Taichung’s newly opened, ultra-generous pasta spot — piles of clams and free extra noodles without extra charge

Text and photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

Pasta and pizza are probably the most localized foreign cuisines in Taiwan, as they can be found in all kinds of restaurants on almost every street corner. Whether leaning toward authentic Italian or local Taiwanese creativity, each style has its own loyal fans — I think as long as it tastes good, that’s what matters.

A while back, this 【Suibian Pasta】 opened along the Greenway near the Fine Arts Museum, and it pretty much grabbed everyone’s attention right from the start. After all, it’s not easy for a new place to become an instant hit when surrounded by so many other international restaurants in the area. Though I’d had it on my to-do list for a while, I only managed to visit after the Wenhua branch opened — talk about being late to the game！

I chose a quieter weekday lunchtime to go. The warm, gentle autumn sunlight sprinkled down, creating a really pleasant mood. (For those wanting to visit the Wenhua branch, here’s the address → Wenhua Branch Address: No. 86, Xi’an St., Xitun District, Taichung City)

Actually, the exterior of 【Suibian Pasta】 is also very recognizable. In addition to the two-story building, there’s a lush little garden out front. Beyond the plants, what’s even more adorable are the flower windmills decoratively arranged by the shop owners — full of playful, colorful vibes.

The most eye-catching feature is the Facebook check-in signboard located on the right side of the entrance — you just can’t help but want to take a photo there！ XD The little windmill garden would probably be a blast for kids, and I heard from the staff that they have to take them down and put them back up again after every typhoon. Stepping inside, the space is quite spacious, with both a first and second floor offering ample room. The walls are decorated with whimsical doodles, giving off a very childlike charm.

There are also floor-to-ceiling windows that offer an open, bright view, filling the interior with lots of natural light — it’s a really sunny and cheerful place！ It has a bit of a family-friendly restaurant vibe, and the staff are quite attentive in explaining the dishes, which adds to the overall friendly atmosphere. The spacing between tables isn’t too cramped, and since there aren’t usually too many customers on weekdays, it’s great for families with kids.

As for the food, pasta is naturally the star, with a diverse selection of flavors. Besides the classic red, white, and green sauces, there are also two stir-fried options. Prices range from a low of NT$168 up to NT$278, and the highlight is definitely the free extra noodles — a very kind and generous touch！ The standard portion is 200g, while the extra noodle portion goes up to 300g, but personally, I felt the regular portion was already more than enough！

The most frequently spotted item on the MENU is ‘Clam Pasta,’ which comes in two options: “many clams” or “tons of clams.” The difference, of course, lies in the amount of clams — either 250g or 500g. For clam pasta lovers, this place will definitely satisfy you to the max. And every dish comes with freshly baked bread and soup, plus you can even get unlimited refills on the bread, so it’s actually pretty hard to leave hungry. They’ve also recently started offering freshly baked pizza, a newly launched item, so today I decided to try a bit of everything.

First up was the 【Soup with Freshly Baked Bread】 — a very sincere serving of hot, freshly baked goodness, and you can even get free refills, which is great, though it depends on your appetite！ I quite like the crispy bread.

【Suibian Fried Item │ Crispy Dory with Honey Mustard Sauce │ NT$60】
For this price, the portion of dory fillets is actually pretty decent. The crispy coating paired with tender fish is delicious, and when dipped in honey mustard sauce, it’s so good you might just finish it all while chatting — a great appetizer！

【Stir-Fried Chili Sauce │ Whoa, Tons of Clams Pasta │ NT$248 (with soup and bread)】
After eating pasta for so many years, you’ll realize that clam pasta is truly an ever-popular choice. Though it’s commonly found on most menus — or rather, your menu isn’t complete without it — not many places actually make it their signature dish！ Suibian’s clam pasta really stands out in terms of portion size, giving clam lovers a chance to fully indulge XD

(You really have to look at it from this angle to appreciate how hearty this plate of pasta is — the main star is practically the clams, with noodles just playing a supporting role XD) The “tons” portion literally comes with 500g of clams, all plump, fresh, and juicy. Each one bursts with sweet, briny flavor — unlike some places where you get mostly shells with tiny, dried-out bits of meat. Suibian really puts in the effort here！

They even give you a separate bowl to put the shells in. Not only is the portion huge, but the quality and freshness are top-notch — clam lovers will definitely be satisfied. But let’s talk about the noodles too, because at first I thought it was just going to be one of those “lots-of-clams” gimmick pastas.

