Dongyin Snack Shop

Review

Dongyin Snack Shop sits in Alley 20, Lane 291, Section 5 of Nanjing East Road in Songshan District, hidden inside the lanes of the Nanjing apartment market. There is no obvious sign, yet Taipei locals call it a legendary late-night canteen. Sources differ on when it opened: one report says it was founded in 1971 by a veteran with ties to Dongyin Island, while another says it has been around for about 60 years. What matters is that it is now in its third generation and has run for over half a century. The owner once said they stay open late because so many night-shift and late-working customers need somewhere to eat.

The signature dry noodles are tossed with beef tallow and sesame paste; the tallow is rich but lighter than lard, and regulars order sesame noodles as a large or small bowl, with a double-sauce version combining fried bean sauce and sesame. The must-have beef soup is actually a long-simmered beef-bone broth with egg drop and scallions and no beef in it, the egg silky and the broth faintly fruity and herbal. There are plenty of braised snacks: the pork trotter gets a ladle of beef soup before serving, the braised daikon is soft and flavourful, and the red-oil wontons come about ten to a bowl, nice with a splash of white vinegar.

Fans love the late hours, low prices, big portions and English menu, and the sesame noodles and braised trotter are many people's late-night memories. Critics say the flavours are ordinary and it is quantity over quality, with some finding the noodles soft or the braised items under-seasoned; the cool attitude at the ordering counter is a frequent complaint, and you will share tables with strangers.

Online listings show daily hours from 10:00 to 4:00, though media have also reported an 11:00 opening, so sources differ on the start time; the late-night hours are consistent. The shop is inside a market and closes in the early morning while vendors set up. At mealtimes the seating spills from the alley into the shop, and takeaway has a queue too. Nanjing Sanmin MRT station is a few minutes' walk away; street parking nearby is hard to find.

It is perfect for a cheap supper after overtime, a concert or a late night out, and for anyone wanting to experience old Taipei market food. On a first visit, order the signature dry noodles with the egg-drop beef soup, then add a few braised items such as pork trotter, daikon and tofu; groups of two or more can share a bowl of red-oil wontons.