Re gan mian — hot dry noodles — is the iconic Wuhan breakfast and the simplest case of doing one thing extraordinarily well. The dish is alkaline wheat noodles boiled, cooled, and tossed with sesame paste, soy sauce, chilli oil, pickled vegetables, and chopped scallions; the result is rich, savoury, slightly bitter, and quietly addictive.
The best places to try it are the stalls of Hubu Alley, where individual shops have queues from breakfast through mid-morning. Cai Lin Ji on Liji North Road is one of the most famous Wuhan re gan mian chains and has dozens of branches across the city. A bowl costs 7–12 RMB; eat it quickly while it is hot, the way locals do.