Xiao Hui Cold Noodles

Review

Xiao Hui Cold Noodles is at No. 10, Lane 151, Wolong Street, about a ten-minute walk from MRT Liuzhangli Station, tucked into a residential lane. A TVBS roundup of Da'an food notes that it started as a roadside stall and draws a queue in any weather, and Supertaste quotes a blogger calling it the final boss of Liuzhangli cold noodles; students and office workers nearby treat it as their go-to cheap, filling meal.

The headline dish is a plate of Taiwanese sesame-sauce cold noodles. Supertaste lists the small at NT$35 and the large at NT$45, and TVBS also gives NT$45 for the large, though one diner reported paying NT$40 for a large; sources differ, so check before you go. Portions are very generous, the small alone is a lot, and men may find the large too much. Sauce and shredded cucumber come in quantity, making the noodles easy to toss, and the flavour is bold with plenty of garlic. Hot dishes like fried rice and fried noodles are sold too, with one diner citing about NT$60 for beef fried rice.

Praise is nearly unanimous about the low price and big portions, a full meal for a few dozen NT dollars, with a rich sesame sauce; some strongly recommend the fried rice, and international students say one portion can stretch to two meals. Complaints include very strong garlic that lingers on the breath and fried noodles that some found mushy and bland; the cucumber and carrot are not plentiful, and with only one person cooking, some waited thirty to forty-five minutes.

Supertaste lists hours as Monday to Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. or until sold out, while online listings show roughly noon to 6:30 p.m.; sources differ, so check before going. It closes on Sundays and public holidays. Lunchtime queues can top an hour, so diners suggest arriving before noon. The shop is small with limited seats and many people take away. Parking in the lane is hard, so the MRT or a scooter is easier.

Good for students, anyone on a tight budget, or travellers who want to try a cheap local Taipei favourite. Start with a small plate of cold noodles and go large only if you are very hungry; for something hot, add a fried rice to share. If garlic is a concern, mention it when ordering, and keep some gum handy afterwards.