Lan Zhou La Mian

OK, who has time to review? Eat, run, eat!!! Well, today I have found a gem well deserving of time!
Mr Wong and family deserve praise and you deserve to allow them the chance to host you. I found this restaurant during a recent Unilocal search when on business in Singapore. I was drawn by the reviewers description of Mr Wong’s fried tofu dish… it did not disappoint!
The was fortunate to come at an off hour (between lunch and dinner) and had a chance to visit with Mr Wong and his family. The tofu was incredible, handmade by Mr. Wong as are the noodles and dumplings. The fried tofu was unbelievable, perfectly fried on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. A small amount of dried chicken flake was atop each tofu pillow and a slight dip into a chili sauce supplied was a perfect condiment.
I am here for 4 days of business and will visit each day for a tofu fix and will also try the noodles and dumplings as I am told that these are «not to be missed». I believe that when I try these dishes, I will share that opinion as well!!!
Please visit with this great establishment as artisans like Mr Wong are a treasure.

Three stars because the food tasted very nice. I’m not a star in Chinese cuisine but the food tasted properly done.
But overall experience, probably 2 stars.
Never seen the place before the renovation but it doesn’t look like the old pictures any more. From the nondescript restaurant it is now very clearly recognisable and looks upmarket. And after reading one particular review here, so are the prices.
I was surprised at the optional starter that was placed in front of our nose while not having asked for it.
The place was pretty packed which may have contributed to the long wait between the dishes arriving. The lady did apologise for the long wait though.
The chilled cucumber was nice and so were the steamed pak-​soi.
Price tag for three SIN $ 87, —
— 2 lime juice
— 2 tiger beer
— chilled cucumber
— steamed seasonal vegetables
— a prawn variety 2x
— 3 steamed rice
— 3 wet towels (SGD 0.50! each)
— spontaneous appetiser
Nice but all in all a bit pricey.

Amazing Xiao long Bao! 4^th generation family run business, great service and tasty Shanghai dumplings. Strongly recommend!

I was a huge fan of Lan Zhou La Mian.
6 whole months of endless waiting for the renovation works to be done and I was treated to a nicely decorated, air-​conditioned place with increased prices!
Gone were the days where you enjoyed your meal under a cooling fan or pay nett prices. Now, 10% service charge is applicable and even the ar char appetizer dish which was free is chargeable at $ 2!
Imagine my horror when I saw the bill coming up to $ 31.80 for 2 pax when it used to be around $ 23.
Is there any improvement after the renovation? Let’s see.
Verdict:
— Zha Jiang Mian — No obvious change to noodle texture or serving portion but I felt the sauce was a tad bland for me. Chef’s off day perhaps? Price increased from $ 5.80 to $ 6.80.
— Xiao Long Bao — As good as ever! No change! Lots of meat packed to the brim under tender skin and lots of soup to go around inside each bao. Price increase by $ 2.
— Luo Han Guo Drink — Same size same quality but price increase by $ 0.20 from $ 1.80 to $ 2.
— Clear Soup Preserved Vegetables La Mian — No change to quality but price hike by $ 1.
I was quite disappointed that all my favourite things about this place is not overshadowed by price hikes. Is there no end to inflation? Geez.

My mother and I come to spore every two to three years. How did we miss this spot? I love noodles, especially handmade ones. It’s a dying art to make noodles by hand. I ordered chicken with noodles, and my mom had vegetarian noodles. We had fried tofu which was seasoned well. The guy demonstrated noodle making, stretching and cutting. There were photos lined along the walls from tourists with the master. The tea was especially a treat. It was one of those that helps with digestion and bad breath. We had three cups. Will come back again the next time.

I would eat here every day if I could.
The springiness and taste of the noodles are the best I’ve had. Being away for 5 years, I returned recently afraid that the shop had gone away…
Thankfully they were still there and the noodle master is still stretching and cutting noodles.
The things you must get are:
1) The handmade noodles with brown meat sauce. Great texture and thickness of the noodles, giving it a nice solid chewable presence and the rough exterior picks up the sauce nicely. A medium sized bowl that will serve as a snack for people with hearty appetites, but it leaves room for…
2) Fried Tofu-​delicately seasoned with salt, this heavenly creation battles for prominence with the noodles. Light, crisp, thin skin surrounding a silken melt-​in-​your – mouth interior.
And finally,
3) The Xiaolongbao (soup dumplngs)-a close second after the tie for first place in my absolute favorite dish in Singapore. Hot juicy, and freshly made, it gives those «dumpling houses» a run for their money. Definitely a must buy.

For those unfamiliar with Smith Street, you may find it difficult to find the restaurant as there are no clear signboards so remember to keep the address on hand! It may be easy to be overlooked with all the crowd and distraction of food stalls on smith street.
The first thing that strikes you when one enters the restaurant is the photos of the chef with customers holding up a large strand of handmade noodle. This must be the original open concept I suppose. The missus’ preference is always for their handmade pork and preserved vegetable «la mian». The soup is clear and refreshing. The la mian is a bit inconsistent in texture but generally quite good. The mother in law was not impressed by the portions, which do not come across as value for money. They are not particularly good for large groups as the premise is quite small. The La Mian is also quite coarse so it is not exactly impressive handiwork. Their «onion pancake» (cong you bing) which is disc shape and rather thick, is quite different and unlike the usual flat pancake we find in most northeastern chinese restaurants.