hen I first discovered Lanzhou Lamian, aiming to satisfy a lingering urge for authentic Chinese cuisine, it was just another hole-in-the-wall. However, I heard from a friend of a friend that the place had been renovated a while back, so there was no way I was passing up the opportunity to swing by once again.

Located in Phase 1, Johar Town, this local establishment aims to provide real and authentic Chinese street food flavours in Lahore. If I had to describe the ambience and setting, I would say it feels homey. The restaurant features oak-wood furniture, giving it a rather antique vibe. Rope pendant lights hang from the ceiling, adding a bohemian chic touch — while it may seem out of place when described in text, the lights complement the seating quite nicely, making the space feel cozy. Fairy lights wrap around decades-old tree trunks, casting a serene, faint light.

The variety is endless — they have a heap of options: beef, chicken, vegan, seafood… To get the full experience, I ordered a variety of distinguished dishes, namely the beef lamian, garlic fried rice, beef hot plate and steamed chicken dumplings.

For starters, they serve a delicious concoction of bone broth (quite similar to yakhni due to its flavourful taste) with subtle spices, topped off with chopped green onions. It’s the perfect cure for a cold during the fall season, and it would have felt even better during the fully fledged winter months!

Next came the dishes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try their beef steamed dumplings as those were unavailable, so I had to settle for the chicken dumplings. They met my expectations; the filling was generous and quite delicious, and the chili oil added a nice kick, with the ingredients mixing together in wonderful harmony.

As for the beef hot plate and garlic fried rice, I would award these two the title of comfort food. Served steaming hot, the beef was sweet yet tangy and the rice balanced the sauce with its savoury undertone. The serving was quite generous, especially considering the price. No wonder this place has amassed a 4.6-star rating on Google Reviews.

Regarding the beef lamian, the flavour didn’t seem particularly outstanding. While the base was certainly aromatic, given that a similar bone broth was used as mentioned earlier, the beef was dry and tasteless. Perhaps this was due to the use of hunter beef, but saying that feels like an excuse. Yes, hunter beef is a form of cured and dried beef, but it can still taste wonderful when prepared with care. Perhaps utilising fresh or braised meat could salvage this dish.

Later, I had a chat with the owner, Mr Faraz, and learned more about the place. Faraz has been into food imports (particularly Chinese materials) since 2004. Like the rest of the chefs, he has received training in cooking authentic Chinese dishes. While he was trained in China, the head chef has ten years of experience from his time in Saudi Arabia, working with Chinese chefs.

Their journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic when Fraaz and his family were craving authentic Chinese dishes. They had often visited Islamabad for those, but as that was now impractical, they hired a chef from Islamabad. Soon, they had opened Lanzhou Lamian, running this humble establishment in one of the three gardens around their home. The rest is history.

Overall, I’d give the experience a solid 4/5. Most of the food is quite delicious and economical. The environment is welcoming. If you’re a spice lover, ask the chefs for the spicier Sichuan pepper chili oil (which will numb your taste buds). The ones already on the tables have their spice levels toned down to cater to the palette of the general population.

Meeral Mansoor is a freelance writer based in Lahore