The udon noodles at Marugame Seimen are smooth, tender, and springy, with a subtle wheat aroma gently wafting in your mouth.

Text & Photos /Shadow

When Marugame Seimen opened in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, it caused quite a stir—long queues were the norm, and things got even crazier during summer break. Back then, we didn’t join the trend to try it out. It wasn’t until the lines had recently thinned a bit that we finally gave it a go. However, my husband had beaten me to it by trying the Taipei branch of Marugame Seimen earlier. Ever since his visit, he’d been telling me how he wanted to take me there to try their fried items.

Originating from Japan, Marugame Seimen specializes in Sanuki udon. Its popularity stems from the restaurant’s dedication to serving “just-made” food—you can see the freshly made noodles, the ones just boiled and rinsed, and everything served to customers is all about freshness.

Each task has a dedicated staff member, and everyone works diligently and attentively to ensure a smooth serving process, from noodle-making to boiling and even rinsing, all done seamlessly. Though customers wait in long lines, the open kitchen allows them a glimpse into the well-organized workflow of Japanese food businesses, almost making them forget their sore feet.

The boiled udon is immediately cooled in cold water, not only to remove the surface starch but also to enhance its springiness. You’ll even notice that the bowls used for serving the noodles are designed with hygiene in mind.

Udon noodles are quite affordable, priced between NT$69 and NT$179. Everyone who’s tried them recommends ordering some of the fried items here for a treat.

The way you dine here is based on the queue order for ordering and picking up food—it’s so fast that Shadow barely had time to take photos.

After grabbing a tray and small plate, you simply order directly from the staff. The udon is prepared right away, placed on your personal plate, and then you can head over to the fried food section.

Many people recommend the fried items, and since my husband had already been once, he knew exactly which ones to pick. He quickly grabbed a few for Shadow before heading to the cashier.

It turns out the shop also makes onigiri (rice balls), but we were so drawn to the fried items that we completely overlooked them.

After paying, we headed to the self-service seasoning area, where the restaurant provides various condiments to enhance the flavor of the udon—feel free to adjust according to your taste.

Scallions and tempura flakes are essential sidekicks to udon. Some people go a bit overboard and pile on too much, but moderation is key—otherwise, are you eating udon or tempura-flavored scallions?

Soup Udon – NT$99 / Large
It’s a clean and refreshing bowl of udon. The amber-colored, clear broth sets off the white noodles beautifully, and adding tempura flakes and scallions makes the presentation even nicer—otherwise, just noodles and broth would feel a bit plain.

The udon is truly smooth, tender, and springy, with no overpowering seasonings. The subtle wheat aroma gently spreads in your mouth—that’s the essence of pure deliciousness.

Kamaage Udon – NT$69 / Medium
To be honest, seeing such a simple-looking udon at first was a bit of a shock. I thought to myself, “How plain is this udon?” Turns out this is how dipping-style udon usually looks—the small bowl contains the dipping sauce, with a Japanese soy sauce vibe, and you add the scallions yourself.

This style of eating doesn’t alter the original flavor of the udon, keeping the taste fresh and clean, which further highlights the udon’s natural deliciousness.

Fried items range from NT$25 to NT$35. We picked four kinds—all recommended by my husband as tasty and worth trying for Shadow—including his must-have fried chicken. The chicken has a crispy, oily exterior and juicy, flavorful meat inside. The fried veggies and shrimp were also great. I really think Marugame Seimen excels at frying—even hard-to-fry ingredients like vegetables turn out amazingly delicious.

In recent years, Japanese dining brands have been entering Taiwan one after another, eyeing Taiwanese consumers’ purchasing power. They’ve set up locations all over the island, aiming to capture everyone’s little moments of joy. While the live udon-making is certainly a draw, it also shows the meticulous attention to detail that Japanese businesses bring to their craft—something we can definitely learn from. Authentic udon emphasizes minimal external seasonings; fresh, natural flavors are the most delicious. I highly recommend these affordable udon options.

Address: B2, No. 123, GaoTie Road, Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
Business Hours: Weekdays 11:00–21:30; Holidays 11:00–22:00 (Sundays until 21:30)

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