Daoxiao mian — noodles shaved directly from a large block of stiff dough using a crescent-shaped blade — are the signature dish of Shanxi and are made and eaten better in Taiyuan than anywhere else. A skilled cook holds the dough block against their shoulder and shaves off curved ribbons of varying thickness directly into the boiling water, producing noodles with a slightly different texture on each surface from the cut. The result, served in broth or with a braised meat sauce, has a chewiness that no extruded or rolled noodle can match.
Daoxiao mian restaurants are found throughout the city, but the best are typically small operations without much decor, focused entirely on the noodle quality and the sauce. Order with red braised pork (hong shao rou) sauce or a clear mutton broth — both are traditional combinations. The area around the main railway station has a high concentration of reliable options.