Pure and delicious flavors！Taipei’s pig intestines and oyster vermicelli noodles—add a dash of chili oil for an even better taste

Text & photos byLittle Tiger’s Dream Food Blog

Street food and snacks have always been my favorite things to eat and share, because they represent the most down-to-earth food culture of Taiwan, even a part of daily life. Compared to restaurant feasts, they’re more accessible and closer to more people. BUT, finding these street foods takes time. Time is hard for me these days, so I usually rely on online recommendations or dig into earlier taste memories.

The three shops I’m introducing today are all a bit old-school, located roughly between Minquan West Road and Shuanglian Station, near the Jinxi Street area. This used to be the site of the old Tamsui Line railway, and now it’s a bustling market from morning till dusk—some people call it “Shuanglian Market.”

This area is somewhere I often stroll around. When I’m really hungry, I usually head into “A-Mei Yimian (A-Mei Noodles).” I don’t know why, but I find the word “A-Mei” in snack shop names especially comforting—like my favorite spot in Yansan Night Market.【Following Shu Guozhi’s Snack Hunt #84】【Daqiaotou Station Eats】A-Mei’s Traditional Flavors (Revisited)As I walk in, I can’t help but hum: “A-Mei, A-Mei, when will you prepare your dowry?”

If I’m only slightly peckish, I’ll go next door to “Tianxiang Vermicelli.” This place was【Taipei MRT Eats】【Minquan West Road Station Eats】The Vermicelli Legendmy favorite in the area before “Vermicelli Legend” started drawing long lines. But ever since that place got super popular, I rarely go there anymore... waiting in line for snacks is honestly my worst nightmare, though once in a while is okay.

But no matter whether I finish a meal at A-Mei Yimian or Tianxiang Vermicelli, having a glass of sour plum soup or winter melon tea is always part of my routine—especially when I bring foreign friends around to eat in this area.

Food guru Shu Guozhi once said that the best shops should specialize in just one dish, which makes quality control easier—and I agree, though not entirely. Still, such shops are almost always delicious. Tianxiang Vermicelli is one of them, and there are plenty of other examples in Shuanglian and Dadaocheng to prove it. And Tianxiang Vermicelli’s noodles are all about “simplicity.” Even if the presentation isn’t the best, it lets customers sit down, spend a little money, take a little time, slurp happily to satisfy their cravings, and warm their stomachs—especially on those slightly chilly and dispirited afternoons.

When it comes to vermicelli, many might think they’re all similar, but if you taste carefully, the texture and flavor do vary. Tianxiang’s version is a bit thicker, almost like the vermicelli pudding from southern Taiwan, with the familiar sweet umami of dried bonito broth and the inherent taste of the noodles themselves, slightly powdery.

The toppings are pork meatballs, oysters, and pig intestines—all cut fairly small, which is also why the presentation isn’t the most appealing. The portion size isn’t huge either, and for the price, it’s just average. As for the taste: the pork meatballs—I honestly don’t have strong feelings about them. The oysters aren’t super fresh, but at least they’re not fishy, which I can live with. The pig intestines aren’t the premium “intestine heads,” but I really love both their chewiness and flavor. And their sweetness doesn’t come from the braising sauce—it’s the natural sweetness of the intestines themselves, which is amazing.

A common local trick is to add a bit of the shop’s homemade chili oil with a hint of dried fish flavor. Even those who don’t eat spicy food can add a little for extra aroma. I usually add a small spoonful after eating half the bowl.

After the noodles, my favorite is the sour plum soup from the old lady next door. This shop’s sour plum soup might be the most unique I’ve had in Taipei. Its sourness isn’t very strong—it has a slight medicinal or hawthorn-like undertone. I can’t say everyone will love it, but the flavor is definitely special. As for winter melon tea, although I still prefer【Following Shu Guozhi’s Snack Hunt #13】【Guting Station】Shida Night Market Winter Melon Tea, with Xuji Pan-Fried Pork Bunsor【Hu’s Random Eats】【Longshan Temple Station】Huaxi Street—A-Yi’s Braised Pork Ricethe grandma’s winter melon tea mentioned later in that post, this one is also quite good, with a bit more “melon fragrance.”

Okay, I know the connoisseurs will say this place’s real star is the “lotus root tea,” and I agree—it’s also relatively rare. But I’ve never been a big fan of lotus root tea, so you decide for yourself, dear readers.

Tianxiang Vermicelli
Address: No. 4, Lane 38, Jinxi Street, Datong District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2550-5598
Hours: 6:30–17:30 (three shops in a row)

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