Karakol's Dungan laghman is made with hand-pulled noodles stretched to order — thicker and chewier than the machine-cut version common elsewhere in Central Asia — and served in a deeply seasoned sauce of slow-cooked lamb, tomato, peppers, and onions. The portions are generous and the prices low. A bowl of laghman, a piece of lepyoshka bread, and a pot of green tea makes a complete meal.
The best laghman houses are concentrated in the eastern part of town near the Dungan Mosque, run by families who have been making the dish for generations. The technique of pulling the noodles is often visible through a window or at an open kitchen — a cook stretching a thick rope of dough until it separates into individual strands. Lunch service runs from around midday to early afternoon; arrive by 1pm to be sure of a table.