Youde Yi Mian

Review

Youde Yi Mian is at No. 179 Zhongshan Street in Nantou City, right by Entrance 1 of the Nantou public retail market. Supertaste and Yam Travel both describe it as a local shop in business for more than half a century. Nantou yi mian is the town's signature noodle, and this stall is often discussed alongside A-Zhang Yi Mian in the same market; many people have eaten here since school and still return after years away.

The signature is dry Nantou yi mian, springy noodles tossed with a light minced pork sauce and best with the house chilli. A 2023 Yam Travel article lists a medium bowl of dry noodles at NT$45, with small, medium and large sizes; small braised pork rice at NT$30, summer-only cold noodles at NT$50 and braised fried tofu at NT$10 a piece. There are also wonton soup, pork thick soup and braised cabbage, and the shop sells raw noodles, meat sauce, chilli paste and gift boxes.

Fans praise the low prices, bouncy noodles and distinctive chilli, saying a cheap bowl delivers Nantou's old flavours and that tofu and soup on the side make a simple but satisfying meal. Critics find portions small and the soups ordinary, and some mention few seats, a hot semi-open space and a basic market setting.

Hours are about 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sources disagree on closing days: Yam Travel and online maps show Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, while Supertaste mentions none, so check before going. Seating is limited and sharing tables is common at peak times; Yam Travel notes waits of over thirty minutes on holidays. Parking near the market is hard, so use a nearby paid lot and walk; the prices above are from 2023 and may have changed.

Good for anyone wanting a local Nantou breakfast or lunch, and for snack fans who love old-style noodle stalls. First-timers can order a medium dry yi mian with braised tofu and wonton soup; chilli lovers should mix in the house sauce, and in summer try the cold noodles. Expect to spend roughly NT$40 to just over NT$100 per person.