Run by a husband-and-wife team, Tien Fu Noodle Shop (天府麵庄) is a hole-in-the-wall set amid a cluster of eateries on an alley off Guangfu South Road (光復南路). The restaurant’s drab exterior belies the richly flavored home cooking served inside. With the wife, a native of Yibin City (宜賓), Sichuan, running the kitchen, Tien Fu specializes in noodle and wonton bowls as well as rich Sichuan-style dishes. First-time diners can start out with the curiously named ran noodles (燃麵, NT$50), a small bowl of thin noodles glazed with homemade red chili oil with chives and served with peanut powder and Sichuan pepper (花椒) with pickled vegetable shreds, or yatsai (芽菜), a Sichuan specialty, sprinkled on top.
The provenance of the dish’s name — ran (燃) means “to burn” — is a matter of some debate. Some say the dish is so-named because its red oil-coated noodles look like a lamp’s wick. Others say it’s because the noodles are so spicy that they burn on the way down. Tien Fu’s version, however, is rather mild. Its distinct flavor derives instead from the Sichuan pepper and pickled vegetables, which give the
al dente noodles a savory punch.
Likewise, the wontons in red oil (紅油抄手, NT$65), another trademark dish, is not as spicy as it looks. Nor is the immensely popular kou shui chicken (口水雞, NT$100), a cold plate of cooked deboned chicken spiced up with pepper and chili oil.
Tien Fu’s menu only contains a partial list of what’s available at the restaurant. The names of dishes without noodles or wonton dumplings are written on a piece of red paper and boards hung on the wall. These include the Sichuan-style steamed spareribs (風味粉蒸排骨, NT$120), another favorite among habitues. Covered in ground rice and served on top of chunks of steamed yam, the spareribs have just the right balance of meat and fat. Also recommended is the chicken soup with bamboo and fungi (竹笙燉雞湯, NT$50) whose pleasantly light-flavored broth provides a nice addition to what might otherwise be an overly heavy and piquant meal.
Tien Fu has received plenty of attention from food bloggers and restaurant critics, and there is often a constant flow of patrons at lunch and dinner hours. But the service is fast and friendly. Diners are advised to bring their own utensils and beverages, as the restaurant provides disposable chopsticks, and cool refreshments are a must after a rich meal at Tien Fu.
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