Dream Xi’an

As the home of the Tower of London, Tower Hill is one of London’s biggest tourist traps, so lunch options can be limited to big-chain bland pasta joints or over-pricey hotel options. Which makes the arrival of Dream Xi’an all the more exciting. Although admittedly part of a mini chain, bland isn’t something you can throw at anything on the menu. Guirong Wei brings us the flavours of her home, Xi’an – the gateway to the Terracotta Army – including wonderfully chewy hand-pulled noodles that almost need slurping up in one go, with generous chunks of beef in a perfectly spiced sauce. Add to that crisp chicken wings, plump dim sum (the Empress wins here, with chicken, prawn and carrot), well-filled, golden-pastry-covered spring rolls. Well priced, full of flavour, good service, it’s what a city lunch should be about.

Words by Alex Mead.

This article was taken from the May 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.