shaanxi is located between sichuan & shanxi, which both have their own vinegar making traditions. shanxi vinegars are much more refined resembling balsamic vinegars where the sour aspect is much more delicate. so i’m assuming any sour profile in shaanxi cooking comes from the sichuan influence & would be reflected most in hanzhong regional cuisine (SW corner of shaanxi) vs. what you’d be most likely to find in xi’an. if i go back anytime soon, i’ll try to remember to ask for clarification.
I need that Mapo Tofu at Chengdu Impression.
Not too sour for many of the dishes, but as for “the main event” (AKA my bowl of noodles), yeah, too brusque a use of vinegar for my taste. It was as if a half-gallon was poured over the bowl just before bringing it out from the kitchen. There was no “seeping” of the sourness into the bowl or nuance - just a last-second deluge of acetic acid over an otherwise very good bowl of Chinese noodles.
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My visit in September would speak differently. Maybe the Sergio effect at work here (sub-Sergio on my visit)?
p.s. Big plate of chicken also better executed by Northern Cafe Monterey Park than Noodle Art, IMHO.
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your visit was a couple of months before mine. perhaps they toned it down due to feedback?
the plate of chicken at northern is very good. had it during one of my few 2021 excursions a couple of months ago.
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Cold case appies at NCMP is also very solid.
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Tay Ho grand opening this weekend. Garlic noodles, complimentary drinks and potentially a Nintendo switch. Sick.
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Oh boy, the food’s gotta be great if they need prizes to lure customers in.
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Kind of fitting that Borther BBQ was in the same space where “crispy eggpants” and “scary cabbage” were once on a menu.
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Made it to Wen Hui Noodle Hours and was very impressed! Only got a couple noodle dishes but they were excellent, both the super wide youpo/biang biang and the thinner (but still pretty thick) ones in the cumin stir-fry. Want to go back to explore more of the menu.
Worth noting: the owners (or the people who were there when I went) speak very little English, so I wasn’t able to order over the phone. Also the “Order Online” from this website: https://www.wenhuinoodlehours.com does not work - it took my order (didn’t pay thankfully) but when I got there they had no idea what I was talking about. They were super friendly and I pointed at stuff I wanted, and it came out very fast anyway.
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Just went, based on your report. Lol thank goodness I speak Chinese, cuz LBN (lao ban niang = FOH) speaks almost no English.
Sublime bowl of hand pulled Shaanxi style noodles. Thanks for the sleuthing!
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Just a little off topic, but I gotta ask… I totally get “crispy eggpant,” but was “scary cabbage” a literally translation from the Chinese name for the dish???
Not sure what others have experienced, but the BeyondMenu online ordering system has never worked for any restaurant I’ve tried in SGV (well, I’ve only seen them used by restaurants in SGV).
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i had to scroll back up, it really is Borther BBQ 
Bummer. I was a little skeptical but the website seems official and has an accurate menu and location… alas, no such luck.
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I’m not really sure, my Mandarin reading comprehension is fairly weak beyond basics. It was defintely a spicy cabbage dish with peppers.
The same menu had CASSERIKE, which we figured was a couple of keys off of casserole.
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