![“I wasn't discouraged by some of the obstacles we faced. I learned a lot from the leadership. I found that different people need different ways of receiving feedback — you can't [just] tell them to do something and expect the best. [Some] people needed more incentive. A large part of my role was to figure out what worked for everyone and to figure out how to lead all these separate individuals as a team,” Suhana Bhandare (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SuhanaBhandare_JasmineHansra-1-1200x798.jpg)
![“This is actually from Randy Pausch Randy P. Brick: ‘Walls are there for a reason. You have to show how much you want to overcome them.’ You have to show how much you want something. That's what I've always been able to do with tennis, Link Crew and getting that internship [with Kushy Baby]. It’s important pushing through that — getting around that brick wall, climbing over it or clawing through it,” Yash Sachdeva (’26) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/YashSachdeva_RamBatchu-copy-1200x1002.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
NEW YORK — Tucked into uptown Manhattan, a mere ten-minute crutch from Columbia University’s east entrance sits Xi’an Famous Foods. The aromatic smell of spices and the slap of hand-ripped noodles on countertops welcomed us the instant we stepped inside. Looking at the menu, we found an array of options, ranging from cold noodles to dumplings. The seating area offered a view of the bustling city outside and added to the sleek and modern interior design of the restaurant. We ordered the Stir-Fried Liang Pi, the Pork Zha Jiang Hand-Ripped Noodles and the Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles, three of the most popular dishes at the restaurant.
Stir-Fried Liang Pi – $8.45
The stir-fried liang pi offered a spin on the dish traditionally served cold, a warmer alternative to counter the chilly weather. Liang pi noodles are made from rice starch, giving them a chewy texture and an almost translucent appearance. Unfortunately, the noodles offered no flavor, barely absorbing the chili oil that ultimately lacked spice. With the uniformly thick cut throughout, they provided a boring eating experience. The seitan, serving as a protein replacement for this vegan dish, was spongy and flavorful, a delight to chew. While we enjoyed how the seitan soaked up the chili oil, it did not offer the unique texture and flavor of real meat. Even as meat-lovers who found the seitan unsatisfactory, we appreciated that Xi’an Famous Foods provided vegan-friendly options on their menu.
Pork Zha Jiang Hand-Ripped Noodles – $11.75
Served piping hot, this dish greeted us with a pile of ground pork on top of thick, hand-ripped noodles. Super-wide, slightly uneven and made in house, the noodles were perfectly chewy and gave each bite an elasticity rarely found in machine-cut noodles. The meat was also packed full of flavor, although slightly on the saltier side due to the savory zha jiang sauce, created through fermenting black beans. A bit of the cabbage, cucumber, noodle and pork formed the perfect bite, blending a symphony of different texture and flavors. Even though the noodles themselves were already flavorful and comforting, adding a touch of chili crisp provided an extra punch to each bite.
Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles – $12.85
The Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles offer a satisfying balance of texture and flavor, anchored by the signature wide noodles. Paired with small bits of pork, cabbage, and green onions, the dish is seasoned with the signature suan la or sour-spicy flavor, created through a mix of tangy black vinegar and chili oil. The acidity of the sauce allowed the rich pork and chili oil to shine, and the spice complemented rather than overpowering my tastebuds. Overall, the combination of balanced heat and flavor along with distinctive texture made this a particularly memorable noodle dish.
Xi’an Famous Foods is definitely worth the visit if you’re craving some good noodles in Manhattan. Despite the bland Liang Pi falling short of our expectations, we recommend the Pork Zha Jiang Mian for those who love more savory and less spicy dishes and the Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles for those who want to expand their taste palate.
