Let’s talk about a classic New York spot for delicious, fast-casual Chinese food, shall we? Xi’an Famous Foods, which has several locations around the city, is super popular for good reason. The chain of restaurants focuses on Western Chinese fare, and I’m particularly fond of their hand-ripped (or pulled) noodles! They’re perfectly tender yet chewy, and come offered in a variety of sauces and soups (think stewed oxtail, spicy beef, & pork belly). I’m partial to the spicy cumin lamb version: Xi’an’s wide hand-ripped biangbiang noodles topped with sauteed slices of spicy cumin lamb, seasoned with a proprietary sauce consisting of soy sauce and vinegar, and served in lamb broth. BRB, drooling!

For a tasty vegetarian option, definitely check out the spicy & sour spinach dumplings. These are classic boiled Chinese dumplings, stuffed with a filling of ground spinach, eggs, wood-ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles, and then wrapped with green flour wrappers made with spinach juice. They’re served in a sour and spicy sauce, and garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds- yes please! The spicy cumin lamb burger is another fave of mine- a bit different than your traditional burger, of course, but delicious nonetheless. I’m a big fan of the warm & crispy flatbread-like bun it comes on. Pro tip- get an order of the spicy cucumber salad, and add some to the burger for an extra flavorful meal! If you’re craving Asian cuisine in NYC, I highly recommend checking out Xi’an Famous Foods for a quick, comforting and satisfying meal.