King Made Noodles trades on Dominion Road in Mount Eden under a Chinese name, 金味德兰州牛肉面, that announces its calling plainly: Lanzhou beef noodles. It is a casual, unpretentious noodle house, and the reason most people come is the noodles themselves. Reviewers single out the fact that the kitchen makes its own, and one describes the satisfying thwack of noodles being pulled as part of the appeal. Bowls have a reputation for being generous, and diners can choose between several types of noodle for many dishes. The room has wheelchair accessible seating for anyone settling in, and a pickup or delivery order brings the same bowls home.
The signature noodle list is the place to start. The traditional beef noodle soup pairs beef and noodles in a rich broth finished with radish and chilli oil, and a heartier bowl is built on beef neck bone, with noodles and vegetables in a beef bone soup. Braised beef noodles are slow cooked with soy sauce, while the pickled cabbage version trades richness for a spicy, sour broth. Youpo noodles skip the soup altogether, dressing pulled noodles with chilli oil and garlic. For something gentler there are tomato and egg noodles, and the traditional pork mince noodles, stir fried with soybean paste, bring a comforting, savoury depth.
Away from the soups, the menu runs deep. Tossed noodles come with cumin lamb, chive and lamb, eggplant and lamb, or shredded pork with green peppers, and a Xinjiang spicy chicken version brings real heat. Two casseroles feature rice noodles, one with braised beef and the other with fish fillet in a pickled, peppery and sour soup. Rice fans are steered towards sizzling bowls topped with mapo tofu, black pepper beef, braised beef brisket or shredded pork in garlic sauce, while the stir fried noodle section includes Xinjiang spicy lamb and a simple vegetable version. Yang Zhou fried rice, with egg, shrimp, ham and peas, rounds things out.
Dumplings and buns lend themselves to a shared table. Steamed buns hide juicy pork inside a thin dough skin, pan fried pork buns and a vegetable bun sit alongside them, and boiled dumplings come filled with pork, chives and shrimp, pork and cabbage, or chicken and mushroom. Wontons arrive in chilli oil or in a noodle soup. Flatbread sandwiches are stuffed with beef, cumin lamb, preserved pork or shredded potato, and lamb skewers and a chive and egg pancake add to the snack list. A cold section offers sliced pork knuckle in soy sauce, preserved egg with chopped chilli and Chinese pepper chicken, and a marinated egg or a trio of vegetarian sides can complete any bowl.
Address: 672 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland 1041
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