Xi’An Street Foods – Allston

[3.51/5] I recently went to Xi’an last summer and I enjoyed every bit of it. It was truly a one of a kind city. Not to put such a high expectation for a restaurant but I started missing the ancient capital and anything that came close would do. Enter Xi’an Street Foods.

[3.51/5] I recently went to Xi’an last summer and I enjoyed every bit of it. It was truly a one of a kind city. Not to put such a high expectation for a restaurant but I started missing the ancient capital and anything that came close would do. Enter Xi’an Street Foods.

Review #051
Restaurant Type: Fast Casual Dining.

Food (65%)
Taste to price 4/5
Quality to price 4/5
Portion to price 2/5
Average = 3.33

Service (20%)  
Friendliness 3.5/5
Promptness 4/5
Average = 3.75

Cleanliness (15%)
Bathroom na
Dining area 4/5
Kitchen area 4/5
Average = 4

Overall Score = [F(.65)]+[S(.20)]+C(.15)]
 = [2.16]+[0.75]+[0.6]
 = 3.51

The Pluses…  
+ I ordered myself Combo #2 which was the PORK ROUJIAMOU, HOT & SOUR SOUP NOODLES, and DRINK. I usually enjoy food on the sour side and love black vinegar (there’s a lot of that in there). As for spiciness, I didn’t find it spicy at all but then again, I have a high tolerance.  
+ Nice interior decor! I like the bian lian masks on the wall although it reminded me more of Sichuan but that’s ok too because I love Chengdu. On the other side of the wall is a modern design bridging the two worlds together.
+ Nice menu. It’s beautifully laid out on a digital screen with lots of pictures for those preferring visuals over words. I like that its minimized making it pretty clear of their specialties.
+ Loving the ambiance. They play some pretty cool Chinese acoustic and folk music.  

The Negs…
– With a high price tag, expectations tends to be raised with it. For their roujiamou, it was good but not for that price. I expected the pork to be bursting out of the bread. The same can be said about their soups.
– I’m not really a fan of plastic bowls and utensils for soup. It takes away from the experience. It’s all about congruency where the impression of the food should match the ambiance and brand. When I think of plastic bowls and utensils, I think of instant noodles which I’m sure is not the message they want to convey to customers. As a suggestion, I’d like to see them use ceramic dinnerware for customers eating in and plastic for those taking out.

The Neutrals…
o Just like the many restaurants along Brighton Ave. this place is tiny. Just wanted to forewarn you.

In Conclusion…
Overall I enjoyed my time at Xi’an Street Foods. I liked their soup and ROUJIAMOU (Chinese burger for those not in the know) but my biggest gripe is the price. At that price point, portions should be larger and shouldn’t be served in plastic dinnerware. If those two things can be addressed, then this place would have a much higher rating. Those are really the only setbacks here. I would love to come back again.

#ChowYouLater