Mee sua ( also known as mian xian in Chinese ) is a popular street food in Taiwan. It is a bowl of rice or wheat vermicelli noodles cooked with a rich thickened broth mix of bonito and pork/chicken. Oysters and pig intestines will be the most common pairing with this dish. You can add condiments such as garlic, chilli oil and vinegar to enhance the flavour of this dish.
That's the brief intro about the normal mee sua. I recently had the pleasure of visiting 面線町, a charming little shop that specializes in mee sua. Let me tell you, I was blown away by their delicious offerings!
The decor is simple yet inviting, with cozy wooden tables and chairs that make you feel right on the streets. Took me another 15 minutes to get a seat, advise to go on the non-peak hours.
What I Ordered:
I ordered the 130NTD ($5.7SGD) portion choosing the fried chicken and oysters. It was a huge serving despite the bowl looking small and I can smell the fragrance that comes from the slow-simmered broth.
I was a bit concerned as the mee sua looks more gluey and starchy than the usual ones which will affect the dish. Upon eating the first bite of it, the concern is dismissed. The noodles were cooked to perfection - not too soft, not too chewy - and the broth was incredibly flavorful. Both blend together well with a balance not trying to overpower each other.
The oysters were well-cooked and fresh. Squid was cooked with perfection, tender and firm texture, not chewy and rubbery.
The fried chicken was more like chicken nuggets, not the XXL version of chicken. It was crunchy but I find its too much flour on it. Tastewise was nothing to shout about but somehow it goes well with the broth.
There is a meatball inside which is not mentioned on their menu. The appearance looks like handmade meatballs and it was springy.
Thoughts
I haven't had Taiwan mee sua since Covid times, however I would say this is one of the best ones in my life. The texture, flavour and taste are on point. From the slow-simmered broth to the handmade noodles, every element of this dish is crafted with precision and care. The unusual toppings elevated the dish from normal street food to a premium meal which is affordable, fresh off the charts and matches well with it.
If you wanna have something different from the usual mee sua (especially the famous tourist brand in Xi Meng Ding), this is the one to look out for!
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 forks
Location:
Address:No. 25號, Lane 49, Chifeng St, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10353
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Sunday (12 - 7.30 pm). Closed on Monday and Tuesday
Recommend route: Take Red Line MRT and alight at Zhong Shan Station (中山站）.
Once at the station walk along the Zhong Shang underground mall (中山地下街) find and take the R9 escalator exit.
Once you are at the R9 exit walk around for 1 min and you will reach the shop.
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