I've been obsessed lately with Lan Zhou pulled noodles.
On a very recent trip to Beijing, I've had numerous bowls from different "highly ranked" establishments and find Homemade Ramen the best (please note I have not yet been to Lan Zhou- I'm speaking only of Beijing).
That said, I find Homemade Ramen's broth very delicious, not overly salty. (I always go for 1102 so I am speaking for that particular dish). Sure, it may be MSG. I find the noodles to be on the softer side but the pickled radish that comes in the noodles really balance everything out. I always ask for extra cilantro and add black vinegar and chilli oil to my bowl, which the latter are available on every table. I usually accompany my noodles with a cold dish. They are usually delicious, packed with garlic and seasoning.
Also, try the cumin lamb skewers (???). It's a classic pair. Lan Zhou has the highest population of Muslims in China and they consume a lot of lamb.
I would avoid getting the knife cut noodles ??(???). That is a specialty of another region (ShanXi) and I don't particularly think they execute it well.