You Zhi Old Noodle Shop

Review

You Zhi Old Noodle Shop is at No. 67, Section 3, Sanmin Road in Taichung's North District, beside the Yizhong shopping area. It started as a stall near the park entrance, and because regulars always called the owner, Liao You-zhi, by name, "You Zhi" became the shop's name. Sources disagree on its age: some say three generations and about 60 years, others say 70 years in the neighbourhood. The owner's daughters now run it, and a recent renovation has made the shop bright and clean, drawing younger customers; many Yizhong students have grown up eating here.

The signature is danzai yellow noodles with a handmade chicken roll, about NT$70, served in soup or dry. The yellow noodles are springy and firm, topped with minced pork, fried shallots and scallions for a balanced flavour; the chicken roll is large and well filled, described by one writer as crisp with a bit of bounce. Minced pork rice is about NT$45, with half-fat, half-lean pork almost covering the rice and a drizzle of braising sauce, seasoned just right. The mixed soup is about NT$60, with tempura-style fish cake, fried chicken roll and stuffed meatballs in a clear, sweet broth. Side dishes include dried tofu, kelp and pork skin, the last cleanly prepared and served with ginger, scallion and soy sauce.

Most write-ups list the chicken roll as a must and praise the fair prices and generous minced pork rice. Dissenting views include a chicken roll that some find too soft compared with the bouncier Tainan style, a preference for white noodles over yellow, and fish cake in the soup that is described as ordinary. Overall, opinions are mostly positive, and several writers say there is a queue every time.

Lunchtime often means queuing and sharing tables. There are no reservations, and ordering can get chaotic when it is busy, so grab a seat first and send one person to order. Recent information lists hours of 10:30 to 16:00 with Mondays closed; older articles give different times, so check before you go. It shuts at 4pm, so do not leave it too late.

It suits anyone after old-school Taiwanese noodles, chicken rolls and minced pork rice, or a budget lunch while exploring the Yizhong area. First-timers should get yellow noodles with chicken roll and a bowl of minced pork rice; two people can add the mixed soup and a plate of pork skin to share. If yellow noodles are not your thing, ask whether you can switch to white noodles.