La Taverne de Zhao_Opera — Restaurant in Paris

We were just curious why there were always people waiting outside, so we decided to try. Actually, we didn't expect it to be "good". Because you can see there's almost no Chinese eating inside, and even no Chinese cook in the kitchen, that's not a good signal for a so called "100% Chinese restaurant". Maybe the noodles are homemade, but I'm quite sure most of the rest are frozen. The fried chicken was a disaster... dry and no taste. They use the same part of chicken for the soup. Which in China no one will use it in this way. The soup was an unharmonised mixture..... This is a restaurant for those who have absolutely no idea about Chinese cuisine. 100% sure that a normal Chinese won't come back again. You have much better...

OVERHYPED

This restaurant has become an Instagram sensation, drawing long lines of eager diners. Unfortunately, the hype doesn’t translate to the food, but it does translate to the poop. While the presentation is nice, the taste leaves much to be desired.

The best parts of the dinner? The tea, the fresh coriander on the noodles, and the chicken dumplings. However, the restaurant’s famous noodles are completely underwhelming. There’s nothing remarkable about their flavor, and they certainly don’t justify the long wait. You will notice the presentation of the dishes is nice, but the taste is lacking.

If you’re looking for a solid, authentic Chinese meal, there are far better options in the area.

CANNOT recommend...

⸻

If you’re craving authentic Xi’an flavors in Paris, La Taverne de Zhao is the place to go. Their famous biang biang noodles are outstanding — wide, hand-pulled, and perfectly chewy, served with bold sauces that pack just the right punch of spice and depth. Every bite feels like a trip back to Xi’an, with a level of authenticity that’s hard to find elsewhere.

I went on a cool autumn evening, and the steaming bowl of noodles was pure comfort. The warmth of the broth, the aroma of chili oil, and the hearty texture of the noodles made for an incredibly satisfying meal. Cozy, flavorful, and soul-soothing — this is definitely a hidden gem in Paris that I’ll be returning to...