Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle in Ximending neighborhood of Taipei

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Crowds out front of Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle in Taipei, Taiwan

Since 1975, Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle has been a popular spot in Taipei’s Ximending district for its signature rice noodle soup. The unassuming shop is an institution in Taipei and one of the city’s most famous street food options.

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle is known for its savory noodle soup, made with thick, chewy rice noodles in a rich, slightly spicy broth, often topped with pig intestines.

Over the years, the small restaurant, more of a street stall inside a building, has gained a loyal following with locals and tourists for its cheap and delicious food.

From opening to closing, crowds gather outside, standing in the street with bowls of steaming flour-rice noodles. Whenever I see locals lining up at restaurants in Taipei, I know the food is worth trying.

Table of Contents

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle Menu

The menu at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle, Taipei, Taiwan — The menu at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle

I don’t think you could find a more simple menu than the one at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle. If you are one of those people who can never decide what to order at a restaurant like me, you don’t have to worry.

The was small with two options: a small bowl or a large bowl of noodles.

In addition, for an extra charge, you could take home a bottle of chili sauce.

Ordering at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle

Pay on the right, get your bowl on the left

When I arrived, I was confused about where to stand or how to order. There were people everywhere. Some were in line, a few were loading up on condiments, and everyone else was standing around eating.

I joined the long line extending from the restaurant into the street. It turned out I was in the right place. After a few minutes, I reached the front, handing my money to the cashier.

Serving bowls of rice noodles, Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle in Taipei, Taiwan — Serving bowls of rice noodles

The line continued to the left from the cashier. Standing over a large steaming pot, a worker scooped bowl after bowl of rice noodles and handed them to hungry customers.

Condiment station with chili oil, garlic, and vinegar

After getting my bowl, I stopped at the small station near the cashier to add chili oil, puréed garlic, and vinegar to my soup. I enjoyed how the vinegar added an acidic component to the dish.

Flour Rice Noodles

Only one thing on the menu, Mee Sua, Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle, Taipei, Taiwan — Only one thing on the menu, Flour Rice Noodles

Since I was working my way through Ximending, trying as many foods as possible, I settled for a small bowl of Flour Rice Noodles.

Although the bowl might have seemed small, it contained a generous amount of rice noodles, pig intestines, and cilantro in a steaming hot broth.

The thick golden brown broth was the dish’s star. It was rich, salty, and smoky with a strong dashi flavor. Each bite had delicious salty, briny flavors, and I couldn’t get enough of it.

Floating in the broth was a generous amount of rice noodles that almost melted into the broth. The noodles were silky and tender without much texture. Though thin, the noodles soaked up the salty seafood flavors of the broth.

I’ve never been a fan of tripe, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the pig intestines floating in the soup. Each piece of the oily meat was an interesting mix of chewy and tender bits. Some pieces were tougher than others.

I enjoyed the chewy texture, which complemented the soft noodles. Though the flavor of the pork was slightly gamey, it wasn’t too intense in flavor.

Topping off the bowl of rice noodles was fresh, aromatic cilantro. Everything tastes better with cilantro. The herby flavors complemented the taste of the intestines and strong salty broth.

While the bowl was simple and cheap, it was filling and delicious.

Service at Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle

I waited in line, paid, and picked up my bowl on my visit. While there was a wait, the staff was efficient and kept things moving, so the wait didn’t feel too long.

Other than that, I had no issues with the service.

Conclusion

While wandering around Ximending, I was surprised by the number of food options. Some of my favorite foods can be found here, including Jin Feng and Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken. Yet, Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle stood out in a sea of street food stalls and restaurants.

There might not have been any tables or places to sit, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It doesn’t get better than eating a delicious bowl of rice noodles with hundreds of people in the streets of Taipei.