On The Lamb

A couple weeks ago I was in Manhattan to pick up a book I 

had ordered from St. Mark's Bookstore in the East Village.

  Knowing that a mere 2 blocks away was a little noodle shop

 I'd seen on several foodie shows, my visit had 2 objectives:  

pick up the Joe Beef cookbook, and have this spicy cumin lamb 

that has been occupying my thoughts ever since seeing weird

 Mo Rocca featuring it on the Cooking Channel. 

Xian Famous Foods is the place, where among other things, 

you can have a salad made of Lamb's face. They had me at 

salad of Lamb's face. I like it when the entire menu is in photos

 on the wall.  I'd love to know what animal part will make up an

order of L2.  Under the menu were all kinds of 'rules' signage,

about not placing orders until your entire party is present, 

not sitting down until your entire party has ordered, no eating

until your entire party has sat down (joke), etc.  There is 

seating for 12, with three small square deuces and a 

groaning board along the wall for 6 underneath the menu.   

At one point, I was the only non-Chinese person

in the place - usually a good sign.  So there was a stretch

where I didn't hear a word of English, and it almost sounded

like the woman behind the counter was reprimanding the other

customers.  When my food was ready, I got up, grabbed my

tray, and sat back down.  These other folks were up and down 

at her beckoning, going back and forth with different plates and

utensils, expressionless and not saying a word.  They must just know

 the right way to order.  I was happy not to have to get up again.

I went with the spicy cumin lamb burger that I'd heard so much 

about.  It was everything I imagined:  tender shredded lamb with a

cumin-chile type sauce, served on a soft but crunchy-on-the-outside

bun.  Bourdain loved it and so did I.  The spicy cumin lamb soup

with hand-ripped noodles was good, but could have contained more

meat.  The broth was amazing (I'm a broth fiend), and the spice level 

was right on, but the noodles were kind of doughy, like any fresh

pasta I have ever attempted to make.  It was well worth the walk,

however, and I'll go again with lamb treasures soup (yep), and spicy

tingly lamb face salad on my mind.