Dong Fa Hao

Review

Dong Fa Hao is at No. 143 Raohe Street, not far from the night market's Earth God shrine. Most reports say it was founded in 1937, making it one of the oldest shops in the Raohe area. It has been recommended in the Michelin Guide since 2018, and although it has moved premises, it remains a taste many longtime Songshan locals grew up with and a regular on media lists of Raohe must-eats.

The menu has just three items: thin noodles, pork soup and sticky rice. The noodles sit in a clear pork-bone broth with no starch thickening, topped with oysters and pork intestine; the flavor is light and not overly salty, and a spoonful of the house chili oil lifts it nicely. The pork soup is clear and leans sweet, a good match for the rice. The sticky rice is stir-fried with sesame oil from a long-established oil mill, each grain separate, fragrant with sesame and ginger. Recent reports list the noodles and pork soup at NT$75 each and the mushroom sticky rice at NT$45, while one diner recorded a small rice at NT$40; sources differ, so go by the prices on site.

Most diners praise the light noodles and the fragrant, non-greasy rice, calling it a good way to line your stomach before exploring the market. Complaints say the taste has changed from a decade or more ago and now leans heavily on soy sauce; others find the base too bland without vinegar and chili oil. The weak air conditioning also comes up often.

It opens daily from 8:30 a.m. to midnight, so you can eat here in the daytime without waiting for the market. Dinnertime is often full and you may wait a little for a seat; food comes out quickly, and tables are small and cramped. Pay in cash. Parking around the market is difficult, so take the MRT to Songshan Station.

It suits anyone after traditional Taiwanese snacks or a light base before grazing the market. Solo diners can get noodles plus a small rice; groups of two or more should order all three to share, and don't forget the chili oil.