Cizhou Braised Noodles King (磁州卤面大王老店)

Cizhou Braised Noodles King (磁州卤面大王老店) is a long-running noodle shop on Guangming Road in Congtai District, Handan, in the south of Hebei province. Handan is one of China's oldest cities, known for the Zhao-state capital remains and for the Cizhou kilns, and the nearby town of Cizhou lends its name to a local style of braised noodles. The shop serves Cizhou-style lumian (卤面), a dish in which wheat noodles are steamed first and then stir-braised with a thick meat-and-vegetable sauce until the noodles absorb the gravy. The result is a savoury, slightly sticky noodle dish that is closer to a one-pot braise than to a noodle soup. The signature dish is the Cizhou braised noodles (磁州卤面), at about 16 to 24 yuan, and a second popular order is stewed pork with vermicelli, at about 22 to 32 yuan, usually shared or eaten alongside the noodles. The dining room is a plain, working-class noodle shop with simple tables, fast service and a mostly local clientele at lunch; dress is casual and the noise level is that of a busy daytime eatery. There is no notable beverage programme, with tea and soft drinks available. The shop is open from about 10:00 AM to 8:30 PM daily. Reservations are not taken and are not required, since the shop is walk-in only. Prices are low, so a filling meal for one costs only a few US dollars. Lunch is the busiest period, and arriving slightly before noon or after the rush gives an easier seat. The shop is a straightforward way for visitors in Handan to try a local noodle tradition that rarely appears outside this part of Hebei.