In 2005, Xi’an Famous Foods had one location, the 36th Chamber of the Golden Shopping Mall in the Chinatown of downtown Flushing, Queens. It was presided over by David Shi, an affable gent who went by the nom de cuisine Liang Pi, after his signature dish, liang pi (cold skin noodles). Today, Xi’an is a mini-empire with six locations, upscale sister restaurant Biang and a Brooklyn commissary, where fans flock to taste the chewy ribbons of wheat starch tossed with bean sprouts, cilantro, cucumber and a “secret sauce” of sesame paste, vinegar and chili oil. Other popular dishes include the cumin lamb burger, or “Chinese hamburger,” hand-ripped cumin lamb biang-biang noodles; and ma la yang lian, a spicy and tingly lamb face salad. The creamy bits of tongue and crunchy pieces of ear and palate — slicked with chili oil dressing and tossed with bean sprouts, cilantro, red onions, jalapeños and garlic — remains one of my favorite things to eat. And 36th Chamber, the original location of Xi’an Famous Foods, remains my favorite place to eat it.