Xi'an Famous Foods: which location in Manhattan, not Flushing...

[topeater]

Have been meaning to go to Xi'an for a few years and haven't made it yet. Will be visiting NYC next month & thought I would go, but which one? Will be staying close to Battery Park, so location doesn't really matter.

I seem to recall reading a report from someone that they would get food to go & walk to a bar close by so they could have a beer with spicy noodles. Seems to me that spicy noodles require beer.Cn you take outside food to a bar? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Chuck Lawrence]

Bayard Street has good seating (tables as well as counter), and is closest to Battery Park.

[lmnopm]

I was going to go tomorrow, but I see it is closed on Sunday. Is there anything chow-worthy and similar nearby to the Bayard St. location?

[sappidus]

Where are you seeing that it's closed on Sundays? Copied-and-pasted from their website...

Sundays-Thursdays:
11:30AM-9:00PM
Fridays & Saturdays:
11:30AM-9:30PM

(Can anyone name a Chinatown restaurant that's closed on Sundays? Heh.)

[lmnopm]

Time for reading glasses. I was quite surprised to see that it was closed on Sunday. Thanks!

[lmnopm]

I enjoyed my dish - the spicy cumin lamb noodles. I would definitely return the next time I'm in NYC.

[MWinston]

I've found that the 2 Chinatown locations are often spicier than the St. Marks location, even when ordering the same level of spiciness at each location. The East Broadway location is very very small, but if you are trying to eat it in a bar, that's probably not an issue for you. The Bayard location has the most seating. The St. Marks location has a little seating and many bars nearby.

[MacGuffin]

Well, one of them's gone. I headed downtown for takeout and found a decimated space. Why'd they close the East Broadway location?

[kathryn]

On their Facebook Page, they said the lease was up and they were looking into other neighborhoods/areas. I think UWS?

[MacGuffin]

Thanks for the response. Too bad! So much for ultra-cheap eats. :(

[Pan]

That could be really exciting for the Upper West Side! As a former resident of that neighborhood, I wouldn't begrudge them some real Chinese food.

[kathryn]

A few weeks go they posted this to Facebook:

西安名吃 Xi'an Famous Foods Im going to see some spots tomorrow on broadway...will look at amsterdam too...price is a big consideration, so while i can see patterns of where people would ideally want to see us, keep in mind some rents we just cannot afford....ill do my best. Time frame...6 months would be a very rough estimate
December 18, 2012 at 3:11pm

[squid kun]

From East Broadway and Forsyth you're just a short walk from Bayard near Mott, where Xi'an's newest location is still in business.

[MacGuffin]

I was there last summer; I prefer the old place. I thought the food was better and of course, it was cheaper.

I can't imagine how much the landlord must've wanted to raise them, especially for such a tiny space in that part of town in this economy. I suspect the closure had less to do with rent dispute than looking to looking to concentrate on somewhat more upscale spaces. Ah, well--it was nice while it lasted. Having been there only once, I couldn't remember quite where the new place was and they didn't bother to post any sort of notice in/on the old place (I guess mere hard copy is now considered passé and one must look to social networking sites, while on the sidewalk, for such things). I took my "short walk" over to Mott and Canal and picked up some rice cakes.

[loratliff]

I've eaten at both and never noticed a price difference between the two... Was it really enough of a difference to call the East Broadway location "cheaper"? (I've also seen Jason Wang himself working at the Bayard location multiple times.)

[MacGuffin]

I tend to be punctilious. Any difference would qualify as either "cheaper" or "more expensive." Regardless, I'm sorry it's gone. I have a fondness for holes-in-the-wall and in fact preferred Shanghai Café when it was a dump south and west of its current location. Their prices weren't affected by their move but I still think it was cuter when it was a dive (it was a dive with seating, though).

[kathryn]

Yes, you can usually bring food into a bar as long as the bar does not have a kitchen.
http://www.nypost.com/p/lifestyle/foo...

[topeater]

Thanks Kathryn. Are there differences between the Xi'an restaurants?

[kathryn]

The seatings differences are on their site:
http://www.xianfoods.com/locations.php

Depends how large a group you are, if you're OK with counter/stool seating. I've gone to the East Village one the most but it's more convenient for me.

[hyde]

order too much food from the st. marks Xian and head to:

Tile Bar
115 First Ave
East Village
New York
10003
Cross Street:at 7th St
Phone:[phone]
Opening hours:Daily 5pm–4am
Transport:Subway: F, V to Lower East Side–Second Ave; 6 to Astor Pl
Price:Average drink: $5. Cash only

possibly one of the cheapest, excellent evenings one can have downtown.

[topeater]

Thanks hyde. Just the info I was needing. Sounds perfect!!!