Mazilu Beef Noodles

Mazilu Beef Noodles grew from the hot-pot noodles hawked on shoulder-poles by older generations of Hui vendors, formally hung its signboard in 1954 beside the Lanzhou City God Temple and incorporated as a company in 2001, a key name in turning the bowl into a brand.

Mazilu is regarded as the benchmark name of Lanzhou beef noodles, and its outlet in Tokyo's Jimbōchō drew long queues, carrying the taste of "China's No. 1 noodle" abroad and making it the address visitors from elsewhere and overseas come looking for.

Its broth is slowly simmered from beef bones and meat to a clear amber, held to the five-colour standard of clear soup, white radish, red chilli oil, green garlic shoots and yellow noodles, while the dough can be pulled to specs from hair-fine to broad ribbon, all by the master's hand.

Mazilu Beef Noodles is a second-batch China Time-Honoured Brand recognised by the Ministry of Commerce.