But actually, the noodles are stir-fried quite well, maintaining a satisfying firmness, while the stir-fry flavor wraps each strand with a hint of spice. The taste isn’t monotonous at all — it carries the fresh, briny sweetness of the clams along with a touch of spice. I really like this stir-fried flavor！ As for other sauces like red, white, or green, I can’t say since I was too afraid of ordering something with a drying sauce. Overall, it might not be mind-blowing (though the portion did surprise me), but the amount of clams and noodles is definitely worth the price！

【Still Craving More │ Savory Squid Seafood Pasta │ NT$248 (with soup and bread)】
Turns out the squid pasta also comes with plenty of clams XD — it’s basically a clam specialty shop！ Plus there are fresh squid and shrimp, and I feel the seafood ingredients are all very high quality. The shrimp are plump and springy, and the sweet flavor from the shrimp heads is great！

Even the squid pieces are quite generously sized. Though it might leave your lips a bit blackened, the savory taste of squid is just so enjoyable！

【Suibian Rice Dish │ Red Wine Braised Beef Rice │ NT$238 (with soup and bread)】
When I ordered this, I actually had a misconception — I always thought Italian restaurants served ‘risotto,’ but no,
it’s basically ‘braised beef with rice’ — kind of like a simplified meal concept, but the ingredients are still super generous and sincere.

Big chunks of beef brisket cooked with onions and carrots — a classic braised beef dish. The aroma of the broth wafts through the air non-stop, and though it looks simple, it really gives off a warm, home-cooked vibe. Just seeing it on the diverse menu makes me want to order it. The beef brisket is tender and flavorful, with a solid texture, and the red wine aroma wafts up with the steam — every bite is incredibly tasty with the rice！

【Pizza Lovers │ Trendy Korean BBQ Pizza │ 12-inch │ NT$238】
For the size of this pizza, the price isn’t bad at all. In addition to plenty of cheese, there’s also a whole raw egg in the center. What I like most is the chewiness of the pizza crust — it’s thin-crust style, and it’s stuffed with plenty of Korean-style kimchi. Every bite gives you spicy kimchi and pork slices, fully living up to their signature style of generous portions.

But when it’s first served, since all the toppings are hidden under the cheese, it might look a bit plain. But once you take a bite, it’s completely different. It feels like such hearty ingredients might look even better if they were spread on top — but that’s just my personal preference.

【Drinks │ Grey Tea ¥40 │ Guanyin Bang Milk ¥95 │ Winter Melon Lemon Ice Slush ¥80】
What particularly surprised me was the Guanyin Bang Milk. It’s served in a whole bottle of fresh milk for you to pour in yourself. Since it uses Tieguanyin tea, which has a richer flavor, the resulting tea tastes deeper and more layered after mixing with milk. I personally prefer the Tieguanyin combination over black tea, but they do offer the option with black tea too—go with whatever you like best, Up！Also, their basic Grey Tea is quite good, and if you're into slushies, try the Winter Melon Lemon one. The drinks are all very reasonably priced, too！

Pasta is everywhere these days, with classic red, white, and green sauces, stir-fried versions, and even some creative ones in pink or orange. As for ‘Casual Pasta,’ the portion size and taste are both pretty solid. That day, I only had the stir-fried version, so I can’t comment on the other sauces, but as their menu says: ‘A casual choice, but not casual cooking.’ Its popularity isn’t just a gimmick. If you’re a pasta fan, don’t miss out on the generous portions at Casual Pasta！Gather a few friends and you can sample even more flavors！

Casual Pasta │ Art Gallery Greenway │ West District
Address: No. 56, Wucyuan 7th St., West District, Taichung City
Fengjia Branch Address: No. 86, Xi’an St., Xitun District, Taichung City)
Phone: 04-23786685
Business Hours: 11:30 AM–3:00 PM + 5:00 PM–10:00 PM
Note: Main meals (excluding pizza) come with soup and toasted bread. Extra noodles are free of charge.

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