I for one have enjoyed Mian quite a bit on my 3 visits but always open try new places! Thanks for the recommendations!
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So have I.
runs and hides
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if i cared enough i’d look it up, but yeah, tonyc raved about shi hai (and subsequently admitted that he’d whiffed fairly spectacularly on that one). someone else, i want to say chandavkl, reported that wonder was basically still shi hai minus one investor.
i’ve already stated my position on jonathan gold a few times, he’ll typically find something to rave about that leads a reader to assume that that enthusiasm is directed at the food produced at the establishment being reviewed. often it’s not. IIRC his take on shi hai was that it was best to stick with the simpler things on the menu.
as for any other responses, i’ve chosen not to respond so they can think they got the last word - and stop there.
Yes, but don’t forget Shi Hai was the only Chinese restaurant on GQ’s listing of the top 25 restaurants in the United States for 2015.
Adored my first visit, thought the 2nd was adequate. But the folks on the board who dislike it have WAY more breadth of knowledge than do I (in terms of places that taste better), so who know? Not sure if Mian has quality control issues?
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Really depends on how you like your zha jiang mian – and I’m talking just the Chinese iteration (not the Korean one).
Well if you could suggest some I would be glad to try them.
Need to know what type you like.
The tasty kind
I think @ipsedixit means Chinese or Korean. We had some suggestions previously Korean JJM, so I think Chinese zha jiang mian? 
I know I’d like some suggestions. Thanks.
I’m still learning the types, géxià.
Just kindly throw out some of your faves chinese/korean/whatever you find tasty.
I generally like everything and will eat just about anything in the standard western/eastern spectrum of available foods in the US and other westernized/asian countries.
To make things a bit simpler, let’s just focus on the two major types of Chinese zha jiang mian (or ZJM). There’s the traditional Mainland Chinese type (to include those iterations from Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, etc.), and then there’s the evolved Taiwanese iteration.
The major difference between Chinese and Taiwanese versions is the type of fermented bean sauce used. Chinese versions use soybean paste, and the Taiwanese versions generally use sweet black bean paste (oftentimes with a hefty dose of Hoisin sauce, although some Chinese iterations also use a Hoisin blend but it’s less common).
So with all that said, some good options for the Chinese iteration of ZJM, one might try LaoXi Noodle House, Malan Noodles (which may or may not be affiliated with the eponymous chain in China), and Tianjin Bistro.
For the Taiwanese kind, try Cindy’s Kitchen, Pine & Crane, Q Noodle House and maybe Flavor Garden (though haven’t tried it since the shakeup in the kitchen). Places like 101, Liang’s and Mama’s Lu are safe, if uninspiring, bets.
Probably a few other places worth mentioning, but perhaps some other time. And place.
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Hi @ipsedixit,
Ooh! Thanks for the clarification. I didn’t even think about Pine & Crane (although it’s been a year or so since I last went). Cool.
Bookmarking these places, thanks!
Thanks for the recs will try and report back
shrug
Once a year Mian delivers some chao shou, nothing else, nothing more. IIRC, the orig write-up was very ambiguous, more of an announcement, much like “fake news”.
I also don’t f**k with Best Noodle House, especially after the Chongqing visit. Geezus that place is hogwash.
Of note, Chengdu Taste opened in Houston last month, and is doing banging biz.
My fave zhajiang, if I’m forced to eat it, is the fusiony China style at Xian Tasty, just because they do fun things with the noodles. But whatevers, I mean literally who cares, when #45 is about to stop German car importation in the US?
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Welcome back.
Just hoarding BMW & Porsche keys, in case sudden appreciation happens… Opportunity knocks.
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It had to be. It couldn’t be too “review-y.” Had to leave room for the critic to visit (another look at how the sausage is made).
I’m impressed with Xi’An Tasty too. Solid place.
The beef noodle soup at Mimi 5 Bobee in Diamond Bar is good. Best with handmade noodles, though it takes them a while.