Are Funky Noodle’s viral Biang Biang noodles in London worth it?

If there’s one cuisine that really gets the Halal food community excited, it’s Chinese, and that too a noodle bar that’s gone viral for a particular dish.

Funky Noodles has been making waves since opening last year in the heart of London, with their braised beef rib noodles making the internet rounds.

Located in Charing Cross Road just around the corner to Leicester Square, the main feature of this relatively large venue is its open kitchen setup.

Specialising in “authentic Lanzhou hand-pulled noodles”, diners can request a seat at the chef’s counter to marvel at the restaurant’s noodle masters kneading, stretching and slapping your noodles being prepared afresh.

Funky Noodle is a very popular Halal Chinese spot in Charing Cross

Funky Noodles offer seven types of hand-pulled noodles: thinner, thin, regular, thick, wide, wider, and triangle; all of which can be had in soup broth, stir-fried, tossed, or their popular ‘oil spill’.

While they also serve a selection of Delicate Cold Dishes, in addition to Northwest Specials, grills, and fried rice, it should be noted that a 12.5% service charge will be added to your final bill mandatorily.

Crisp Seaweed Salad, Spicy Black Fungus – £5.80 each

These two starter dishes may at first seem unappealing to the uninitiated, but don’t let looks deceive you.

The Crisp Seaweed Salad was superbly refreshing, with a delicately crispiness to it, and the Spicy Black Fungus offered a satisfying chewiness with a hint of heat following through. Easily the best of the starters.

Pickled Radish, Celery with Bean Curd Sticks – £4.80 each

Although the subdued flavour profile of the Celery with Bean Curd Sticks meant that this was more style over substance, the Pickled Radish was excellent, with a sharp tartness, and plenty of delicious crunch.

Spiced Braised Beef Shank, £9.80

These thin slices of Spiced Braised Beef Shank didn’t quite do it for us. The beef was a tad on the tough side, and the fat unpleasantly cold and gelatinous. The side of spice powder wasn’t enough to remedy things.

Oil Spill Hand-pulled Noodles with Braised Beef Ribs, £18.80

So this is the dish that has made Funky Noodle explode since its introduction to London’s Halal food scene.

When you have an oil mixture as wonderfully fragrant as the one coating these addictively chewy, hand-pulled, Biang Biang noodles, you know the job is half done.

Alas, it was the other half that didn’t quite carry its weight. In spite of the theatre of the braised beef rib being literally cut in situ, the meat itself could have been more moist and tender.

Although decent enough, we found that the beef lacked the proper seasoning to deliver the natural umami flavours we were hoping for.

Handmade Noodles in Rich Mutton Broth, £13.80

This mutton-based bowl, however, trumped its beef counterpart, with gorgeously tender chunks covering those thick, wide noodles, and a soothingly rich broth that was worth travelling for.

A splash of chilli oil was all that was needed to make this item one of the best we’ve had for quite some time.

Signature Hand-pulled Noodles with Beef Slices in Broth (set meal), £16.80

Signature indeed, with a deeply flavoured meaty broth that sets the tone, and beef slices floating therein to enjoy.

We went with their ‘regular’ noodles, which managed to hold up and absorb all that beefy goodness. With a splash of vinegar and chilli sauce to your preference, and you simply cannot go wrong with this.

Fried Rice with cumin lamb, £12.80

A rather one-dimensional fried rice, with the cumin of the lamb doing all the hard work, and not much more to say.

The tiny segments of lamb were far and few between, and the rice passable. Would we order this again? No.