A Broad Reference

My former Chinese teacher Liu2 Lao3shi1 offered to take me out shopping for sports clothes that fit. Not everyone (and by that I mean no one) uses the type of athletic jog bra that I forgot to pack. So when I complained about this startling deficiency plus the fact that everyone here is a size negative zero, Liu Laoshi immediately knew where to steer me. It's a little to complicated to explain, and she ended up taking me herself.

On the way there we passed a restaurant famous for its Mala Hong2 Sao1 Niu2Rou4 Mian4- Beef Noodles in Spicy sauce. So that's where we stopped to have dinner. It was pretty tasty tasty. (shout out to Kat and Wayne for help with my tones)

I've got the standard beef with spicy sauce and Liu Laoshi went with the plain broth and braised pigs foot, which I will try next time.
There's a big bowl of pickled cabbage which you spoon into your noodles for extra crunch and salty goodness.

Another specialty is the steamed beef ribs over potato, it was so good but I was stuffed by the time it came out. More a question of how do I pack this home for breakfast?

It's actually on the way home from the Jin Ling Girls High school. I can definitely see myself jumping off the bus at the Ximen Station and grabbing a tasty bowl.

Lao Wang Ji Niu Ro Mien Da Wang (I'll have to ask Liu Laoshi for the tones)
Old Wang Beef Noodle King
Taoyuan St No. 15, Taipei (台北市桃源街15號)
accessible by MRT Ximen Station Exit 3 & 4

You can tell you're in the right place by the rows and rows of bowls lined up waiting to be filled.

Directions: If walking down Baoqing Rd., turn left onto Taoyuan St., and it will be on your right. Walking down Hengyang Rd., turn right onto Taoyuan St., and it will be on your left.
Closed every second Sunday of the month.
I had the "hong sao" (spicy beefy kind), but they also serve beef noodle soup with clear broth.
You can also order different meats.

And if this post made you hungry. I include a link to a recipe (altho I confess I haven't tried it yet)

Here's a quote from an article on niu rou mian. Whereby one is given to understand the dreadful urgency you are seized with when presented a steaming bowl of perfection.
"I tend to associate a certain 'wildness' with a bowl of beef noodles," remarked Chiao. "The eating is done quickly. Music and restaurant atmosphere are unimportant. The slurping over the soup and noodles in a crowded space contributes essentially to the most suitable eating environment."