Pickled mustard greens and shredded pork in a near 1:1 ratio — Kaohsiung’s “Northern Noodles Home” doesn’t skimp on ingredients

Photos & Text /Shadow

When we first arrived in Kaohsiung, a friend introduced us to Northern Noodles Home. While many might associate the word “ramen” with Japanese-style noodles, this place actually serves authentic northern Chinese wheat-based noodles. We loved it back then and ate there for years. It wasn’t until we started writing food reviews and had too many new spots to try daily that we only visited occasionally with my husband for a craving fix.

Unexpectedly, a few days ago while passing by the area near the Art Gallery, we spotted that Northern Noodles Home had quietly opened a branch here. At first, we thought it was a relocation, so we even went to the main store to confirm. Later, we found out it was a new branch, so we paid them a visit the very next day.

The dining environment is completely different from the main store. The long, narrow space isn’t as wide as the main store, but it’s deep and lengthy — nearly the entire area, aside from the front service counter and the back kitchen, is seating. For solo diners, the shop thoughtfully provides individual seats designed so you don’t have to face strangers awkwardly, allowing for a more comfortable meal.


For families or larger groups, head toward the back where there are two-person and four-person tables to accommodate different party sizes. To tackle the issue of narrower spaces, mirrors are used behind the two-seaters, cleverly creating an illusion of a more spacious area.


Near the entrance is the cashier and the side dish section. Side dishes and braised items have always been reasons why we love coming to Northern Noodles Home. A meal here without ordering a plate of braised items almost feels like a waste. As usual, braised items are a must — our go-to choices include fish cakes, sliced tofu, kelp, dried tofu, and marinated eggs. The prices are reasonable and always satisfying.


As for the side dishes, it depends on personal preference, but they’re roughly similar to those at the main store — vegetables, pig ears, shredded kelp, and so on.

Unlike the main store, this branch has a menu with checkboxes. After selecting your choices, you proceed to the counter to order and pay, which is also quite convenient. The noodle sizes come in small and large portions, and the small size is actually quite generous — usually, a small bowl is more than enough to fill us up.


One of the shop’s features is offering free hot clear soup for customers, with some minced celery on the side for added aroma. Even those having dry noodles can enjoy a warm cup of clear soup. So whenever we come here, we always start with a bowl of soup to warm up our stomachs.


The clear soup is completely plain — the only thing you can add is the minced celery. Some people pour the leftover sauce from their dry noodles into the soup, mixing it all together to create a surprisingly delicious drinkable soup.

Side dishes cost 60 NT — the preparation method at Northern Noodles Home usually involves first braising the ingredients, then reheating them upon ordering. They’re drizzled with soy sauce and soy paste, sprinkled with chopped scallions, and then served to customers.

We enjoy eating the scallions with the side dishes. While waiting for the noodles, the side dishes help pass the time. Although we feel the combination of soy paste and extra soy sauce is quite salty, we still can’t resist ordering a plate of sides every time we visit. I think you can probably ask the staff to hold the soy paste or soy sauce if desired.

Shredded Pork with Pickled Mustard Greens Dry Noodles / Small bowl 60 NT — This is my husband’s favorite flavor. He often says he misses the shredded pork with pickled mustard greens noodles his mother used to make, and perhaps through some emotional association, he’s particularly fond of this dish. The shop’s version has almost a one-to-one ratio of pickled mustard greens to pork, with generously portioned ingredients that pair perfectly with the noodles.

There are three types of noodles to choose from here — glass noodles and rice noodles are the other two options. The regular wheat noodles are probably the most popular choice, with thick, firm strands that are chewy and elastic. The savory, salty sauce combined with the pickled mustard greens is why this flavor has never gotten old, even after all these years.


Pork Fried Rice Vermicelli in Clear Soup / Small bowl 45 NT — As for me, I prefer rice noodles, and my go-to here is usually the pork fried rice vermicelli in clear soup. In the past, I mostly had dry rice noodles, but now I occasionally try the soup version too.

The ingredients are simple — just rice noodles and pork fried sauce. It’s a plain flavor, yet one I could eat forever. Perhaps it’s the pork bits in the sauce that make both the dry and soup versions so satisfying. It may not be top-tier gourmet, but this flavor is simply unforgettable.


Even with the soup-based rice noodles, every bite is enjoyable. The pork sauce mixes with the broth, creating a taste similar to pork sauce soup. The delicate rice noodles absorb the flavors beautifully, making it simply delicious — I just love this kind of uncomplicated taste.

Even if you order a small soup noodle, they’ll still serve it in a large bowl. Here’s a look at the difference between the large and small bowls — mainly to remind everyone not to casually order a large bowl unless you’re a big eater.


This new branch saves us from the parking hassles and towing risks of the main store. The new location maintains the style of the original while having its own advantages. We understand this type of noodle might not be for everyone, but every meal here is always pleasant and satisfying — a little bit of happiness for us.

With an additional branch, hopefully more people who love this style of noodles can enjoy it. When you have time, do stop by and try some Northern Noodles.




[Northern Noodles Home (Nanping Branch)]

Address:No. 871, Nanping Rd., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City
Phone:07-5597227
Business Hours:10:30～21:00
ShadowDedicated to introducing local snacks in Kaohsiung and Pingtung. We hope that through sharing, we can find more food enthusiasts. Feel free to leave the address, shop name, and recommended dishes of your hidden gem snacks on the “Food Enthusiasts’ Wall” in the “Food Lovers Club.” A food review will be shared with everyone soon!

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