You know a dish is an obsession when it gets its own festival. Beef noodle soup inspires competitiveness and innovation in Taiwanese chefs. Everyone wants to claim the "beef noodle king" title.
Whether you're visiting the trendy Pin Chuan Lan's rib-eye steak noodle restaurant or have made a foray into the first makeshift noodle shack you spot, it's almost impossible to have a bad beef noodle experience in Taiwan.
Lin Dong Fang's beef shanks with al dente noodles in herbal soup are a perennial favorite. The streetside eatery's secret weapon is the dollop of homemade chili-butter, added last. But many locals prefer a stall without a sign on Tao Yuan Street (once you spot the queuing crowd you'll know you've arrived).
It's so famous that the store is now synonymous with the street, dubbed "Tao Yuen Street beef noodle" -- most supporters don't actually know its real name is Lao Wang Beef Noodle -- and has inspired a few other wannabes on the same road.
Lao Wang "Tao Yuan Street" Beef Noodle, 15 Tao Yuan Street, Zhongzheng District
Lin Dong Fang Niu Rou Mian, No.274, Section 2, Bade Road, Taipei Taiwan; +886 2 2752 2556

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