A nearly century-old squid noodle shop in Taipei preserves the umami of squid with a crispy yet chewy texture

Text & Photos /Mazhi Xiaotu

Among the delicacies near Longshan Temple is a Wanhua old shop, 【Liangxi Hao Squid Noodles】, established in 1921. Since in Tainan, there are mostly cuttlefish noodles, milkfish noodles, and squid tentacle noodles... squid noodles are rare, with only blanched squid available. I only tried squid noodles after coming to Taipei, and many shops serve delicious flavors. At least the noodle soup in Taipei isn’t overly sweet, making it more refreshing. The shrimp paste squid noodles are also quite good.

The main store of 【Liangxi Hao Squid Noodles】 is located in Guangzhou Street, but there’s also a Xiyuan branch on Xiyuan Road near Longshan Temple. Since I really like the crispy and springy texture of Liangxi Hao’s squid noodles, I occasionally come here to eat.

It’s said that Liangxi Hao uses Argentine squid, but the key lies in the shop’s soaking and puffing technique. Just the soaking and cooking process takes a whole day. The puffed squid retains its umami and has a delightfully chewy and crisp texture—it’s really impressive. The squid noodles also include swordfish balls, and the broth is sweet without being greasy, offering a very refreshing taste. Those who like spicy food can add their special chili sauce. Having been popular in Wanhua for nearly a century, it remains hugely popular.

Squid noodle rice vermicelli.

There are also blanched squid served with the shop’s unique dipping sauce and mustard, offering an excellent Q-crunchy texture.

Traditional old-school stir-fried rice vermicelli topped with fried garlic crisps and scallion oil. I didn’t used to like the taste of garlic, but these garlic crisps are fragrant and slightly salty, pairing wonderfully with the stir-fried noodles.

The signature burdock kamaboko has added burdock for extra aroma and a richer, more diverse texture. It’s hearty, Q-chewy, and delicious.

Have a bowl of classic squid noodles, paired with stir-fried rice vermicelli or traditional braised pork rice, plus a plate of burdock kamaboko and shrimp rolls for a truly hearty and tasty meal.

After eating at Liangxi Hao, head to 【Longdu Ice Cream Shop】 for a bowl of eight-treasure ice—a nearly essential routine for me every time I visit Longshan Temple.

Liangxi Hao Xiyuan Branch has both first and second floors with plenty of seating.

Liangxi Hao Squid Noodles
Address: (Main Store) No. 245, Guangzhou Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City; (Xiyuan Branch) No. 194, Section 1, Xiyuan Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2336-1129
Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 12:30 AM

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