Chuanzhai Alley Canteen: Chongqing Noodles and Hot-and-Sour Soup

After stepping off the Beitou MRT, I looked for a spot to work. Coffee shops like Louisa and Starbucks were familiar options, but I was unsure what to eat.

When I saw Chongqing noodles, I was intrigued. I’ve had these hot-and-sour noodles at Face Off, which I need to visit again. So I was intrigued to see on Google Maps this place right outside the Beitou MRT, but also that it was tiny, literally only 4 seats available. I walked by and checked it out, and there was a couple leaving right then. So, without really knowing what I was going to order or even what was on the menu, I walked in, grabbed the clipboard and a pen, sat down, and did some Google Translate on the menu.

Photo by Kalen Johnson

I settled on the hot-and-sour vermicelli soup and 10 red oil wontons. I normally get the regular noodles, but for some reason, I saw 米mǐ and thought rice noodles sounded good. I’m glad I did; these noodles were like nothing I’ve had before. They were bouncy, springy, chewy, but also somehow soft and a little slippery. It was hard picking them up with the chopsticks; I dropped more than a couple, splashing oily soup in my face. I would definitely order these types of noodles again.

I ordered the 大辣dà là, most spicy, but as with many other restaurants in Taiwan, it wasn't very spicy for me. Same with the wontons. Chongqing is known for Sichuan (Szechuan) food, which means these dishes would have been MUCH spicier in their original locale, but accommodating the Taiwanese palate means keeping it easy on the spice.

The flavour, though, wow. Food like this, that is salty and savoury, but also has enough sweetness and a bunch of sourness with some spiciness, really hits on all fronts. It’s what makes Thai food so good; it hits all our senses of flavour. The soup had cilantro, pickled greens (not sure what kind), ground meat, and spring onions. The cilantro really works with the vinegary sourness. The chilli oil rounds out all the flavours, making it savoury and delicious.

Photo by Kalen Johnson

The wontons were lacking after the soup. I’d probably skip the wontons next time. They had the same chilli oil, but I think without a vinegar or sour component, it just tasted rather flat after the soup. I wonder how they would have tasted on their own, probably better.

I think I may go back next week. A true hole-in-the-wall restaurant that has amazing soup.

UPDATE - I went again, it wasn't the next week... it was over a month later. I had to visit a Taiwan Mobile store and get some work done. Taiwan Mobile and Louisa Coffee were both close by outside the Beitou station, a perfect excuse to get my fill of hot-and-sour noodles again.

This visit I tried the 生椒牛肉麵Shēng jiāo niú ròu miàn, it's the first item on the menu. Also, despite being called 牛肉麵niú ròu miàn, it's a dry noodle, and not the famous beef noodle soup. The cilantro and greens on top make it a fresh dish; the ground beef, I would say, was just fine, seasoned nicely and stir-fried. I wouldn't call it a stand-out dish. I think I wanted to have the hot-and-sour soup again. Sometimes you have to stick with what you know you like.

I don't have much comment on the wontons, they are good. When not comparing them with the hot-and-sour soup, I can see why they are a favourite with locals in the area. They're affordable, delicious, and pair well with the dry noodles. However, I'm pretty sure I ordered the chicken broth wontons, but I didn't get any chicken broth. If I can still eat it, I'm not one to complain really, so I ate the wontons broth-less, only ever so slightly disheartened.

Photo by Kalen Johnson

I've updated the Chuanzhai Alley Canteen restaurant page with a full translation of the menu. Check it out if you are going to visit!