Mao Shu Noodles

Review

Mao Shu Noodles on Chenleng Road in Changhua City was founded in 1921 and is now more than a century old; together with ba-wan and braised pork rice it is called one of Changhua's three snack treasures. The name comes from a family nickname. The founder, Chen Zhang, and his son Chen Mu-rong were both born in the Year of the Rat, and the slim, quick son was called "little rat" by regulars; the Taiwanese pronunciation and its written form became "Mao Shu." Former President Tsai Ing-wen visited two years in a row. In March 2024 the third-generation owners stopped dine-in service because of spinal pain and staff shortages, selling only frozen chicken rolls and meatballs online. After renovations, dine-in reopened on August 17, 2025.

This is a soup noodle. The broth is made by frying diced pork hind leg and simmering it about two hours with dried flatfish, scallion and soy sauce, then finishing with clam broth and garlic. It tastes clean, with scallion fragrance and clam sweetness, and the narrow flat oil noodles have a slight spring. The signature three-treasure noodles come with a fried chicken roll, shiitake meatballs and handmade fish-paste balls (some articles say red yeast meatballs instead). There is also a "presidential set" of noodles with braised pork hock and a sausage, and the tender, well-seasoned braised trotter is often recommended. Taste the plain broth first, then add a little black vinegar and white pepper.

Opinions split. Longtime customers say they come for memories spanning three generations and a pure, non-greasy broth. Others find the noodles ordinary, the portion small and the price not cheap. Older reports listed the three-treasure noodles at NT$55 and a large pork trotter at NT$140; no updated prices have been published since the reopening, so check on site.

Closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. A 2025 report gives hours of 10am to 6pm, but other sources differ, so confirm before going. At the reopening, senior card holders received a free bowl of noodles. Zheng Changhua Ba-Wan is nearby for a second stop.

It suits travelers who want to taste a century of Changhua snack history rather than chase a wow factor. Order the three-treasure noodles with braised pork trotter, sip the broth before seasoning, and keep expectations modest.