The ultimate guilty late-night combo: pork intestines and oyster vermicelli noodles with fried chicken cutlet from Xinbei!

Text and photos by /Kuni

The combination of pork intestines and oyster vermicelli noodles with chicken cutlet is one of the nightmares for anyone trying to lose weight.

I saw a photo of chicken cutlet and oyster vermicelli noodles on a friend’s Facebook and immediately craved them. Unable to resist, I dashed straight to a small noodle stall in Zhonghe District, New Taipei City—it was the move of a true impulse-driven foodie. Both are beloved street foods among guys, and eating either alone feels indulgent enough, but pairing them together? That’s the abyss of temptation.

Especially the chicken cutlet—those who’ve served in the military will understand this fried delight on a deeper level. A dull military life can be briefly redeemed by just one fragrant, crispy piece of fried chicken cutlet, much like an overseas student rediscovering a long-lost pack of instant noodles in the pantry after years away.

The stall is called “Deep-Fried Mess,” having just moved to its new location a little over a month ago. Its previous spot was named “Lukang Handmade Oyster Vermicelli Noodles with Secret Sauce Chicken Cutlet,” but it had to relocate within half a year due to urban redevelopment.

The shop is rather modest.

Interior decor.

Menu.

What we ordered:
Combo Vermicelli Noodles (Large, NT$55)
Secret Sauce Spicy Chicken Cutlet (NT$55)

Since the fried chicken cutlet takes a while to prepare, ordering both items together often means the noodles are gone before the cutlet even arrives. So when the chicken finally came, I ordered another bowl of noodles—I just had to get a photo of the two together!

Ordered an extra bowl of noodles just for the photo.

The combo vermicelli noodles contained not only pork intestines and oysters but also meatballs. The intestines were tender and well-marinated, the broth thick with a noticeable hint of black vinegar. The oysters varied between plump and small, and the portion wasn’t overly generous. The chicken cutlet had a decent thickness, and the so-called “secret sauce” was surprisingly sweet with a tangy vinegar note—but the meat remained juicy and tender, which is exactly what you want.

Secret Sauce Spicy Chicken Cutlet.

The combo noodles included oysters, pork intestines, and meatballs.

I really want to know which genius came up with this combo—it’s simply absurd, an irresistible nightmare for anyone watching their waistline. As long as the chicken isn’t dry and the oysters are fatty, I could easily polish off two full sets back-to-back!

Deep-Fried Mess (formerly Lukang Handmade Oyster Vermicelli Noodles with Secret Sauce Chicken Cutlet)
Address: No. 1-4, Yonghe Rd., Zhonghe District, New Taipei City
Phone: 0909-019-740
Hours: 07:00–23:00 (Mon–Tue, Thu–Fri), 11:00–23:00 (Sat–Sun)

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