Lan City Noodle Bar

Lan City is a locally owned and family operated restaurant with two locations, one in Ann Arbor and the other in Ypsilanti. Run by a married couple with roots in Singapore, the restaurant takes pride in its signature sliced beef noodle soup officially called lanzhou qingtang niurou lamian, according to their website. The name encapsulates the dish’s essence. Lanzhou denotes the city of origin; qingtang translates to clear broth; niurou signifys the thin sliced beef; and lamian referrs to the hand pulled noodles (Cheung). These noodles owe their unique texture to a specific type of hard wheat, requiring “a mind-numbing 900 kneads” and hand pulled into thin strands that are famed for carrying with them the flavor from the Hui Muslims from Lanzhou, Gansu, China (Ho). The Hui Muslims and their cultural palate are brought to the limelight with this dish (Kuang 72). Thus, each bowl of lanzhou noodles served at Lan City Noodle Bar is not only a meal, but a stepping point to bring the story of Hui Muslims and their enduring cultural traditions to the global level. 

The universal appeal of lanzhou noodles transcends cultural boundaries and entices many people of all different cultures to give it a try, including me! From restaurants in Ohio to New York, lanzhou noodles have always been my go to food if I cannot settle on a restaurant. As an avid lover of noodle soups, I find nothing more appealing on a freezing day than a steaming bowl of these lanzhou noodles. This fondness brought me to visit the local eatery, Lan City Noodle Bar.