A 50-Year-Old Beloved Late-Night Noodle Spot in Taipei — The Little Joys of Ordering a Whole Table of Dishes

Text & Photos /Old K

This simple noodle shop on Jilin Road, Old K has known about for quite some time, so he headed there as soon as the weather started to cool down.

One thing Old K really loves about this place is their super long operating hours — you can eat here from almost noon until midnight, and it’s been around for nearly fifty years too.

He arrived before 11 a.m. for lunch. Since he got there too early, the basement was still being cleaned up, so he had to sit upstairs. Luckily, the weather wasn’t too hot, or else he’d have been sweating buckets while eating noodles XD

Right when he walked in, he saw this long-haired Chinese sausage — it looked like it was scared of Old K XD

The menu had way too many options. There were nine types of blanched vegetables to choose from alone. The side dishes were divided into two types: braised and boiled. The prices were okay in Old K’s opinion, not too expensive.

Chopsticks and soup spoons were placed at the counter upfront, and there were chili peppers you could help yourself to below. Old K grabbed a bit of soy sauce chili.

The sides hadn’t arrived yet, but the main dishes came first.

Nantou Dry Yi Mian (NT$40)

The dry noodles here are served on a plate. Yi Mian (Italian pasta) can get mushy if left sitting too long, so he ate it first before taking photos of the sides XD. It had lard, fried shallots, some bean sprouts and chives — the moment he tasted it, he knew it was that old-school style of dry Yi Mian. When it's hot, the texture of the pasta is pretty good. But if you let it sit for a bit, the noodles stick together and become less enjoyable. So, if you want to take photos, maybe go for the wheat noodles instead XD.

Pork Lard Rice (NT$20)

When you see pork lard rice, you just have to order it. But the rice was a bit too sticky, probably because there was too much water, so it ended up a bit mushy. The soy sauce was also a bit too salty. Old K prefers the Yi Mian.

And then all the dishes arrived. One of the biggest reasons Old K loves street food is that he can order a whole table full by himself XD.

Fresh Meat Wonton Soup (NT$40)

The wontons here are pretty big. The broth tastes similar to the kind you’d get with plain Yi Mian — it’s an old-school flavor and actually quite nice.

He thought the wontons would taste better, but the meat inside was a bit dry and rough, which was a bit of a shame.

Pig Skin (NT$30)

The pig skin performed really well — it was soft and chewy without being too tough. Old K liked the texture, and the soy sauce paste wasn’t overly salty either.

Dip it in the soy sauce chili for an even better experience. Their soy sauce chili isn’t too salty either, nor is it very spicy.

Pig Ear (NT$40)

Their braised pig ears were amazing. The savory-sweet sauce soaked right in, and the sweet soy sauce paste on top added even more flavor. The pig ears had a slightly springy chewiness, and where the cartilage was, there was a nice crisp texture — but not too hard. Old K thought it was delicious.

K’s Little Tips: The dry noodles and sides here are great, especially the braised dishes — so tasty that Old K wants to try other flavors next time. The texture of the wonton soup just didn’t do it for him, which is a bit of a pity. Maybe he’ll try a different broth next time. Staying open from morning until the early hours is really convenient. If you’re not sure where to go for a late-night meal next time, why not give this place a try?

K’s Personal Ratings (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8 points
Value: 7.5 points
Dining Environment: 5 points
Price: 7 points

Yangchun Noodle Shop
Address: No. 121, Jilin Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2541-9226
Business Hours: 10:30 AM to 3:00 AM (Closed on Sundays)

Old K
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