Beef noodles aren’t usually associated with the young and trendy, but Fusion New Noodle ups the dish’s street cred by serving the northern Chinese specialty with cocktails in a lounge-bar setting.
Located across the street from the Xinyi Public Assembly Hall (信義公民會館), a former military dependents’ village renovated into a hot spot for young designers and artists, the swanky establishment soaks up the neighborhood’s lively, creative vibe. From the outside, a sign with the scarlet Chinese character niu (牛) is the only thing that gives away the location of the restaurant, which is concealed behind the exit of an underground parking garage. Inside, lounge music plays through the speakers and the lights are dimmed.
Instead of the stained walls and greasy seats of even the most reputable beef noodle shop, there are sleek wooden bars, transparent acrylic stools, cement walls and velvet curtains, which lend the space an industrial feel ameliorated with a hint of decadence.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Another design highlight is a large image of a ticking clock projected onto the wall by a projector housed in an iron cage that is hung from the ceiling.
Unfortunately, the food served at the well-fashioned space is less worthy of attention. The bill of fare is composed of two separate culinary traditions. First, there are northern Chinese staples such as dumplings (NT$10 each), beef rolls (牛捲餅, NT$100) and braised beef noodles (紅燒牛肉麵, NT$160). Second is a selection of bar grub like the cheese platter (NT$180), mixed nuts (NT$100) and tortilla chips (NT$100). The overall effect is less a fusion than two incongruous halves being forced together.
There are still a few innovations worth mentioning. The trio of noodles (三國演義, or Romance of the Three Kingdoms, NT$220) option offers diners a chance to sample three types of beef noodles in one order. Suggested by the waitstaff, the best way to enjoy the dish is to rotate from the clear broth (清燉, qingdun) noodles and the fried sauce (炸醬) noodles to the braised variety. The beef is pleasantly lean and tender, and the broth is light and subtle. The braised beef broth is savory, and its lightness, though pleasing to my taste buds, may not be strong enough for connoisseurs.
Other dishes worth trying include the boneless beef rib noodles (去骨牛小排麵, NT$280), which is reminiscent of a Vietnamese pho noodle soup with beef brisket and an ample portion of basil. Another twist on tradition is the beef stew with rice and fruit (義式牛飯, NT$220), which features meat slices marinated in a sweet, fruity tomato sauce accompanied by onions, carrot slices and cucumbers as well as chunks of potato and tomato.
The restaurant’s cocktail menu is limited, which is just as well. if the couple of cocktails my dining companion and I had during a recent visit are any indication, patrons should skip the mixed drinks altogether. A separate drinks menu sports a decent selection of whisky, tequila and vodka.
All in all, Fusion New Noodle will be best appreciated by those who enjoy light meals served in design-savvy surroundings. People seeking a hearty traditional meal should look elsewhere.
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