Meinung Wu (美濃屋日式拉麵店)
22-18 Changan E. Rd., Sec. 1 (長安東路一段22-18號) (near corner of Changan E. Rd. and Linsen N. Rd.); tel: 2567-5418. 11am to 2:30pm and 5 to 9:30pm. Major credit cards accepted. Average meal: NT$120 to NT$300.
The vegetable ramen noodles at this family run neighborhood fixture are worth a stop all on their own. The thick, tangy broth comes served in a giant porcelain bowl brimming with piles of cabbage, onion and carrots. But, according to waiter and cook Hsiao Hong, these ramen are not totally vegetarian. "The cabbage and onions are first fried lightly in a mixture of water and spiced bacon grease to give them their flavor." The result is a heap of vegetables that have a smoky pepper flavor but are still crispy and fresh. "The noodles are made from scratch and are added first," says Hong. "Then the broth is poured over the top to complete the recipe." Served steaming on a black lacquered tray with a fresh slice of watermelon on the side, this is a hearty dish that won't leave you feeling weighed down.
Other dishes of note are the Japanese-style pot sticker dumplings and the wide assortment of other ramen noodle dishes that include Miso ramen: soy sauce flavored soup topped with roast pork and vegetables; Charsu ramen: soy sauce flavored soup topped with extra roast pork and vegetables; and Niramoyashi ramen: soy sauce flavored soup topped with pork, chives and bean sprouts.
The narrow interior with red benches running front-to-back along the walls gives Meinung Wu the feel of a true Japanese ramen shop. All the slurping diners help as well. Also, a well-stocked magazine and paper rack in the back make it a good spot for a solo lunch or dinner.
Shuang Man Lung (雙滿隆日式拉麵店)
153 Linsen N. Rd.; (林森北路153號) tel: 2511-2732. 11am to 2pm and 5 to 10pm. Credit cards not accepted. Average meal: NT$120 to NT$250.
Shuang Man Lung is the real deal. "Most ramen stalls in Taipei offer only Chinese-style ramen," says Sayaka Kobayashi, a Japanese patron who frequents Shuang Man Lung's tiny streetside noodle counter on Linsen N. Rd. - an area know to locals as "Little Tokyo." "But the noodles here are pretty close as far as flavor and texture," Kobayashi says.
And it is Shuang Man Lung's authentic flavor that keeps the six-seat streetside noodle counter and the tiny upstairs sitting area crammed with people hovering and slurping over huge bowls of ramen. Try the soy-based chicken or uminosachi (seafood) ramen that comes crammed with vegetables - bamboo, bokchoi, egg and a pat of butter. Or go with the more exotic four-mushroom ramen that is served in a milky broth loaded with egg, bamboo and vegetables.
"Of course," says Hung Chin-hsiung, "Our noodles are made fresh from scratch." According to Hung, this is the only way to ensure the correct texture - which is akin to a longer version of the perfect Italian fettuccini al dente.
Served up in large clay bowls, these noodles are certain to provide just the right fuel for a night on the town or a light, pre-bedtime meal. Other dishes worth trying are the Japanese pot stickers and tofu. Sit at the bar and watch the chefs work or at a table upstairs where your noodles will be delivered by a tiny dumbwaiter. Either way, these noodles are sure to please.
Sapporo Ramen (樂山娘日式拉麵店)
176 Minsheng E. Rd., Sec. 5; (民生東路五段176號) tel: 2768-3105. 10am to 2:30pm and 5 to 9:30pm. Major credit cards accepted.
Ramen noodles in Taipei have become somewhat of an institution and it's largely due to the success of the Sapporo Ramen chains that can now be found throughout Taipei. The simple dish - a thick broth, ramen noodles, some bamboo, green onion, cabbage and a lean slice of pork - can be nothing short of revelatory when prepared correctly. And Sapporo does it right.
Once diners breach the doorway, they are greeted with a shout in Japanese and escorted to a seat where hot tea, towels and a menu are produced in seconds flat. A glance at the menu is all it takes to realize that ramen is taken seriously at Sapporo - with a number of variations of the house specialty of curry and spicy - or mala - dishes from which to choose. Stick with the house specialty, ramen.
Clad all in white and shrouded in steam, their faces are screwed into looks of total concentration as they ladle various broths and cook the floury of noodles, which are prepared from scratch, to the perfect al dente. The results of their efforts are some of the city's best ramen noodles - even if it is a chain.
Sapporo's more relaxed opening hours and drink menu that includes a selection of Japanese beers and sake plus the Japanese pop taped earlier from a Tokyo broadcast and played back during dining hours makes it a fun and relaxing spot for dinner with friends or all by yourself.
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