During my once or twice a year visits to NYC, I usually stop at Xi’an Famous Foods for a plate of noodles, as it is convenient to where I usually stay (on or near Canal St.), and is a place to get a quick, inexpensive and tasty lunch. But after several visits, I figure there must be an equally good or better place in or near Chinatown. Si? No?
Taste of Northern China in Chinatown, on Broadway and a dog-leg corner around East Broadway Mall underneath the Manhattan bridge.
Hand-pulled noodles, cumin, lamby goodness. Much more old-school grungy than Xi’an. Be warned.
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I lived in the Tenderloin in SF back when it was all grungy. Not afraid. 
LOL.
I used to have to walk by the Tenderloin to get to work back in the day. Nothing like starting your day off with cheerful greetings from the “last call” customers exiting the adult movie theaters.
Forever Taste, right near the Rutgers St. F train stop:
It’s set up like your basic fast-Chinese place, less grungy and (slightly) more spacious than Taste of Northern China. I haven’t been back since my April visit, but it’s definitely still open.
Any updates to this? I was going to check out Taste of Northern China on my last trip, but I was there during January’s Great Blizzard and needless to say, I didn’t make it. Heading back soon!
Biang! or you can make your own at MáLà Project, - get an order of their hot/sour noodles, and then cook up your own lamb in the hotpot.
I went today. I had the cumin lamb noodles and the lamb burger. (I couldn’t finish them both.) I probably liked it a bit more than Xi’an. I also like that you can douse your food with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (which I didn’t do) but it was one of those “Isn’t America Great?” moments. A couple of notes. (1) The dry noodles aren’t on the menu - only the soup ones. She gladly made them “no soup, dry” and told me it was $8. (2) If they don’t ask how spicy you want it, speak up. I got “gringo spicy” - a modest amount of heat but I could have used more.
Cash only. Prices include tax (which I’m sure all makes it to the authorities!)
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Any updates/additions to this? Next trip approaches.
Quoting myself, just before the next trip.
Did you ever go?
I did! I had the vegan duck version, in soup. The merely good broth and toppings weren’t quite up to the level of the excellent noodles, although I’d happily order it again. I wasn’t crazy about having to eat standing up in a hallway, but that’s Chelsea Market for you.