Finding cheap eats in Melbourne is a slog these days with the cost of living so high it’s in outer space. If you want a couple of sushi handrolls for lunch, $10 will get you that. But I’m after value here. So we’re looking for the best cheap restaurants in Melbourne with the best value meals to stuff you to the point of sickness – all for under $20. This is Chinger Biang Biang Noodle, 74 Victoria St, Carlton, just on the edge of the CBD. It specialises in the hand-pulled noodles and homemade bread and dumplings of Uyghur and Shaanxi cuisines – and it's all halal. They do Uyghur dishes from the Xin Jiang region like da pan ji (big plate chicken) with noodles pulled to order and cumin lamb skewers, as well as halal versions of iconic dishes from Xi'an, the capital of China's Shaanxi province, like biang biang noodles, lamb pao mo soup, liang pi (cold noodles with gluten) and rou jia mo (Chinese burgers). The cheapest meal on the menu is the classic hot oil seared biang biang noodles – thick chewy hand-pulled noddles topped with beef stew, bok choy and loads of garlic and chilli powder doused in boiling oil to serve. It is one of the best meals in Melbourne regardless of price, which is just $16.80. A steal especially when you think about the bowls of packet penne going for twice as much just around the corner on Lygon Street. Eat here. For more Melbourne cheap eats, visit vice.com. #melbournefood #melbourne #noodles #chinesefood #cheapeats