蔡家牛肉麵

🍜 Cai Family Beef Noodle | New Taipei Zhonghe
📍 No. 12, Alley 16, Lane 153, Section 3, Xiulang Road, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City
🕰️ Tuesday to Thursday 11:30–14:00

This year, the Michelin Guide has included New Taipei for the first time, and Cai Family Beef Noodle has received a “Bib Gourmand” recommendation✨. It has always been hard to get a table, and now you really have to "get up early to eat here." By 10:30, there is already a line of people, and they start handing out numbers at 11:00. My reserved dining time is 12:30⏰.

The braised beef is thick and tender, with a fragrant cumin aroma, and the broth is rich without being overly salty; the clear broth is bright in color, with chives and garlic adding fragrance, making for a clean and smooth taste. The noodles are cooked to the right firmness, with a nice chewy texture, and you can choose "raw noodles" to take home and cook yourself. Prices are reasonable, with the clear broth beef noodles at 220 and the braised beef at 170 for a single order – good portions.

However, to be honest, I think I've had my fill after tasting it once😅. I wouldn’t want to wait in line for another two hours. The best beef noodles in my heart are still from Lao Baczong in Toucheng, Yilan, but unfortunately, it has closed down, and I can no longer enjoy that nostalgic broth🥹.