Old Wang's Beef Noodle Soup 老王記牛肉麵大王

Profile

Address: 台北市桃源街十五號
                No. 15, TáoYuán Street, Jhongjheng District
Phone #: 0937-860-050
Business Hours: N/A

Website: N/A

Price Range:   $$
Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: no
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: no

Rating

Food Quality: 4 out of 5
Decor:  3 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3.3 out of 5
Recommendation: Famous beef noodle soup in Ximen

Review

Old Wang's Beef Noodle Soup is a reputable restaurant widely acclaimed by many locals. It is located on Tao Yuan Street, which is famous for Beef Noodle Soup. They are located about a block away from the Ximen MRT station. Old Wang's is known for their light broth Beef Noodle Soup, but they also make a good bowl of braised Beef Noodle Soup as well. They have various side dishes that you can order along with the Beef Noodle soup. Visit this place to get a taste of old Taipei Beef Noodle soup. You get a high quality bowl at a reasonable price.

Old Wang runs a very tight operation at his eatery. The front of the restaurant is dedicated to all the cooking required by the establishment. You will see a lot of the workers scuffling about, doing prepwork, and cooking at this area throughout their business hours. This is a very common set up for old school Beef Noodle Soup eateries. The eatery is kind of aged, so the interior design, service standards, etc. is reminiscent of rougher times. However, that is part of their charm. Don't expect posh service or comfortable decor, but instead try to appreciate the history of this place.

I gave the beef rib side dish a try. I did not like it in particular. It was a couple of beef ribs submerged in a pile of flavored rice. I ate it because it was ok, but it would not be enough to attract me to come all the way here to dine on just this. I guess the only star of this this eatery is their beef noodle soup.

 I tried the lighter broth version last time, but I did not appreciate it. I think my palate gravitates towards something that is oilier, heavier, and spicier. That is why this time I ordered the braised beef noodle soup, and I was not disappointed. They probably have my favorite noodles in all of Taipei. This is the Taiwanese style "plain" noodles, or 台式陽春麵. They are generally white, flat, and very Q. Their noodles are cooked sort of al dente, so it is Q and borderline hard. These type of noodles pair very will with the soft tender flanks of meat braised thoroughly and soaking in a pool of flavorful soup. The meat portions is as generous as Yong Kang Beef Noodles, but their noodles are a lot better than the softer kind they use there. If you are in Taipei, you will need to try out the iconic "Peach Fountain Street Beef Noodle Soup"  桃源街牛肉麵. And, pay attention to the profile picture so you know you are going to the right place. It's the restaurant under the shanty house. At 160 NT per bowl, the price is right, and the food is delicious.