The side dishes are even better than the signature beef noodles—the tripe is refreshing without being greasy, and the thick-cut beef is tender and soft.

Photos & Text /Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

This shop is one I often pass by, and every time I see it doing quite well in business. A couple of netizens who live or work nearby have also recommended it, but I never got the chance to sit down and try it—until that day when I finished a meal with Xiao Dao, who had nothing else to do all day, and he said he’d take me for “afternoon tea,” so here we were.

I first learned about this place because it once won the title of “Best Beef Noodles in the World.” When I came looking for it the first time, I didn’t see it. That’s when I found out that the stall is located in the B1 level of the vegetable market during lunchtime, and only sets up at its regular spot after 4 p.m.


Beef noodles for 90 NT these days are really a great deal, even for a street stall. That’s why business is so good in the evening—sometimes you can’t even find a seat—and they even advertise their noodles as chewy and the beef as generous in portion.


Whether the beef noodles are as affordable and hearty as Xiao Dao described, or if the taste matches what the shop claims—chewy noodles and big chunks of beef—we’ll find out soon enough when we “eat.” First, let’s take a look at this Taiwanese-style pickled vegetable that I quite like. It has that slightly sweet taste typical of Taiwanese pickles, with the right crunchiness from the cabbage. The slight tang is fleeting but comes back with each bite—it’s really quite good.

As for the tofu, I’ve always preferred the traditional, slightly chewy kind. Of course, I mean when eating noodles. I don’t know why, but I tend to crave something more substantial at times like this. Overall, the tofu has a decent amount of juice—it’s tender and juicy with each bite.


This bowl is the small-sized beef noodles at 90 NT. The beef is sliced from beef shank, cut a bit thicker, almost like small beef chunks, but it’s not at all tough to chew. Even the “tendons” between the meat pieces are tender, chewy, and soft, and they don’t get stuck in your teeth.


For the noodles, you can choose between thick or thin. Naturally, I went with the thin straight noodles. They’re cooked just right, with a slight chewiness, and they pair nicely with the broth.

The beef broth tastes quite rich at first sip. Though it reminds me more of the broth from childhood beef noodle “soup,” you can still taste the sweetness of the beef, along with a hint of buttery aroma. It’s quite close to the flavor of the beef noodles on Tacheng Street that I remember. However… after finishing the soup and noodles, I don’t know why, but I felt very thirsty for about half an hour, even though the meal was quite delicious while eating.

I’m not sure how much this plate of beef cost, since it was “Brother Dao” who treated us, but I remember the whole meal was pretty cheap.

If I had to say what I was most satisfied with that day, it would be the beef. It’s sliced thick but not tough to eat. It’s tender and soft, yet still has that satisfying chewiness of quality beef. The sweetness of the beef is also just right—even without dipping it in sauce, it’s flavorful enough. For a street stall at this price point, it’s really quite impressive.


The tripe is also well braised—not too salty, refreshing and not greasy. The texture is slightly crispy yet soft, and it releases a bit of juice with each bite. Overall, I think the braised items here, whether it’s the beef shank or the tripe, are really delicious, and the value for money is great.




[Shen Ji Beef Noodles]

Address:No. 222, Jinzhou Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City (Stall No. 9, B1, Songjiang Market)
Phone:02 2511 4004
Business Hours:11:30–16:00 (B1), 16:00–23:30 at the arcade entrance.
Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring.