Lao Zhan Yuan Lamian King

Review

Lao Zhan Yuan Lamian King sits at No. 120 Linkou Road, near Linkou's Zhulin Temple, and Supertaste describes it as a shop open for more than thirty years. With a huge number of online reviews, it is an everyday noodle stop for Linkou locals and office workers, and truck drivers from the nearby Huaya industrial park often eat here; it can be full from weekday afternoon into the evening.

The signatures are beef lamian and clear radish lamian, with lamb lamian, dry noodles and side dishes too. The broth is a clear stew, golden with a few drops of fat and gently sweet, and each bowl carries two big chunks of white radish soaked in stock. The beef is tender with a gelatinous feel, the noodles are slightly thick pulled noodles with plenty of bounce, and everything is cooked to order in an open kitchen. Yam Travel reports a small radish lamian at NT$40, the side dishes are cheap, and you can ask for more broth.

Fans praise the sweet broth, fresh meat, generous portions and fair prices, and some single out the lamb slices as fresh and free of gaminess. Critics find the broth too light with little spice and too much chopped scallion, saying high expectations can lead to disappointment; at mealtimes it is busy and you may share a table.

Hours are roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 3:30 or 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with a short break, closed Sundays; some listings also say Mondays, so sources differ and it is worth calling first. Weekday evenings are busy, so read the menu while you queue. There are plenty of roadside parking spaces in front, which makes driving fairly easy.

Good for anyone who prefers a clear broth to a heavy braised beef noodle soup, and for people working in Linkou who want an honest lunch. First-timers can order the beef or lamb lamian with a side dish; light eaters will find the small radish lamian great value. To avoid the crowd, arrive before 11 a.m. or after 2 p.m.