Biang!, From Team Behind Xi’an Famous Foods, Now Open in Queens

By Simon Butler

Epicures longing to enjoy Xi’an Famous Foods’ delicacies in relative luxury now need only visit Queens to do so. The famously liked New York chainlet – see Bourdain, Tony – recently opened Biang!, a new sit-down restaurant with waiter service in Flushing’s Chinatown, and it’s already attracting connoisseurs of Xi’an’s chewy hand-ripped noodles (Biang!’s namesake) from ’round the city.

Enter the modestly sized eatery, and you’ll find quite a different environment from the other XFF outposts. Long and narrow, with dark-wood tables and stools amidst a slick, brick-walled setting, this high-energy hotspot feels casual yet retains a “going-out” vibe. The multi-section menu, which emphasizes those highly spiced noodle dishes, along with skewered meats, also offers more unusual items, such as fiddlehead ferns, pigs’ blood and selections culled from lambs’ heads – including the tongue and eyeballs (pictured below). Most of these tidbits bask in the fiery-hot broths and sauces Xi’an fans adore, and for succor, diners may down (probably many) chilled, refreshing teas. Desserts like sweetened egg drop soup (!) with tangy fermented rice round out the choices.

There's no alcohol yet (license pending), and regular rice here is absent. A no-reservations policy also means the waits can build up, though foodies arriving early have a good chance of snagging seats. Bring cash – credit cards aren’t accepted – but not too much; prices top out at about 10 bucks for the apps and $7.50 for the mains. You can find Biang! at 41-10 Main St., between 41st Avenue and 41st Road; it doesn’t have a direct phone number, but the website is www.biang-nyc.com. Outdoor seating expected to open soon too, so noodlephiles should have plenty of opportunities to take a bite out of this restaurant.