Biangbiang, the addictive, handmade noodles you can eat in Barcelona as if you were in China

Barcelona"I'm happy because I make authentic food from my hometown of Xi'an. It's exactly as it is there," the easygoing chef Zhengyu Liu tells me. "Before I opened, people told me that if I opened a restaurant like this in Barcelona, ​​without adapting the tastes to the locals, only Chinese people would come, but I said, 'Let's try it.'" At this point, we look up at the dining room of West Street Restaurant (Cartagena Street, 335), and it turns out that not a single person is of Chinese origin among the people standing there with their heads in their bowls while eating their famous noodles.

This biangbiang noodle shop opened a year and nine months ago. It wasn't an easy delicacy to find, since, as Zhengyu Liu tells me, the Chinese cuisine we've received here so far is mostly from the southern regions. Now, however, this is changing. Several establishments have sprung up, serving Lanzhou noodles, for example. like the Yipin Noodles we talked about in this sectionBut today we're setting anchor in Xi'an. A place famous for its army of terracotta warriors, who visited Barcelona in the wake of the Forum of Cultures, the event that shaped a generation that will never forget Joan Clos dancing on a bus to the rhythm of Carlinhos Brown. But let's return to the addictive noodles we're talking about today: biangbiang.

The pasta, wide as it should be, is made by Liu by hand, and the seasonings are brought from her region, because otherwise, she wouldn't be able to capture their authentic flavor. A fact this columnist can attest to, having tried them in their place of origin. The noodles, which cost €8.50, are spicy, but not excessively spicy, rather pleasantly addictive. I recommend ordering a bamboo shoot dish, which is served in small or large portions, to alternate and reduce the sting of the spice if you have a delicate palate.

A popular dish

Let's get down to business. Biangbiang noodles are a specialty throughout the Shaanxi region. A popular recipe that could easily be eaten on the street. One, collected by the newspaper China Daily, he says, is an onomatopoeia created from the noise cooks made when rolling out pasta and throwing it on the table. No matter where it comes from, you'll see that the noodle's size is very unique.

They serve them in a bowl with broccoli sprouts, topped with the mixture of ingredients that give them their distinctive flavor. Stir well with chopsticks, and stir inward. These noodles aren't the only specialty of this little gem, located on a corner near the Sant Pau Art Nouveau complex. They also serve roujiamo sandwiches (they spell it rougamo, (But keep in mind that since they're adapted names, it's common for there to be several versions.) These round, flat sandwiches, mostly filled with meat, are another specialty of the region, although it's true that they're now found all over China. These aren't spicy at all. You'll also find some gyozes served with a crispy topping, all integrated into a wheel. They're nothing special, but the presentation is beautiful.

On the menu, you'll find other types of noodles, which are also good. But the ones you really have to try are the original biangbiang, which are also handmade by the skillful hands of chef Liu. He arrived in Barcelona when he had a son who had been living there for some time. He's now 60 years old and says he really likes the city. With the help of a friend who spoke Spanish well, he was able to open this restaurant, which always has a line of people wanting to eat in or ordering takeout. The restaurant doesn't accept reservations, but they work very fast to accommodate and serve people.

We can't leave without knowing why the restaurant is called West Street. Asia, which made it a cosmopolitan city, brought Christianity, Buddhism, and ingredients that people ate around the west gate, which gives the restaurant its name. The fish were so dazzled they forgot how to swim.