A popular beef noodle shop in Taichung that’s been delighting diners for 20 years — a refreshing, tender, and delicious treat!

Text and photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

I originally wanted to try the legendary “Big Three” beef noodles of Taichung, but it seems their former glory has faded, with only the Hunan-style one still getting good reviews. I found it a bit disappointing, but passing down a legacy is never easy, so I decided to look for other well-rated beef noodle shops instead. By chance, I came across 【Dongjia Beef Noodles】, located by the Green Park Boulevard near the Art Museum — also a very popular beef noodle spot.

Although it’s just a combination of noodles, broth, and beef, the differences in cooking techniques among various shops can still create unique flavors. Plus, I’m a big fan of noodles — I probably eat them at least six days out of seven. Maybe I was a northern tough guy in my past life!

I used to only think of this area around the Art Museum Green Park Boulevard as an enclave for international cuisine. I really didn’t know much about the local snacks here. 【Dongjia Beef Noodles】 is located a bit on the outskirts, but parking isn’t hard to find. It turns out the shop has been operating locally for 20 years. I only found out online that food critic Chef Fei Qi had also recommended it. So right after they opened at noon, I couldn’t wait to come and give it a try.

There’s a big sign at the entrance, so it’s not hard to find, but I arrived a bit too early — the shop wasn’t quite ready yet. I was practically a starving ghost XD. The bespectacled, gentle owner was extremely polite, chatting with us while cooking noodles and preparing ingredients, his hands never stopping. The aroma of the broth and the sight of the fully stocked glass display case of side dishes made the wait really torturous!

But the owner has his principles — he insists on waiting until all the ingredients are prepped and the broth is ready before allowing customers to enter and order. Inside the shop, everything is kept very clean and tidy, just like the impression the owner gives — spotless, refreshing, and comfortable. When they first opened, there didn’t seem to be many people, but by around 12 noon, the place was suddenly packed with diners. I hadn’t expected this to be such a popular beef noodle shop. It’s clear that 20 years have earned it quite a reputation.

During meal times, you’ll also see grandmas bustling around busily clearing tables and collecting dishes — they’re also very polite and friendly.

Even foreigners come to try it out. Aside from Din Tai Fung, I rarely see foreigners in beef noodle shops. And seeing them nodding continuously probably means they quite like it. It’s not so busy that you have to queue up during meal times, but there’s almost no empty table.

The side dish cabinet next door has a wide variety of choices, but you just pick what you want to eat. Each plate is a flat rate of 30 NT$. Though it includes the usual peanuts, seaweed, and dried tofu, there are also a few unique options. The prices aren’t expensive.

The sauce section has lots of bottles and jars, but don’t overlook them — the pickled vegetables and spicy sauce are must-tries. The pickled veggies are a great match for beef noodles, which goes without saying, but their homemade spicy sauce is ‘really’ completely different from others!

They offer a fairly wide range of noodle types here. In addition to braised and stewed beef noodles, there’s also a half-tendon-half-meat option. Uniquely, there’s also sour bamboo shoot beef noodles and tomato dry noodle dishes. Aside from beef noodles, there are other interesting noodle options. Prices are around 100 NT$ each. Even the noodle choices vary — you can pick between thin noodles, cellophane noodles, and knife-cut noodles. The categorization is detailed. The time from ordering to receiving your meal isn’t long, and the service is always polite. It leaves a very good impression without you even realizing it.

【Braised Half-Tendon-Half-Meat Beef Noodles │ Thin Noodles │ 140 NT$】
This is probably the clearest and least greasy-tasting braised broth I’ve ever had. Just looking at the slightly translucent broth visually tells you that. The presentation is great, and the portion of half-tendon-half-meat beef is quite generous, making your appetite soar just by looking at it. First, the star ingredients — the beef tendon and beef chunks — are stewed to extreme tenderness and deliciousness. The texture of each piece of meat is exquisitely delicate.

The beef tendon is Q (chewy) and tender, the beef shank pieces are big and flavorful. The large amount of meat is extremely satisfying. The texture and portion of the noodles are also good. The only thing is that this ‘braised broth’ is a bit too light — though it’s delicious and not greasy, with a faint aroma.

I felt like something was missing, and then after looking around, I realized that their homemade ‘miso spicy sauce’ is the key. The owner said this sauce is made by mixing miso paste and spicy sauce — it has the aroma of miso with a rich depth, but the spiciness is refreshingly sharp.

Add in the pickled vegetables, and it all comes together perfectly. So I highly recommend that when ordering the braised style, you absolutely shouldn’t miss these two seasoning additions!

【Stewed Beef Noodles │ Thin Noodles │ 110 NT$】
When I saw ‘goji berries’ in the broth, I thought, ‘How healthy XD.’ There were about four pieces of beef in it. Previous online discussions seemed to indicate that quite a few netizens liked the stewed version too, but personally, I found it a bit too bland. I’m not someone who needs everything to be super heavy in flavor, but this stewed broth really didn’t do much for me.

However, the beef still performed excellently — tender and delicious without being overcooked to the point of falling apart. Even those with sensitive teeth can enjoy it easily. In terms of stewed beef, it’s quite outstanding, so it’s no wonder it’s also popular, with even foreigners coming to try it. But for me, ordering this bowl made me a bit regretful that I hadn’t gone for the sour bamboo shoot beef noodles or the tomato noodle dish to compare.

【Side Dishes │ Satay Vegetarian Chicken │ Braised Tofu │ Seaweed & Peanuts │ 30 NT$ each】
Among the three side dishes, the seasoning of the vegetarian chicken was the most impressive to me. Maybe it’s because I love satay, so I loved it by association XD. But the vegetarian chicken is actually quite tasty. The amount of satay isn’t excessive, and when mixed with some chopped scallions, the satay oil aroma makes it more and more addictive the more you eat!

The braised tofu is milder in flavor, but I still ended up eating it all without realizing. It’s actually pretty good and cut into large pieces. As for the seaweed and peanuts, I was less impressed. All of the above are purely personal taste preferences — trying everything might give you a different impression.

Although no single type of cuisine should be confined to just one flavor profile, I personally prefer beef noodles with stronger flavors. In terms of Dongjia’s taste, it might be a great choice for modern diners who don’t like overly heavy or greasy flavors. The whole bowl gives off a very gentle feeling, and it’s clear a lot of delicate effort went into it — whether it’s the beef or the broth. If I had to choose between the stewed and braised versions, I’d lean more toward the braised one. The overall portion size is also quite satisfying, especially the half-tendon-half-meat part, which doesn’t leave you feeling like the beef portion is too skimpy. It’s really quite sincere.

But their homemade spicy sauce more than makes up for the lack of strong flavor, and it greatly enhances the dish. So if you’re interested, it’s still worth a try. But the above are just my personal taste experiences, shared simply for your reference!

Dongjia Beef Noodles — Green Park Boulevard near the Art Museum
Address: No. 265, Gongguan Road, West District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-23756272
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM + 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Notice: Closed on Saturdays. Parking available around Green Park Boulevard.

Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog　Orange Dog Loves Candy Facebook Fan Page