officially opened a new location at 1711 Second Avenue (between 88th and 89th streets). According to the business’ Instagram page, the new spot first welcomed guests on October 23.
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Bites of Xi’an opened its first establishment in 2013, according to its website. The Upper East Side location marks its sixth storefront. The eatery specializes in hand-pulled noodle dishes, hand-made dumplings and rou jia mo—which is essentially a Chinese hamburger that is a popular street food in parts of China.
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“Whether you’re looking for classic Szechuan dishes or more unique and authentic options, we’re confident that our menu has something for everyone,” the restaurant’s website states.
It’s a small space but there are a couple of tables and counter seats.
The cuisine of Xi’an, the capital city of Shaanxi province located in the far west of the country, is famous for its status as an ancient Chinese imperial capital and as the Silk Road’s easternmost departure point. It is also widely known for the incredible collection of Terracotta Army soldiers that were discovered there in 1974. The city “has long been an important crossroads for people from throughout China, Central Asia, and the Middle East,” according to UNESCO.
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This confluence of cultures resulted in the city’s famous fusion cuisine, which blends more well-known Chinese ingredients with foods and flavors that are more associated with the Muslim cuisines of Central Asia and beyond. In addition to dishes like Diao Diao noodle and buckwheat noodles, Bites of Xi’an also offers things like Liang Pi, a “cold skin rice noodle,” and “water basin mutton,” according to its menu.
This author tried the Dry Noodle with Chicken and Spicy Red Pepper. The dish’s delicious spiciness was a perfect pairing for the crisp chicken and freshly pulled noodles, which are being constantly stretched and prepared in the kitchen. Other customers were enjoying pork and chive dumplings and beef noodle soup.
Bites of Xi’an marks the latest Western Chinese restaurant to open in the neighborhood, after the similar-sounding (and much more famous) Xi’an Famous Foods opened up at 328 E. 78th St. (between First and Second avenues) back in 2014.
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Counter service, apparently.