We reach just 10mins past their opening hours. By then, the first batch of diners had already gone in, so we had to queue 30mins.
For tourist, here is their SOP: 1 queue outside to dine in or approach staff directly for takeout. 2 staff will approach you to write down how many bowls of beef noodles. Don’t tell them your side dishes order here. 3 wait patiently to be ushered in 4 queue at side dish counter to order your side dishes while waiting for your beef noodles. It takes around 5-10mins for your noodles to reach.
Please note that this is 清炖牛肉, not 红烧牛肉 that is traditionally braised in chili bean paste to give a unique red colour to broth. This soup is on the mild side, for people who enjoys simple hearty soup. If you want more oomph, add in their chili sauce (it is spicy!) I personally like this type of beef noodles (akin to clear broth in pho) but my partner doesn’t.
Side dishes: we enjoyed the beef tripe and tendon. Both are very tender which reflected hours of braising it. We didn’t add any sauce on it except for chili sauce at the side. Locals prefer to add soy bean paste over their bean curd which we find it a little too salty for our liking. The pickled cabbage is ok.
It is a pretty decent bowl of beef noodles. I wouldn’t travel down specially for it. Personally, I would have liked it better if there is more Chinese herbs being used to add another dimension...
Read moreIt’s not the red 紅燒 type of beef noodles. It is a 清湯 beef noodle, meaning soy sauce isn’t the dominant flavour. I’d have to say that the beef quality isn’t the best, not all pieces are tender, so next time I would opt for the soup and noodle version. The soup has an incredibly beefy taste, it is deep and meaty and incredibly warming. The grease that forms on top is not cloying, it is a plus. It’s just an intense bowl of beef stock with some sweetness and the taste of spices. Some might not enjoy the floury taste of the noodles, but the texture definitely pairs well with the soup. Remember to get the 豆乾 (stewed tofu) it is wonderfully porous and the lady cuts them super thin and dunks it in a soup/sauce before plating. Porous=retains more flavour, more holes for sauce and soup! Really recommend this place if you want a 清湯牛肉麵 but don’t come here...
Read moreThis is the best “street food type” of noodle soup I tasted in Taipei! The place is packed with people - so go earlier. Reasonable price! Prepare to serve yourself.
I revisited the restaurant and found so many people waited just when the store open! Soup is the best in town! All the food including the beef noddle soup, and appetizers are like homemade Mom’s taste! Highly recommend! When I compared the photos I took years ago and now, the taste has maintained the original flavor. If you go about 15 mins before 10am, the line should be short! Otherwise, the wait is about...
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