A-Wan Yi Mian

Review

A-Wan Yi Mian sits at No. 184 Sanmin Street in Sanmin District, right by the temple at Sanmin Market, and has been running for about sixty years; it is one of the street's best-known noodle shops. Both Marie Claire and Supertaste include it in their Sanmin Street round-ups, and although the menu has only a few items, it often fills up as soon as it opens.

The yi mian noodles are made in house and have a springy bite. The dry version is tossed with lard and minced pork and topped with a few thick slices of pork, savoury with the sweetness typical of southern Taiwan. The pork thick soup is made by hand every day, also on the sweet side, and the pork ball soup is a lighter companion. In 2019 Supertaste recorded dry noodles at NT$45, pork thick soup at NT$45 and pork ball soup at NT$20, a meal for pocket change.

Fans say it is the taste they grew up with and a must every time they return to Taiwan, some calling the dry noodles among the best in the country. Some wish there were more choices, but the short menu keeps every item consistent. Critics say it is no longer especially cheap, portions are small and there is a queue at peak times; the menu is Chinese only, so foreign visitors may need to point and gesture.

It opens from 3:30 to 9 p.m., while a 2019 report said 9:30 p.m., so sources disagree; check before you go. There is no fixed closing day on record. By 5:30 p.m. it is already busy, and you often wait for a seat at dinnertime. The Sanmin Street area is a traditional market with heavy traffic and narrow lanes, so take the metro or train to Kaohsiung Main Station and walk, exploring the street's other snacks along the way.

It suits anyone who wants a cheap dinner in an old Kaohsiung market. First-timers should get the classic dry noodles with pork thick soup, adding pork ball soup if hungry; then grab a drink from a nearby stall to round off a Sanmin Street food crawl.