For weeks now, I’d been craving some good old-fashioned hand-pulled noodles. A friend directed me towards Chef Wang in Auckland; it’s one of those place that looks unremarkable from the street, but has a line of people waiting which tell you all you need to know without having to order anything. The biang biang noodles were what I had, and they didn’t dissapears.
Sometimes the most simple dish are the ones you remember; this was one of them. Just right.
My Visit to Chef Wang for Noodles
Chef Wang Xi’an Food
It’s in a food court, the casual place where you queue up at the counter and grab yourself a seat. There are a couple of people in front of me. That’s a good sign, I thought.
And there was the stall, no problem. It’s not a massive menu, which is generally a good thing; if they’re concentrating on a few dishes, then hopefully they’re doing them well. Biang biang noodles with chilli oil for me, and a drink to wash it down.
My noodles arrived sooner then I thought they would. They was wide and slithered around in a puddle of what appeared to be adequately spicy chilli oil. Stirring it all up and taking a mouthful, I found them as good as I’d hoped.
They were thick enough to absorbs the sauce but still soft, with a chewy hand-pulled noodle texture. The chilli oil was not merely hot, there was a richness to it alongside a touch of numbing spice which keep drawing me back for another spoonful. In fact, I emptied the bowl before I realy intended to.
One of my other orders was another drink that’s part hydration, part dessert: iced milk tea with tapioca pearls. Creamy, sweet, it balance out the warmth of the noodles nicely. Tapioca pearls are often hit or miss, sometimes they’re overdone, but these were just right.
They were chewy without being gummy. I enjoyed it as I ate, eventually finishing it off as a slow sipper. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Overall, this was the type of meal that made me feel satisfied without trying hard to impress me with presentation. The flavours spoke for themselves and I walked away feeling full and content, already planning my next visit. If you’ve been looking for some noodles that won’t let you down, look no further than Chef Wang if you find yourself in Auckland.
What are some good places for hand-pulled noodles near you?
