Popular late-night eatery in Neihu District: traditional rice vermicelli with pork and crispy golden horsehead fish

Text and photos byOld K

Located next to Xihu MRT Station, Black Meilin Traditional Tainan Snacks can probably be considered a representative of Neihu’s stir-fry eateries, though it’s been many years since our last visit XD

This time, Meiji and I came here simply because we didn’t want to go too far, and many restaurants in Neihu were closed on Saturday, so we remembered Black Meilin, which had been featured on “Street Food Fighter” not long ago.

We thought there were no seats available when we saw the place was packed, but we went to ask how long the wait would be—and to our surprise, there was a table, upstairs on the second floor. Who knew their business had grown so big XD

The second floor has seating on both sides, though the other side wasn’t open yet.

Their menu is pretty fun—it features the design of door gods.

There were quite a few dishes on the menu—hot pot, barbecue, braised snacks, stir-fries, and soups—but it was really hard to choose just two dishes for two people. Black Meilin used to be most famous for its rice noodles, so Old K and Meiji each ordered a bowl, along with some side dishes. We originally wanted to get goose meat, but it’s currently in short supply all over the province. The staff recommended we try the grilled horsehead fish—less than 300 NT per fish—so we went with that.

Seeing so many camera feeds on the monitor, you can tell the place is actually pretty large—you’d never guess from the outside XD

Aside from the grilled horsehead fish, which took a bit longer, all the other dishes came out at once—the service was really efficient.

Rice Vermicelli with Pork (40 NT)

The noodles were a bit too soft, and the broth—Old K thought it was a bit sweet but still okay. Maybe it’s been too long since I last had it? It used to taste much better XD

Rice Vermicelli with Flat Noodles and Meatballs (50 NT)

The flat noodles were better—they weren’t as mushy as the rice noodles.

Black Meilin Special Sausage (130 NT)

We ordered it because the menu said it was a must-try XD Their sausages are the leaner kind, with a slightly crispy skin. They pair really well with raw garlic. If they were a bit fattier, Old K would love them even more, but Meiji really liked them.

Braised Snack Platter (120 NT)

The platter included kelp, dried tofu, and pig’s head skin—a pretty big portion for the price, which was reasonable. The dried tofu was well-seasoned and delicious.

The pig’s head skin was also soft and chewy, quite tasty, but Meiji wouldn’t eat it, so Old K ended up eating it all by himself—it got a bit too much after a while XD. This platter is probably better suited for three or more people.

Their chili is the salty kind, which Old K doesn’t like. You can ask the staff for the raw chili instead—this soy-sauce chili isn’t too salty and goes really well with the braised snacks.

Horsehead Fish (market price, this one 285 NT)

At this price, it’s obviously not a huge fish, but it’s just the right size for two people.

The fish bones were easy to separate, and the color of the sear was beautiful—golden, just like gold. The horsehead fish meat is very delicate, and it tastes great with just a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

K’s Little Reminder: Who would’ve thought the dish that didn’t perform as well this time was the rice vermicelli XD Next time, we might go for the pork rice. The grilled horsehead fish was top-notch and delicious, and everything else was good. It’s quite suitable for family meals, or get-togethers with friends or colleagues—you can enjoy a drink or two. Black Meilin only accepts cash, so remember to bring money XD

K’s Personal Rating (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8
Value: 7
Dining Environment: 6
Price: 7/10

Black Merlin Traditional Tainan Snacks
Address: No. 231, Section 1, Neihu Road, Neihu District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2657-0612
Business Hours: 5:00 PM – 1:30 AM (Closed on three major traditional Chinese holidays)
Facebook Page

Old K
Keep the relay going, Old K！
Blog　Facebook Page