VIBE

This neighborhood mainstay is one of the best places in the city to snag a steaming bowl of classic Taipei beef noodle soup. The restaurant itself is pretty no frills (pots of pickles on the table are just about the only adornment), but the show-stopping noodles, broth, and tender cuts of beef more than compensate.

CROWD

Pretty much anyone who likes perfectly cooked noodles in a delicious broth.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

Something we don’t mind splashing noodle broth on–preferably dark colored and machine washable.

GO HERE WITH

Friends; family; noodle lovers

WHY WE LIKE IT

Those steaming bowls of beef noodle soup…the tender chunks of beef, the chewy noodles, the rich broth...we just can’t get enough. (Be sure to order the classic Taiwanese version (hong shao niu rou mian), not the light version (qing tang niu rou mian). Both are good, but the hong shao version is not to be missed.

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

Would be nice if the surrounds weren’t quite so basic, but we really don’t mind once the bowls are set in front of us.

GOOD TO KNOW

There’s no English menu, but there is a picture menu, so go with the beef noodle soup with a dark brown broth. Beef noodle soup (of the hong shao variety) has been a BIG thing in this country for generations; there’s an annual family recipe contest in Taipei during the fall. It may seem like a big to-do about a single dish, but once you taste it, you’ll understand why.

CLOSEST COMPS

Lao Zhang Beef Noodles (Taipei)