SHANGHAI boasts an amazing array of global cuisine; from authentic Italian to genuine South Korean, from unpretentious Colombian to dependable Turkish, we’re spoiled for choice. So much so that we often find ourselves guilty of foregoing the abundant resident mainstays in favor of the new and exciting and overseas. But, that ends – here and now. We’ve made it a mission to re-discover our own backyard, celebrating the local cuisine in the country we live in. And what better place to start than glorious carb-laden noodles?

Cila 恣辣


A play on the onomatopoeic word for sizzling oil-splash (嗞啦 “zila”), Shanghai’s first contemporary northwest China bistro Cila — or Zila (恣辣) in Chinese, meaning “indulge in spice” — opened last year on Wulumuqi Road S. Co-founded by Jiangxi-born Executive Chef Mario Chen (previous sous chef at Jean Georges), the restaurant showcases the spice trade routes of northwest China, from Shaanxi to Ningxia, from Gansu to Xinjiang.

The restaurant’s signature dish (that amassed an enthusiastic following from the get-go during its debut at last year’s FEASTCON), the spicy oil splashed noodles (78 yuan/US$10.78) are handmade pulled noodle ribbons adorned with a heaping portion of Xibei (northwest China) chili flakes, bean sprouts, spinach, minced pork and the curious (yet welcome) addition of soft-boiled egg.

The pleasant chew of uneven ridges that only comes from freshly pulled dough is unmatched; each thread lifts with a satisfying tug — a good half-a-meter long — slickly coated in yolk, ensuring a higher density of chili oil adhering to its surface area.

Cila

Address: 122 Wulumuqi Rd S.

乌鲁木齐南路122号

Han Si Yao 汉思肴

Xibei noodle joint Han Si Yao is doling out a bangin’ noodle menu, making the jaunt north all the more worth it.

The requisite offerings of Xi’an-style biangbiangmian (29 yuan) — wide hand-pulled noodles topped with mixed vegetables, sliced pork belly and a bucketload of spice — and similarly springy youpomian (油泼面 hand-pulled noodles with a sizzling oil dressing) make a showing. Each noodle clocks in at a whopping meter long (requiring some true chopstick mastery) and boasts that expert al dente chew, up there with some of the top renditions in the city.

But what piques our palate is the less common carbs, like stark white mianpi (面皮 a noodle-like Chinese snack made from wheat or rice flour, 14 yuan)...

...And purple-hued fenpi (粉皮 a wide jelly-like noodle made from a mix of starch, 15 yuan), two elastic noodle varieties that stretch like taffy. The former mianpi is made with wholegrain rice (dami 大米) for a slipperier texture, while the latter fenpi sees the addition of purple potato for a glutinous “QQ” texture found most often in suanlafen (酸辣粉 sour and spicy vermicelli).

Whether it’s wheat, rice or even potato noodles, you can find them all here, bathing in chili oil crisp.

Han Si Yao

Address: 860 Qiujiang Rd

虬江路860号

Jian Dan Dian Shi Tang 简单点食堂


A casual Xi’an establishment backed by the same owner as the now shuttered Charcoal Player, Jian Dan Dian Shi Tang lives up to its name (translating roughly to “simple canteen”) with no-fuss fare for keeping tummies happy.

While the menu staples center around spiced, skewered and seared meats, the sides are nothing to scoff at.

Particularly the tofu skin noodles with beef stomach (38 yuan), which arrive smothered in a smoky toasted sesame paste laced with chili oil. Strewn with more sesame seeds and crushed garlic, the springy tripe texture compliments the tofu skin noodles’ chew.

Jian Dan Dian Shi Tang

Address: 795 Dingxi Rd

定西路795号

Jing Mei Wuxi Noodle Restaurant 井梅无锡面馆


This Wuxi-style restaurant deserves all the hype: from plump and sweet xiaolongbao (小笼包 little steamed buns), to behemoth mixed fish and shrimp wontons topped with seaweed, tofu skin shreds and aromatic vinegar, to glutinous rice pork cakes with crispy edges, to — of course — the peaches, as everyone knows China’s best peaches grow in Wuxi, neighboring Jiangsu Province.

But, what brought us in for our most recent visit to Jing Mei Wuxi Noodle Restaurant is the Wuxi noodle soup with red koji pork spareribs (42 yuan) — a comforting bowl regardless of the time of year.

