It’s never too early to look for 2018’s standout dishes, right? We alert you to YuXiang Korean Chinese Cuisine (7729 S. Rainbow Blvd., 702-790-3474), another jewel in the growing southwest-Valley empire of restaurateur David Sim.

The reason you’re coming here is jajangmyeon ($7-$9), a stellar if simple noodle mashup. Thick, white wheat noodles are smothered in a sauce built on black bean paste with diced pork and vegetables, though eaters can also get it with seafood or tofu. It’s a killer combination of sweet, salty and umami. Chunjang, Korean sweet bean sauce, is combined with diverse flavors like soy or oyster sauce, garlic, ginger and stock and thickened into a slurry. The meat gives the entire thing body, and the noodles are slurp-worthy by themselves. Grab them with a side of dumplings and you’ve got yourself a Korean Chinese dream plate.