“Beancurd, pickled vegetables in chilli oil to the pulled pork burger, a mass of juicy braised and shredded pork captured in layers of thin, flaky pastry. It comes sliced in half for ease of chomping, in its own little brown bag, which very quickly becomes translucent thanks to all that fatty meat. Calling it a “burger” on the menu might be stretching the friendship very slightly (think of it more as a Chinese pancake sandwich) but considering the deliciousness factor, that’s forgivable."
FAMOUS XI'AN NOODLES
One of the only places in Sydney where you can try Shaanxi chewy pulled noodles and a pastry pork ‘burger’. Naturally, we've saved the best for last. The surprise hit of the menu is the rougamo or burger. This Shaanxi street food is made from a disc of pastry stuffed with pulled pork which has been stewed in soup for hours on end. The result is crunchy, crispy goodness paired with meltingly tender meat. Expect warm, fatty juices to drip down your arm. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.
Given nearly all the seating is basically on the street, you’ll want to time your visit for a mild evening (unless, reader, you’re British in which case I’m given to believe you’ll eat outside in a hurricane). It’s cash only, but also outrageously cheap, so if you’ve got a twenny in your pocket you’ll be living large.
At Biang! Biang!, you’ll find several variations of the namesake noodles, along with other Shaanxi (the province of which Xi’an is the capital) noodle dishes and sides. Toppings for the biang biang noodles include things like chilli oil, dry roasted chilli, minced pork, slow cooked lamb, eggplant, and tomato. There are several combinations to choose from. The stewed lamb with both kinds of chilli is my pick of the lot.
