#xibei

Flag of Xibei San Ma

XIBEI, which specializes in Northwestern Chinese cuisine, had an interesting menu. It includes noodles, Peking duck, lamb, lobster, fish, housemade yogurt, etc. I noticed several items were Mongolian. I was handed an iPad where I placed my order.

Oat “WoWo” honeycomb noodles ($23): I’ve had these before somewhere else. XIBEI’s version reminded me of Italian pasta. The veggies (eggplant, tomato) on top looked like a chunky sauce tasted more Italian than Chinese. The noodles were rolled by hand and slightly chewy.   

XIBEI style shumai with lamb (3 pieces for $8): Not the usual shumai, it looked like a shepherd’s purse – thin wrapper loosely gathered at the top, filled with ground lamb with something crunchy (onions?). It was juicy but I’d prefer the filling to be tighter (like a meatball) rather than loose.

Mongolian cheese bing ($4): This didn’t taste Chinese. It was a soft thick bread stuffed with cheese and topped with cheese. The bread was slightly sweet and chewy, like a thick pizza crust. It was the size of a hockey puck. The cheese was mild, like mozzarella.

Service was okay. They brought the iPad, the food, and the check. I had to ask for a refill of water even though my glass was completely empty.

It’s definitely a fancy looking restaurant with prices to match. A grilled lamb leg is $88. Portions are smaller as well. The dining room has banners hanging from the ceiling, a bar area, TVs, and rooms for larger parties. It’s located at The Shops at Santa Anita.

They spent money on nice looking takeout bags and even branded takeout containers.

3 out of 5 stars

"Lasso / Tào Mǎ Gān / 套马杆" - WūLán TuōYà / 乌兰托娅