This place exists in an artificially lit thoroughfare in the city surrounded by a lot of glass, with grey and sleek lines typical of Auckland’s modern commercial architecture. Inside Biang Biang’s particular nook, you’ll find a little more personality, perhaps just slightly manufactured in its glossy neatness. If it all looks a little like a restaurant franchise, that’s because it is — there are other outlets locally and in Australia. But the lack of obvious charm is made up for by the flawless nature of the noodles. The signature “biang biang noodles” are an obvious and wonderful starting point: fresh noodle strands (which you’ll likely hear being thwacked on the bench in the kitchen) are hand-torn into strips and tossed in an elixir of nuclear-hot oil, fragrant aromatics and spices. There are similar iterations with tomato and egg or topped with spicy lamb or chilli-and-cumin-laced chicken which you could rotate through if you like trying new things. Soups are very good, too.