Fragrant and peppery, the broth is at once savory and sweet, a combination that arises from pork and dried shrimp. Thin noodles are crowned with sticky sauced ribs, the Shanghainese red braise swapped for a more pungent koji that lends a nuanced funk to both the meat and broth it seeps in to.

For bulking up the meal, we highly recommend the marinated chrysanthemum tea egg (7 yuan), with a “drunken flavor” tang owed to Chinese huangjiu (黄酒 yellow rice wine) and a floral aroma.

Jing Mei Wuxi Noodle Restaurant

Address: 128 Yanping Rd

延平路128号

Longmenzhen Chongqing Noodle Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant 
龙门阵重庆面川菜馆

A humble Chongqing eatery, the main draw of Longmenzhen Chongqing Noodle Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant is its handmade rope-like noodles. Hand pulled, the dense noodles’ irregularity in shape and twist makes for an addicting chew.

Available in a variety of soup and dry-mixed options, our go-to is the classic Chongqing xiaomian (筱面 a small serving of noodles in spicy soup, 15 yuan) or its minced pork counterpart Chongqing wanzamian (豌杂面, 25 yuan) with noodles served piping hot so the steam intermingles with the oil-slick sauce to coat each noodle with a mixture of chili crisp, sesame paste, vinegar and mashed chickpeas. Crispy fried chickpeas dot the bottom of the bowl, adding an extra layer of contrasting crunch to each bite.

For those avoiding spice, the same noodles can be enjoyed with braised beef, in chicken soup, or tossed in a sweet and sticky bean paste sauce as zajiangmian (杂酱面, 25 yuan).

We will say that the red oil wontons (红油抄手, 20 yuan) leave something to be desired, so stick to the noodles for guaranteed satisfaction.

Longmen Zhen Chongqing Noodles Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

Address: 2781 Longming Rd

龙茗路2781号

Qian Pingping Chongqing Noodle Restaurant 千平平重庆面庄

After popping up last year on the always bustling intersection of Yanping and Wuding Roads, Qian Pingping Chongqing Noodle Restaurant has quickly garnered quite the following amongst locals and expats alike for being some of the most legit Chongqing noodles in town (and trust us, we’ve done the noodle legwork).

The menu is chock-full of the classics — xiaomian, wanzamian, liangfen, laoma chaoshou (numbing spicy wontons), and more — plus some of the rarities from the region that arguably offer an even more enticing find, namely the pugaimian (铺盖面 a kind of wide, hand-pulled noodles, 33-36 yuan).

Native to Sichuan Province (around Chengdu and neighboring Chongqing), these bouncy noodles are pulled by hand from a slab of dough and twisted into the shape and size of mini blankets, hence the name, which translates to “blanket” noodles.

First stretched then tossed into a boiling pot of water, the fresh noodles cook for a mere minute before being ladled into piping broth that packs some serious firepower. These pasta sheets are best slurped with tingly-spiced lips, dribbles of chili oil running down your chin with each glorious gulp.

With each choice of noodles, diners can select proteins like succulent braised beef, mashed chickpeas and minced meat or tender tripe.

The self-serve pickled daikon and carrots off to the side are a definite must, boosting this noodle shop to an even loftier status.

Step aside biangbiangmian, pugaimian have entered the building.

Qian Pingping Chongqing Noodle Restaurant

Address: 163 Yanping Rd

延平路163号

Zhi Fu Li Majiang Banmian 
知福里 麻酱拌面

A viable contender for Shanghai’s iconic sesame paste noodles, Zhi Fu Li Majiang Banmian 知福里 麻酱拌面 popped on the scene just last year with round-the-clock service, so you can get your sesame paste noodle fill at any and all hours.

The sesame paste noodles (15 yuan) see Shanghainese thin noodles acting as a mere vessel for the lockjaw-inducing paste, every millimeter slathered in gloopy goodness that instantly thickens on impact. A generous drizzle of sweet soy sauce aids in cutting through the smarmy sauce, giving the original sesame paste noodle joint (Wei Xiang Zhai 味香斋) a run for its money.

Equally alluring, the shepherd’s purse wontons (26 yuan) are filled with pounded pork and earthy greens, pairing perfectly with the nutty sauce coating.

Zhi Fu Li Majiang Banmian

Address: 509 Nanchang Rd

南昌路509号