Master Lanzhou Noodle Bar - The Glen — Restaurant in Melbourne

Master Lanzhou Noodle Bar - The Glen Visit Update 27/4/2022

I take some friends from other suburbs to taste the noodles here. They are very impressed with fresh noodles, just like how they tasted at Labzhou in China.

Visited on 29/4/2021

On many occasions, I stood outside this eatery and watched through the glass windows the staff making noodles without using any machine. He cut pieces off a big block of dough. He used one piece at a time, coated it with oil, pulled it and stretched it with both hands. The right end of stretched dough was placed on the left end. The two ends were pulled and stretched again. The process were repeated until the required thickness was achieved.

Today, I finally took my wife to try out the signature dish, Beef Noodle in Soup.

The shop is brightly lit, with the help of the wave-like ribbon lights hung on the ceiling. The interior deco is oriental with murals of a martial artist and the Chinese character Lan.

There is a choice of noodle strand of different thickness, either round or flat. It does not take long for the noodle to cook. The bowl is big, and the content is filled to almost full to the rim.

Since the noodle is freshly made and cooked in boiling water, then topped up with beef stock soup, the noodle is soft and a bit chewy.

The broth is not very spicy but tasty probably with added MSG. The beef is thinly sliced, just cooked to the right tenderness.

Tables are quickly wiped down, presumably with sanitising liquid after customers vacate.

I...

We were at the counter ready to order our food only to find out they were sold out. Was not given any notice that some choices on the menu have been sold out. They could have easily informed people on the line about the items that weren't available anymore. As we were choosing our next option, the lady at the counter asked us if we could step aside to let other people order. Already starving, we were forced to pick whatever the next available option there was. We found it rude of her asking us to step aside when we were merely deciding what food to have when they didn't have the food we wanted on their menu. We sat beside a couple who was in front of us at the line. They were served their dishes on their table. We had to grab our own on the pick-up table when the buzzer they gave us went off. And before we even began to eat, we were asked to leave their premises and eat at the food court because apparently they're "closed." The couple beside us weren't even asked to leave. We were already sitting down inside waiting for our food just to be asked to leave and eat outside? What kind of service is that? We didn't ask for takeaway. They didn't inform us that we had to eat in the food court after ordering. They didn't inform us about the sold out items on their menu. Worst experience I've ever had. Felt like they just wanted to get as much customer as possible and kick them out as soon as possible. Never coming back from this place and will tell people...

Lanzhou is one of my favorite noodle places in town. The outlet in Glen looks chic and has traditional Chinese elements. The different types of noodles are displayed both at the counter and at the front. The option to choose different types of noodles is quite nice, and it is vital for a picky person like me.

The things I liked; big and spacious outlet. Both standard and highchair seating. You can take the food outdoor as well, in the central food court, for that you will be given a buzzer to collect the food when it is ready. The staff is friendly and prompt. The choices and options available for customizing the noodles are indicated. They have offered me the loyalty card and even gave me a free drink as we ordered three noodles.

What went wrong: customizing the noodles - with/without chilies, leaks, and coriander was quite confusing. Even though she picked up the right order, the food delivered was wrong. I didn't ask for chilies, but my meal had chilies on it. Upon asking the staff, she said that is what it says on order. I just ignored it as it is not a big issue for me, but I believe this should be taken care of as there are people who are extremely sensitive...