[Bloomsbury, London] Xi'an cuisine @ Master Wei

I’m not normally thankful for London roadworks which mean I have to get off the bus three stops early but I’m thankful as if not for that I wouldn’t have walked past this place.It was still being fitted out when I saw it but helpfully they had a opening date which was the Friday just gone. After doing some digging I discovered it was by the people behind Xi’an Impression which I’ve been to a number of times and is a favourite of mine. The only problem is that Xi’an Impression is all the way in Holloway which is quite a schlep from South London. The menu here is almost identical to Xi’an Impression so I went with my standard order.

西安凉皮原味 Xi’an cold noodles aka Liang pi (cold skin noodles). Their signature dish with lovely texture on the “noodles” which aren’t really noodles as they are made differently to normal noodles even though they resemble them. It’s the tangy smoky sauce that makes this dish.

孜然牛肉夹馍Xi’an beef burger with special sauce. Very thin slices of beef with cumin and quite a sweet sauce on a lovely toasted bun. Not completely au fait with Xi’an bread but it was lovely. I’ve had the pork version at Xi’an Impressions but it wasn’t as good as the beef version.

It’s another good addition to my lunch options close to my office though unfortunately I start a new job next week which is in Canary Wharf but I’ll try and fit in one more visit before I change jobs.

Some info on Liang Pi aka cold skin noodles.

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Nice one; thanks, Chris. I seem to remember trying to make liángpí from scratch once — it was a giant faff.

Wow this is exciting - thanks!

I’ve been back twice now in the last week or so & everything is excellent.

Qishan Hand-pulled Noodles with Pork in Soup
岐山臊子汤面

Perfect texture on the hand pulled noodles. A lovely sour broth. I’m not sure what they braised the pork in but whatever it was it was definitely imparted a great deal of umami . I can;t remember eating a better noodle soup dish in London for quite some time.

Spicy Pickled Vegetables with Kelp Seaweed.
泡菜海带丝

A delicious start to my third meal here.

Pork Biang Biang Noodles with Tomato Egg Sauce and Chilli Oil
三合一油泼面

Big fat hand pulled noodles. I really liked the tangy tomato sauce and the egg running through it added a nice silkiness and richness.

Unfortunately I no longer work round the corner from this place ( though probably a good thing for my waistline and bank balance).

BTW the missus and four of her friends went yesterday on my recommendation and they all raved about it.

A definite must go back.

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wow looks delicious! must try it too

Review of Master Wei in today’s Guardian.