If you’re walking through Taipei’s Chifeng Street and happen to catch the comforting aroma of bonito broth, chances are you’re near 面線町 (Mian Xian Ding). This trendy shop has become popular for its modern and elevated version of a Taiwanese street food staple – mee sua (麵線), or thin wheat vermicelli soup.
Chifeng Street is dotted with hipster cafes, specialty restaurants, artistic shops and antiques. Many of these shop houses are in their original condition and have the rustic nostalgic charm to them.
The eatery itself looks hipster and has limited seating capacity. When dining here, it is recommended that you go for The Exclusive menu, which features toppings such as oyster, pork intestines, chicken meatball, neritic squid and fish crisps. The most common topping was the plump looking squid that looked fresh and tender.
The broth is rich and aromatic, with layers of bonito, garlic, and black vinegar. The vermicelli is silky and well-cooked, like how Taiwanese mee sua should be. The highlight was the squid as it tasted as good as it looked, it had a slight chew but was cooked al dente. The 2 toppings that we would recommend are the squid and the pork intestines. The only issue I had was there were still small bits of oyster shell in the noodles.
Mian Xian Ding operates in a fast service turnaround environment, the food is served in just 2 minutes after you are seated as most of it is already prepped ahead. It’s a great entry point for travellers who want to experience local flavour without the chaos of a night market setting.
Rating: 3 / 5
Mian Xian Ding (面線町)
No. 25號, Lane 49, Chifeng St, Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10353
Google Maps Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/UPnfANyXir8x2Duv9
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