Dear Taiwan Beef Noodles · Chicken Soup,
I don’t know how to say this, but… You ruined me.
When we first met, it was late, 9PM. The city was buzzing, and I was just looking for something casual, something comforting. I had heard about you through a mutual friend, Lucas Sin from Bon Appétit who casually mentioned you in a video. He never said your name directly, of course. You’re mysterious like that. Your name was literally just… what you serve. And I thought, how good could something with a Google Maps listing that literal be?
But then I found you.
And everything changed.
I waited for you—15 minutes. And I would’ve waited longer. I would’ve waited forever, honestly. Because the moment we were together, and I tasted that broth… something deep inside me shifted. I’ve had beef noodle soup before. But you? You were something else. You were The One.
You made me feel things I didn’t know soup could make me feel.
The Three Treasure combo: tendon, shin, tripe was a love letter to my soul. The intense broth, bold and bright, with tomato tang, bean paste umami, and sweet onion whispers; each sip felt like you were saying, I know you. I see you. You deserve better. The thin alkaline noodles, perfectly firm, lovingly prepared in that constantly refreshed water— you cared about me. You wanted me to be happy.
I was happy.
But now I can’t go back.
Other beef noodle soups mean nothing to me. I sit across from them, smiling politely, thinking of you. You made me question everything I thought I knew about broth. You made me believe. And now I’m just… lost.
I tried to move on.
I ordered the house dry noodles with spicy ground pork—they were fine. But it was like kissing someone who isn’t you. No spark. No soul.
I even flirted with the side of sausage, fatty and cold, served with sliced garlic that tried its best to cut through the richness. But I couldn’t stop thinking, Why am I wasting my time on sides when I had everything I ever needed in that bowl?
You were it for me. You are it for me.
So I’m coming back.
I booked a flight. Next year. Same city. Same table, if it’s still there. I’ll check the box again on that laminated menu. Intense broth. Firm noodles. Everything. Just like last time. Just like always.
Until then, I’ll dream of you.
Yours in heartbreak and soy sauce, 💔 A hopeless, noodle-obsessed fool who thought he was just getting dinner, but found...
Read moreBeef Noodles (半筋半肉) is super nice. They have two kinds of noodles to choose from, one is thin and the other is thicker. I had the thicker one and it was very nice (not too soft). My friend had the thin one and it was yummy too. The small portion is more than enough to a girl, especially if you order some side dishes to go with. Most girls I'll say "half portion" may be enough. When you comw late in the night, go with the half portion one and you'll be fine. Chicken soup is nice to have. The flavour is very traditional, and you can taste the original flavor of the ingredient. It feels very authentic, like the kind of soup your mom would prepare when you need some energy. Gotta say it's a bit small regarding the price, but overall I think it's worthwhile. If you are a girl who comes late at night and wanna cut on carbs but still hungry, this may be a good option. Broth is definitely good. Side dishes, I tried 豆干 and 花干. 豆干 is good but normal. Not very special from other stores so you may skip it. 花干 is cooked with the same beef broth so it's very nice... For me this is a must-try. Overall, this is a very nice small store with authentic Taiwanese flavor. Dont come too late or you might have to get in line and wait for quite some time!!! Oh, it's a bit pricy, but I think it's...
Read moreHighly referenced taiwanese beef noodle shop when you search youtube for places to eat, so I decided that I like beef noodles enough to come and try. Was warned that there's generally a queue but it moves. I came about 745pm and there was a queue of about 20+ people before me but I think I waited 30 mins and got my seat. The queue system is very well managed and they place chairs outside for you while you're waiting, and there's also plenty of public seating outside the restaurant while you wait. I ordered the beef noodles and added a side of braised tripe and tofu to go along with it. The broth was deep, earthy, herbal and full of umami flavour. The beef pieces that came with it were generally tender except for one piece but that was probably the exception. The beef tripe... if you like beef tripe, you have to order it. It was braised to perfection and the mouth feel was amazing to say the least! I ordered the small portion which was very sufficient for me and you get a choice of skinny noodles or hand cut noodles. I went with the latter and thought I made a good choice. The service staff were prompt and friendly! I really enjoyed my meal here and wish I could come back for their chicken lala soup which is supposed to be well received and...
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