Sanshawan Vermicelli Thick Soup

Review

Sanshawan Vermicelli Thick Soup sits on Zhongchuan Road in Zhongzheng District near Zhongchuan Market, and locals know it as an old-style vermicelli soup stall. Bunny Ann's Keelung food roundup lists it among Zhongzheng's signature snacks, and Supertaste's railway food feature names the vermicelli soup in this area as a gourmet pick; online, many say three generations of their family, from parents to kids, love it.

The noodles here are thicker than at most vermicelli soup shops, and the broth has an old-fashioned starchy body. The standout is the meat ball, which wraps a short piece of pork intestine, so one bite gives fish paste, pork and intestine together. None of the sources state exact prices; online reviews mostly describe it as a pocket-change snack, so check on site.

Fans praise the distinctive intestine-filled balls and the nostalgic broth, the taste they grew up with. Others find the noodles too soft and lacking bite, and some think the meat balls are firm with a slightly artificial flavor. Opinions are split, so come with an open mind.

It opens roughly from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closes once sold out, so choice shrinks the later you go. It is on Zhongchuan Road close to several other long-standing snack shops, a walk of a little over ten minutes from Keelung Station. Parking is difficult, so walk and browse the nearby market on the way.

It suits anyone after an old-fashioned local breakfast or hopping between Zhongzheng's snack stalls. A bowl is small enough for breakfast or a snack, so pair it with other nearby bites for a taste of everyday Keelung along Zhongchuan Road.