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Mian Sichuan Noodle, known for its spicy noodle dishes and dumplings, is preparing to open in Tysons at Pike 7 Plaza.
Exterior signs have appeared at 8395 Leesburg Pike, where Mian will fill the space vacated by China Wok last summer. The restaurant applied for a permit for the location earlier this year, and signs now describe it as “coming soon,” though an opening date has not been announced.
Mian takes its name from the Chinese word for “noodle.” Owner and James Beard Award-nominated chef Tony Xu opened the first location in the Los Angeles area about a decade ago and has since expanded the business to five Southern California restaurants. Mian also has locations in Houston, Honolulu and Las Vegas.
The menu centers on the bold, pungent and spicy flavors associated with Sichuan cuisine. It features pork dumplings and more than two dozen noodle and rice-noodle preparations, including hot-and-sour noodles and versions served with spare ribs or mapo tofu.
Mian earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation in Southern California. In a favorable 2016 review, Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold praised the restaurant’s “bright and clean” flavors, highlighting the tart character of Sichuan pickles, chile heat and the noodles’ firm chew.
The Tysons space was previously occupied by China Wok, which operated in the shopping center for 34 years. Its owners closed the restaurant in July after announcing their retirement, ending a run that began in 1991.
Mian has not disclosed exactly when its Tysons restaurant will open.