Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - and Shop - Shanghai China

Hello to the sovereign nation of Taiwan!   (aka NOT China)

Home of the super delicious beef noodle soup.

Not only am I not an expert on this dish, this is the first time that I've ever had it....

 So be ready for a lot of inaccurate info...

My primary mission is to locate Taiwanese Pepper Salt.  Yeah, I don't know what that is either, but someone wants it, and I'm gonna fricken get it, one way or another! 

Via my vast network of Taiwanese friend and colleagues I am guided to this spot that not only sells all things Taiwan, but there's a small restaurant in the back serving a limited menu, with the star being the famous Beef Noodle Soup.

Shit tons of stuff, most  of which I have no idea what it is because I don't read Chinese (are there Taiwan specific characters????  F if I know).  I am, however, able to locate the famous pepper salt, mainly because that label is in English, and cause I'm also super smart.  Check, roger that.

In the eating area there is a nice graphical depiction of what the heck this soup is all about.  Again, I can't read it but the photos are cool.

Work is over, we're hungry, and it's time for a beer first.

Taiwanese beer, BOOM!

Tastes like a lager, crisp and refreshing.

Let's get down to it.

Soup.  Looks and smells killer.  Very beefy.

The first impact is the broth.  An amazingly complex and deeply beefy flavor.  As you stir it you can see the many layers of flavor and components.  Deep and rich, delicious.

The noodles are also amazing.  Like a wide and flat ramen noodle.  They are slightly chewy, toothsome is the word maybe (I'm trying to avoid saying al dente.... but I don't know why because that pretty much sums it up), but it's more than that, there's a bounce to them that is really pleasant.  I believe the word in Taiwan is "Q", which to me explains it perfectly.

The beef is not terrific.  It's a little dry and tough in some places but hey, I'm in a small strip mall in nowhere Shanghai, so they get a pass for that.  

I bet if someone in, let's say Brooklyn, were to make this in an authentic Taiwanese restaurant the beef would also be killer.  I'd bet...

A plate of mushrooms and various fried unknown things appears...  Nicely fried and then coated in some kind of lightly sweet brown sauce.  Other than the mushroom though, I have no idea what the what.  Good though.

To finish the meal we enjoy 2 local Taiwanese fruits.

Nope, no idea the names.

They both tasted very similar to each other and had almost no flavor, just a slight sweetness.  But what I think their charm is is the freshness and crispness of the flesh.  Refreshing and palate cleansing almost.  A great finish to a great lunch.

  

Taiwan?  Yeah, it's great.

Maybe I'll go there some day.

DVA