Let’s dig in at the market stalls – a local-favorite traditional noodle spot at Songshan Market

Photos & Text by TravelScape Liao Weiren
 
Located near Songshan Metro Station, Songshan Market is famous for the bustling Raohe Night Market at night. But during the day, this traditional market is also packed with delicious eats. This unassuming little food stall tucked around the corner is a beloved noodle shop among locals and office workers alike. Today, we’re joining the food scouts and HowToTrip editors to give it a try together!

Abula Snack Shop is located at the corner near the exit of Songshan Metro Station, right at the entrance of Songshan Market. On the outside, it’s a small traditional noodle stall, but inside there are a few tables for seating. The place gets pretty busy during meal times.

I’m not entirely sure what the star ingredient is here, so I just ordered whatever caught my eye. This bowl of mixed meatball soup comes with pork meatballs, squid meatballs, cuttlefish meatballs, and crispy fish flakes. The owner doesn’t skimp on the fillings, the flavor is great, and the fish flakes have almost no fishy smell.

If you want to know how good a noodle shop really is, just order a bowl of dry fried noodles. It’s the simplest combination of noodles and sauce, and you can instantly tell the skill level. I quite liked the braised pork and the sauce. The noodles were a bit too soft, but that might be because they sat out a bit during the photo shoot. Still, I have to recommend their chili sauce — not the one on the table, but the one from the vendor’s own stash. Add a bit to your noodles, and it’s absolutely addictive.

I ordered dried tofu, pork belly, and pork lung. The dried tofu was pretty flavorful and fresh. The pork belly was chopped a bit too finely for my taste — I personally prefer thicker slices.