Just a fabulous place and a wonderful addition to the restaurants on South Anne Street. (It’s right across the street from Gotham Cafe and next to the French mainstay Le Cave.)
We’ve been missing the presence of a favorite Chinese place in center city Dublin, but Xi’an’s arrival (early in 2019) has filled the gap beautifully. The feel is casual, the staff are lovely, and the food…? Wow.
Himself and I were sort of in comfort food mode when we visited, so instead of heading for the Biang Biang noodles that are the place’s signature dish, we went for slightly more familiar options. Peter has a serious fondness for mapo dofu, and I really like dan dan mein: so those were what we got.
And they were really, really good. The subtlety and intensity of the flavors were startling. Peter started stealing the broth from my dan dan mein…
…and I confess I made inroads on his mapo dofu (at the top of the post) that would have been more serious if he’d helped me out by eating more slowly. Which he refused to do. (Not quite grounds for divorce, granted. But next time he’s not getting my broth.)
We look forward to many more visits, because there are a whole lot of things on that menu that need investigation. This is a small place, with sidewalk seating that can be enclosed when the weather’s inclement; but when conditions are good and you can sit out and watch Dublin go by while you eat, the spot is at its best. Prices here are seriously reasonable, too. Highly recommended.
(The dumplings were really good, too…)
Address: 28 Anne St S, Dublin, D02 DX39
Phone: (01) 677 8953
Website: https://www.xianstreetfooddublin.ie/
Nearest Luas: Dawson
Accessibility: A step up into the restaurant. Street level on the outside.
They”ll be listed here, bear with us
Stuff we’ve seen and found interesting, things we want, things you might want, who knows…?
Other people’s recipes that have worked really well
