Yanchao Fengwei Noodles

Review

Yanchao Fengwei Noodles is on Zhongmin Road in Yanchao, close to Agongdian Reservoir, the Gangshan Eye and Qianye Village, and it is a common lunch stop for people exploring the area. Supertaste included it in a Gangshan, Tianliao and Yanchao itinerary, and bloggers on iFoodie describe it as full every weekend and loved by regulars of twenty years.

The menu centres on mainland-style noodles. The most recommended are sesame paste dry noodles, beef noodles, wonton soup and the mixed braised platter. The sesame noodles are rich and evenly coated, the beef noodles come in a clean, sweet broth with generous portions, and the platter offers pig's ear, kelp, braised egg and soy-braised peanuts in one go, alongside sides such as golden pickled cabbage and smashed cucumber. One foreign visitor notes that soup noodles soften if left too long, so those who like more bite can order the dry beef noodles. None of the sources gathered list individual prices; iFoodie shows an average spend of around NT$100 per person, so check the menu on site.

Fans praise the vintage setting, with wooden tables and chairs, Chinese-style paintings and old songs playing, plus a clean, air-conditioned room, generous portions and a sweet broth that suit family meals. Complaints mainly concern the crowds at mealtimes and weekends, which mean waiting for a table, and the house rules on minimum spend and time limits.

Online listings show hours of about 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with weekend lunch running to 3 p.m.; Supertaste's data once listed it as closed Mondays, which conflicts with other listings, so sources differ and you should check before going. There is a car park and takeaway is available. To avoid the crowds, arrive before 11 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m.

Good for families and friends wanting affordable noodles after visiting Agongdian Reservoir or the Gangshan Eye, and fine for solo diners too. First-timers can order sesame paste dry noodles or dry beef noodles, add a wonton soup and a small braised platter, which suits two people sharing, at a little over NT$100 each.