Despite a big following in New York and kudos from the Michelin Guide, this small restaurant pulled up stakes—just before the pandemic hit—and moved to be near the owner’s Texas relatives. Lucky Plano diners can now enjoy the Henan cuisine (rare in these parts) that distinguished Uncle Zhou in the competitive Chinese restaurant scene of Queens. Order this to go: Uncle Zhou is famous for hand-pulled noodles, particularly the “dial oil” noodles; a less-spicy version of dan dan, they’re silky, tender-yet-elastic ribbons, dressed in a garlicky chile sauce. For a spectacular side, get the Dragon Eggplant: spiral-sliced Chinese eggplants, lightly battered and fried and served with a subtly sweet and tangy sauce. Plump lamb dumplings are tasty, with bits of fresh scallion. Pro tip: Noodles tend to stick together in transit; you might want to ask that they be tossed in the sauce beforehand.
Note: Review reflects COVID-19 protocols in place at the time of visit.