Lamb-haters beware — the savory broth in the lamb noodle soup at Liang’s Kitchen has a robust, gamey finish that might turn off those disinclined to the polarizing meat. Those who are inclined, the reward is steep at Liang’s, where perfectly cooked, broad hand-pulled noodles and meltingly tender cuts of lamb combine in refreshing tribute to a Northern Chinese classic.

The quarters are cramped and the waits are long, but the house-made Indonesian-style curly noodles are a chewy, savory marvel, not unlike a slightly undercooked udon noodle. A little bit of broth is all it takes to get a healthy mix and slurp going. Savory toppings like fish cake, pork and egg are accentuated by a clean, onion-y broth to create a surprisingly light dish.

At first glance, Noodle World’s jack-of-all-noodles schtick might seem like a safe play to the favorites, strictly utilitarian in its ability to quell lunch rushes from nearby businesses. And yes, their formula of juxtaposing spaghetti with pho is a winning proposition, if their multiple stateside locations are any indication. With that said, don’t scoff at their Thai food offerings — the kuaytiaw, or Thai boat noodles, in particular, arrive steaming and fragrant with the scent of star anise. Noodle World is uncompromising in their attention to the detail; tripe is julienned into bite-sized ribbons and pork blood is not in short supply in this authentic bowl of home cooked goodness that’s sure to make Thai natives wax nostalgic.

Parking at the mini-mall that contains Tian Jin Bistro (itself a barely-there hole-in-the-wall) can be harrowing on the weekends, but once inside, one is rewarded with one of the best zhajiangmians in town. Deep, nutty and sweet flavors of the fermented soybean sauce are unlocked further with bites of fresh julienned carrot and cucumber, and the firm bite of the handmade noodles are a nice finishing touch.

According to the China Daily, biang biang mian were so named onomatopoetically for the noise they make when the pulled noodles are slapped on a table during preparation. Diners won’t hear the noise, but they might hear the dish ordered often at Shaanxi Garden. The savory, stir-fried noodles are balanced with grassy bean sprouts and an aromatic mirepoix of celery and carrot to create a flavor profile quite unlike any other noodle dish in town.

Beef noodle soup is seldom the belle of the ball in the Instagram feed (few noodle dishes truly are), but if there’s ever been a higher delicious-to-photogenic ratio in a single dish, one would be hard-pressed to find it. Corner Beef Noodle House’s niu rou mian, or Taiwanese-style beef noodle soup, takes melty beef tendon and marries it with a downright dreamy, clean broth to create one of the best noodle soup dishes in the city.

It is generally thought wise of married folks to listen to their wives, and it is certainly incumbent on the city of Los Angeles to listen to Laoxi Noodle House’s Wife’s Special. The seemingly odd mixture of zajiang black bean sauce, tomato-and-egg and roast pork seems odd, but it’s a nutty, unctuous, slightly acidic and altogether savory experience that oddly amounts to more than the sum of its parts.

Cindy’s Kitchen’s Taiwanese-style zhajiangmian isn’t quite as nutty or sweet as its mainland/Korean-Chinese-style counterparts, but it’s helped along by savory pork flavor and little bits of tofu and balanced out by grassy bean sprouts and julienned cucumbers. The al dente noodles stand up well to the application and provide a nice chew.