Shilin Hot Cold Noodles (老厝邊麻辣涼麵)
"So what do you want to eat?"
"No, what do YOU want to eat?"
"You are a visitor here, I should bring you to what you want to eat"
"Aww, that’s nice of you, but I want to eat your favorite food then"
After a playful argument, I manage to get Annie to bring me to her usual “go-to” whenever she’s eating out. Known as cold noodles, the noodles are first cooked and chilled before being served with gravy.
Tucked at the quiet end of the street behind Shilin Night Market, this looks really local and not very commercialized as I haven’t seen any queues nor are there any tourists here. It is pretty comedic in the way that we can describe the spiciness level, and how we can use terms like “less less less”-spicy. I asked for mild spicy after (3 times or less).
I like how simple the shop is, with barely any fancy sittings or decor, it is just a humble place and a lady who’s trying to get by while selling cold noodles. News picked up and she got little bit of fame for a bit, and it is how it is right now. I like the quietness of the place, yet hope that she could get more business because she deserves so. This place felt like an awkwardly hidden gem, that shy away from the spotlight most of the time.
The noodles are delicious, yet the coldness didn’t kill off any of the flavors. The sourish-spiciness isn’t too bad, but yet it only makes you want more. I slurped the noodles while drinking its soup. The dumplings are simple yet there are ample fillings. The story makes this place special and I like how it is a fragment of a person’s life that she shared me with.
“Do you want to try how spicy it can get?”
“I’ll like to try?”
“Ahaha, okay!”, I replied as I bought the bowl towards the lady and asked for some spicy paste. And she's really nice to throw me a chunk and asked me to mix it well before eating.
I have tried cold noodles crossed Asia, but this is perhaps the one place that not only comes with a story to tell but also probably my favorite Cold Noodle store in Taiwan.
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Detail
Name: Shilin Hot Cold Noodles (老厝邊麻辣涼麵)
Address: 台北市士林區大西路17號(攤位） Taipei, Taiwan 111
Opening Hours: 5:00 PM - 12:00 AM
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