Good Friend Cold Noodles

Review

Good Friend Cold Noodles is at No. 31 Danan Road in Shilin Night Market, one of the few stalls here focused on cold noodles, and it has been a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick for several years since 2019. Many students in the Shilin area treat it as a late-night snack, and travel sites and lifestyle magazines often include it on Shilin must-eat lists.

The signature is sesame-sauce cold noodles: the sauce is led by toasted sesame with a fresh lemon note, quite different from the common peanut-butter style. When you order, staff ask whether you want it spicy and whether to add pork; the spicy version brings out sharper tangy-hot layers. The noodles come with cucumber, and some reports mention pickled mustard; they don't clump after soaking up the sauce, so takeaway mixes well. Another highlight is the miso soup with egg and a bonito aroma, especially warming in winter. None of the sources list item prices; a travel site estimates the noodles at about NT$65 to 80, so check on site.

Diners widely praise the fragrant sauce, springy noodles and fair prices, noting that even the small portion is decent, and many insist you add chili. Complaints are relatively few: some find the sauce too sweet or too nutty for their taste, some dislike the slightly sweet miso soup, and the takeaway line gets long at peak times.

Hours are roughly 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. Several media outlets say it's closed Thursdays, while other listings show it open daily; sources differ, so check before going. The line out front is for takeaway; to dine in, walk in from the side and find a seat. It's about five minutes' walk from MRT Jiantan Station.

It suits anyone wanting something light and filling at the night market or an inexpensive late-night meal. First-timers should get a small portion with chili plus a bowl of miso soup; big eaters or pairs can add another portion. If you're unsure about heat, ask for less spice and add chili oil yourself.