Popular Stir-Fry Spot in Dadaocheng – Their Signature Dish Is actually “Millet Noodle Soup” with Swordfish

Text and photos byXiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

This small but bustling shop in Dadaocheng was actually a bit of a head-scratcher for me and YouShang, because I lived nearby for three to five years, and YouShang actually grew up there — yet neither of us became aware of this place until recently... The reason? It’s packed with people every evening.

To say we had no impression of it might not be entirely accurate, but we always thought it was just an average stir-fry joint. Then one day, when YouShang and I were chatting, we discovered it had expanded into two storefronts, with the entire sidewalk area filled with diners every evening. That’s when we realized it’s famous for its “millet noodle soup.”

The main shop is next door to another space that’s used for ventilation — it may not be much in terms of decor, but the space is decent enough and has air conditioning, though for some reason the place had a slightly off smell that day...

So we ended up grabbing a table on the sidewalk. Bear in mind, this was at 8 p.m., right after dinner service had ended and before the late-night crowd had arrived — but the sidewalk seating was completely full.

Calling it strictly a “millet noodle soup” spot doesn’t quite feel right; categorizing it like that seems a bit odd. A more accurate description would be that it’s a stir-fry shop, but I do genuinely love their millet noodle soup...

Even though I really enjoy their millet noodle soup, the stir-fried dishes here are also quite good — their clay pot fish head, in particular, is a signature dish according to many foodies. Unfortunately, there were only the three of us that day, all with small appetites, so we were worried that ordering it would leave no room for anything else.

If you’re into street food and have some knowledge of Dadaocheng’s culinary history, you’ll know that there used to be dozens — even hundreds — of shops selling swordfish millet noodle soup along Yanping North Road alone. Even now, there are still quite a few. Some even go so far as to say that among Dadaocheng’s street snacks, swordfish millet noodle soup is definitely one of the most iconic.

Millet Uncle’s millet noodle soup is believed to have started as a roadside stall near the park. The next generation that took over added elements like stir-fried dishes and clay pot fish head. The broth has a naturally sweet and pleasing taste with the rich aroma that only swordfish can bring. The flavor is somewhat similar to my favorite at Yansan Night Market16:【Yansan Night Market】Swordfish Millet Noodle Soup on Yanping North Road, but even richer and with a deeper, more intense sweetness (not the sugary kind), though some friends I was with said they preferred the “lighter” taste of the Yansan version. The noodles have a smooth texture with just a hint of slight crispness that lasts half a second — they don’t get soggy from sitting in the soup, and instead develop a fragrant, sweet resonance between the rice and the broth. There’s not much in the way of off-flavors either. Truly high-quality swordfish millet noodle soup.

Following our preferences and with recommendations from the staff, we ordered a few other dishes to sample. First up was the fried oysters, which the staff recommended. The frying was well done and the oysters were fresh, and they gave us plenty of basil, but overall the flavor was nothing particularly surprising — pretty much what you’d expect. If anything, it wasn’t too oily and the crispiness was quite well executed.

We ordered “Kung Pao Pig Liver” just because it’s not something you see often. The pig liver seemed a little overcooked, lacking the tender pink texture I usually prefer, but interestingly, it wasn’t too tough either — in fact, my friend who doesn’t even like pig liver found it quite palatable. The flavor is supposed to be Kung Pao-style, but it was a bit on the wetter, smoother side. The chili only brought aroma without much heat, with a mix of saltiness and oiliness. Personally, I quite liked the flavor.

Most people going to a stir-fry joint will definitely order clams in the shell — the staff said it was a signature dish, so we got a plate. It was pretty tasty, but just like the fried oysters, it was what you’d expect. The highlight was that the ingredients were very fresh.

The “Kimchi Beef” is something you’ll find in many stir-fry shops, and even some Chinese eateries. That day, we just wanted a beef stir-fry dish, but it ended up being my favorite of the night. Typically, kimchi (which tends to be more Korean-style but on the sweeter side) can overpower other ingredients when used in cooking. This kimchi beef was still quite kimchi-forward, but the beef’s savory-sweet richness still had room to shine. It’s normal for the beef to take on some of the kimchi flavor when you eat it, but being able to taste the caramelized aroma of the beef mixed in with the kimchi — that’s not easy to pull off, and it’s something I really care about in a beef stir-fry. Overall, the best part of this dish was how the tangy, spicy, and sweet kimchi balanced with a uniquely captivating nutty, beefy caramel aroma. Absolutely delicious beyond words.

The pan-fried tofu might have been the dish I was least impressed with that night. Not that it was bad — just pretty ordinary. If I had to say something positive, the texture of the tofu was great — crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and quite juicy. My only complaint was that it felt a bit too thick in consistency, but I bet that sauce would taste great poured over rice XD.

The loofah and clam soup had a broth texture that I really liked — slightly thick. The sweetness of the loofah slightly outweighed that of the clams, and the touch of ginger slices added a pleasant note. All in all, it was quite good.

Related Info
Millet Uncle
Address: No. 170, Jinxi Street, Datong District, Taipei City
Phone: 25577945
Business Hours: 11:00–14:00, 16:30–22:00

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