Taipei 2012 - Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodle

One of the street foods that consistently come up tops in food bloggers' recommendations is Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodle at Ximending. The shop only sells one item - the Flour Rice Noodle. There are no places to sit - you just order and eat standing up. Bloggers warn of long queues for the noodles, but when I went there it wasn't so bad. You order and pay at the counter, then wait to be served. When the noodle is ready, just pick it up and add all the condiments and garnish you want and enjoy !

It is basically rice vermicelli cooked in a broth made from cured pig's intestines, bonito and other secret ingredients. The taste is incredible - slightly tangy, and a huge umami hit to your taste buds ! They probably add quite a bit of MSG to the dish as well. There are small bits of pig's instestines in the noodles that have some bite - at first I thought they were cuttlefish because the taste was very similar. They were delicious and addictive. Definitely comfort food for a cold night - and cheap too. Each small bowl cost only NTD 40.

Besides the outlet at Ximending, Ay-Chung also has several branches in the city - in Shilin and Xinyi. Be sure to give it a try - you may want to go back for more !