Xi’an Famous Foods, a chain of fast-casual restaurants based in New York City that serves authentic western Chinese dishes, will celebrate its grand opening at Tangram in Flushing on Saturday, Sept. 24.
At the grand opening, diners will get a free dish of their choice (while supplies last) by following @xianfoods on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, reposting the promo and showing staff members. The 1,500-square-foot restaurant is the city’s current 10th location and fourth in Queens. It’s a significant upgrade from the brand’s previous 500-square-foot location at the same address.
Jason Wang, owner and CEO of Xi’an Famous Foods, said he’s excited to be part of a new chapter for Flushing as part of the NYC cultural destination, Tangram.
“It’s quite literally a homecoming for us. This new location and our new look marks the progress the Tangram team and our company have made in promoting unique cuisine and culture in our own ways,” Wang said. “Our mission remains the same as it was since my father founded the restaurant back in 2005 – to serve dishes based on our family’s recipes to other immigrants like him who miss a taste of the old country and to share a taste of our hometown, Xi’an, with everyone who comes through our doors.”
Xi’an Famous Foods has a long history in Flushing — the neighborhood where it was founded. Originally a part of the neighborhood’s Golden Shopping Mall and Flushing Mall (Tangram’s predecessor which operated for 14 years, paving the way for a new, modern destination), the restaurant will now be featured centrally by the atrium on the ground floor at Tangram.
The famed dining locale has been featured in numerous television programs, most notably on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations,” Andrew Zimmern’s “Bizarre Foods,” the “Rachael Ray Show,” “Good Morning America” and CBS’s “The Dish,” among others. From there, Xi’an Famous Foods garnered a cult-like following that eventually led to the brand releasing its own cookbook in 2020.
Born from a desire to bring the unique dishes of western China to New York City, Xi’an Famous Foods specializes in regional flavors from the city of Xi’an.
The restaurant will serve its beloved signature menu including Liang Pi cold-skin noodles, Xi’an-style burgers with house-made flatbread stuffed with stewed pork or spicy cumin lamb, and various “biang biang,” hand-ripped noodle dishes.
Xi’an has long been known as the first capital of China. As the origin point of the Silk Roads, the city also boasts a unique cuisine combining Chinese and Middle Eastern flavors. Historically, this region holds an affinity for noodle dishes and breads. Due to the abundance of spices from the trade routes, dishes tend to be heavy in flavor and spice, such as cumin, chili, Sichuan peppercorns and other spices. The two dominant flavors of food in Xi’an (and of Xi’an Famous Foods’ menu for more than two decades) are “spicy and sour” 酸辣 and “fragrantly spicy” 香辣 taste profiles.
Xi’an Famous Foods at Tangram features an open kitchen format, a stage to watch noodles being freshly pulled for an all-around culturally enriching experience.
Every aspect of this new location is designed to support Wang’s aim – to ensure the food at his restaurants, authentic to his family and Xi’an, remains the primary focus.
With a design featuring exposed brick in the seating area, stainless steel communal tables and mural art, guests can enjoy an upgraded street-food atmosphere. The Tangram location is the first of the Xi’an Famous Food’s locations to introduce long tables for larger group dining to embrace the community-centric atmosphere Flushing is known for.
Helen Lee, executive vice president of F&T Group, said Xi’an Famous Foods embodies the kind of culinary spirit that sets Flushing apart and provides a deeply rooted experience for guests.
“This restaurant is a prime example of the unique local-meets-global culture and cuisine we are curating here at Tangram,” Lee said. “When I take my first bite of their famous spicy hand-ripped noodles after so many years, I think it will bring back a deeply personal sense of nostalgia and gratitude knowing just how far we’ve come with Tangram on the very same site this restaurant began all those years ago.”
To learn more about Tangram and the newest Xi’an Famous Foods location, visit tangramnyc.com.
