Chiu Ji Cold Noodles

Review

Chiu Ji Cold Noodles is at No. 1, Lane 281, Wuxing Street in Xinyi, opposite the Wuxing Street police box in the Taipei Medical University area. A blogger says it has been open since 1988, and Supertaste notes that netizens rank it among Taipei's top three cold noodle shops. An earlier report said the owner, Mama Chiu, made both the noodles and sauces by hand, with early risers arriving as soon as the shop opens.

The signature sesame cold noodles have a rich sesame aroma and springy noodles, with a sauce thick enough to coat everything without pooling at the bottom. The minced pork version adds diced tofu and pork, balancing salty and sweet with a good mix of fat and lean. A blogger recorded large sesame noodles at NT$60, large minced pork noodles at NT$75 and the combo soup of miso, egg and pork ball at NT$55; other articles list slightly different prices, so sources differ and the board on site is the final word. A table sauce of vinegar, wasabi and rice wine adds extra kick.

Fans praise the low prices, large portions and fast service and table turnover, rate the sesame version above the minced pork, and find the miso soup mellow rather than salty. Critics say the garlic is strong, not ideal before meeting people, and some find the noodles soft and the minced pork sauce salty; takeaway noodles suffer if mixed with sauce and left too long.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a blogger notes it is closed Mondays. Queues peak around 11:30 a.m., with separate lines for takeaway and dining in; indoor seats are few but turn over quickly. Drivers must use paid parking near Taipei Medical University and walk, so a bus or scooter is better; it is about a fifteen-minute walk from MRT Taipei 101/World Trade Center or Xinyi Anhe Station.

Good as breakfast or brunch for TMU students and nearby workers, or as a stop while exploring the Wuxing Street area. First-timers can order large sesame noodles with the combo soup, and two people can add a minced pork bowl to compare, at about NT$60 to NT$130 per person. For takeaway, keep the sauce separate and eat soon.