Stepping inside House of Noodles, you’d first notice the barstools and strip of ancient-China-inspired wallpaper running the length of the narrow restaurant. Then, you’ll see the busy staff calling out in Mandarin and the glass jars of red chili oil for sale.

 It might feel more like Chinatown than Newton Centre.

“I would’ve expected something like this to be found in Chinatown because there are more authentic items,” said Ruchi Barab, a Boston resident. 

While there’s no shortage of Chinese restaurants in the Boston area, House of Noodles Newton shines with its regional specialties, particularly from the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi. Such dishes include rougamo, a filling Chinese-style hamburger with many crispy layers making up its bun, and sào zǐ mìan, a minced pork noodle soup.

“I always come here alone and only order this one thing,” Boston College graduate student Xuguo Zhou said of the sào zǐ mìan. 

Zhou is from the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou and found House of Noodles Newton thanks to a friend’s recommendation. 

“It tastes pretty much the same as back in China,” Zhou said. “ I would say it’s 80 percent  authentic.”

The standout menu items, evidenced by online reviews, are the hand-pulled biangbiang noodles, with your choice of meat and heaps of vegetables. 

The thick, wide noodles are satisfying to chew, but they’re heavy to lift with chopsticks and difficult to cut. The seasoning depends on the meat. The pork noodles were doused in not-too-greasy and moderately spicy chili oil, while the tender cumin beef was served with a sweeter sauce.

Barab encountered the restaurant while searching for places that served lamb cumin noodles, which she first had at a restaurant in New York City, and wanted to find one closer to home. She found House of Noodles to be a tasty and reasonably priced alternative.

“The prices are good as well compared to what I find in Chinatown or other downtown places,” Barab said.

The options at House of Newton Noodles are diverse, and most dishes are between $8 and $16. 

Those looking for familiar American Chinese classics will find General Tso’s chicken and soup dumplings, while adventurous customers can try the Toofy chicken gizzards, pork ears, and duck neck. Ordering is done through self-service kiosks, and there’s limited seating, so takeout is ideal. 

The owner, Shine Huang, said the restaurant’s mission is aimed at introducing regional Chinese flavors to new communities. 

“Usually, with ‘burger’ people think McDonald’s, and Burger King, but rougamo is like a Chinese burger,” Huang said. “We just bring [it] in to introduce it to people.”

He hopes to make regional dishes, like hand-pulled noodles, more recognizable.

 “Compared to Japanese ramen noodles, which most people already know about,” Huang said. “They don’t really know about those kinds of [hand-pulled noodles].”

Opening a restaurant featuring specialty dishes was no easy feat, requiring a lot of advertising. 

“We started very small in the grand opening,” Huang said. “We spent almost three months to get into the market. We do a lot of advertisements.”

For Huang, though, the restaurant’s mission extends beyond business. 

“We do care about people … it’s all about helping the community and making people happy,” Huang said. “Doing business, but more so putting in passion.” 

That sense of care shows up in the affordable prices, generous portions, and the fresh ingredients used in every dish. Huang said his culture and its values guide him and his team.

“This is what Chinese culture teaches the local,” Huang said. “We’re not just making money—we need to have passion.”