Laoxiang's Shop

Review

Laoxiang's Shop occupies a corner on Section 3 of Beiping Road in Beitun, easy to spot by its three red signboards, and is the old noodle shop that locals along Beiping Road have eaten at since childhood. It is a traditional old building with terrazzo floors, wooden tables and stools and air conditioning, has thousands of online reviews, and stays open from morning to night without a break.

Portion size is its trademark; bloggers say the bowls are bigger than your face and one person may not finish. Laoxiang clam noodles (NT$100) come with plenty of cleanly purged clams in a clear, sweet, non-greasy broth with celery. Wok-seared noodle slices in soup (NT$115) have a slightly thickened, mildly sweet base with shredded pork, vegetables and wood ear, and the wide noodle slices are thin with a good chew. The most famous dish, steamed duck leg noodles (NT$120), uses a whole duck leg for a fresh, sweet broth and is limited each day. Braised-sauce noodles, tomato seafood noodles, Dongpo pork ribs and self-serve side dishes (about NT$30 a plate) are also often recommended.

Praise centres on big portions, clean broths and great value; the downsides are clam shells that are often chipped, yellow noodles on the soft side, and a queue on almost every day of the week. The dining room is small and tables are frequently shared.

Wait to be seated, fill in the order slip and hand it to staff, then pay at the front after eating; side dishes are taken from the shelves yourself. Supertaste suggests going after 2 p.m. to avoid noon, and another article warns the duck leg noodles can sell out soon after opening. It closes on Mondays, and listed hours vary (10:28–21:58 in one source, until 22:30 in another), so check before you go. Drivers must use paid car parks; by MRT it is about a five-minute walk from Wenxin Chongde Station.

It suits big eaters who want affordable home-style noodles: one bowl of noodle slices or clam noodles each, and for two people add Dongpo ribs or a braised platter. Arrive early if you want the duck leg noodles.