I'm continuing my journey of eating beef noodles on Luoyang Street. Although most of the shops here are open 24 hours a day, there are still a few that operate with regular hours. I have already tried Fuhong, Jianhong, and Xiaowu. I arrived at Luoyang Street later than before that day, and Longcheng Sichuan Flavor Beef Noodles had just opened, so I decided to try this one.
Next to the busy Daya Interchange, there's a hidden, unpretentious little shop, 'Xingchang Beef Noodles.' If you just pass by without knowing, you'll really miss it; I myself couldn't find it after leaving and turning back. With no fancy decorations or deliberate advertising, it relies on its affordable prices, authentic ingredients, and homestyle flavors to become a beloved taste supported by locals.
Sichuan beef noodles, as the name suggests, are all about the numbing and spicy kick! A generous amount of Sichuan peppercorns is a must. But this restaurant's "non-spicy" version is something I've never encountered before.
The unique numbing and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns blend into the delicious beef broth, making your mouth water just by smelling it. Although there's no stimulation from chili peppers, the aroma and numbing sensation of the peppercorns are enough to tease your taste buds, making you unable to stop eating one bite after another. This kind of non-spicy Sichuan beef noodle soup might be even more suitable for people who can't handle spicy food.
Located near Futai Community in Taichung's East District, right by Jinde Elementary School, you'll find Wei Zhen Xiang Beef Noodle Soup. The history of Futai Community, a public housing complex, traces back to Futai New Village, where families of military personnel who retreated from Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam (a recent travel hotspot) were settled.
Because of this, even though it's becoming less common, you can still find some traditional military dependents' village flavors in this area. There's another more famous beef noodle shop on the same road nearby called Niu Beibei Beef Noodles. Wei Zhen Xiang isn't as well-known, so it can be considered a hidden gem.
As this is a family-run business, the interior has likely remained largely unchanged since its opening. The dim lighting evokes a sense of nostalgia, transporting you back to the 2000s. The restaurants I frequented in my childhood were all illuminated by these same somewhat dim fluorescent lights.
If you want some braised snacks, pick what you want and put it on a plate. The owner's wife will slice it up, serve it, and tell you the price. If I remember correctly, a serving of pig's ear plus a large piece of dried tofu was around 80 NTD that day.
The texture of the pig's ear is good. The way it's sliced is similar to the Hunan style, and it's not overcooked. Thinly sliced firm tofu with the braising liquid absorbed into its pores, good flavor and soft texture.
The beef noodle soup is 120 NTD. I had to wait a bit longer for this bowl, but that's to be expected with a family-run shop. If you plan on eating here, come with a little patience!
The beef in this noodle soup has a familiar taste, both in appearance and texture. After a moment of thought, it hit me! It's the taste of the beef from the Republic of China (Taiwan) military canned food. Though the flavor might be vastly different, the texture is quite similar. The beef used is the belly part, not the commonly seen beef shank. The meat might have been stewed for a long time, causing the lean and fat parts to separate. The lean meat is a bit dry.
The soup has all the elements of a savory Sichuan-style broth, but it's not spicy. Instead, it has a fragrant and slightly numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns, which is quite unique. I can handle spicy food, but I'm not someone who needs chili in everything. With this kind of broth, I wouldn't want to add any extra chili sauce or chili oil.
The noodles are the typical flat, thin noodles. It's a bit of a shame for me that they don't offer thin noodles as an option. Aside from beef noodles and braised snacks, this shop also offers stir-fries, which seem to be quite popular. I saw many customers ordering them for takeout. I'll have to give them a try next time!
4. 店家資訊與地圖 (Store Info)
📍 味真香牛肉麵水餃
地址：401台中市東區進德路57號
電話：04-2211-6050
營業時間：11:30-20:00
公休日：無
* 菜單品項價格如因物價波動等因素有做調整，以店家公布為主，僅供參考！
* The prices of menu items may be adjusted due to factors such as fluctuations in commodity prices, and the prices posted by the restaurant shall prevail. The prices listed are for reference only.
* 本文照片以 iPhone 13 Pro 拍攝
When visiting Nantou's Zhongxing New Village, aside from enjoying the beautiful surroundings and military dependents' village culture, you absolutely cannot miss the local cuisine! Today, I'm recommending a long-standing noodle shop with over 60 years of history: Lao Fu Zi Beef Noodle Soup.
This shop is conveniently located right at the entrance of the Zhongxing New Village Employee Welfare Center - you can't miss it! 😉 Not only do they offer classic beef noodles, but they also have a variety of home-style noodles and side dishes.
Zhongxing New Village was once the seat of the Taiwan Provincial Government. Before the provincial government was dissolved, this place was considered one of the best places to live in the five central counties and cities. But with the freezing of the provincial government, many people gradually moved out over the years. However, the classic food at the employee consumer cooperative here has thankfully not disappeared.
In the past, this was the center of daily life for Zhongxing New Village employees. Everything from dining and shopping to even laundry was concentrated here. Now, most of the remaining shops here are long-established businesses, and those businesses likely have been around for at least 50 years.
There are two beef noodle shops here. One is Lao Hu, and the other is the first shop at the entrance, Lao Fu Zi, which I'm sharing with you today. In the past, I always ate at Lao Hu when I came here. This time, I suddenly had a craving for beef noodles again, but when I arrived, I found that Lao Hu was closed. Since I was already there, I decided to give Lao Fu Zi a try.
There are many kinds of side dishes, including braised dishes and cold dishes, most of which are very common "military dependents' village flavors." Aside from special items like beef and beef tendon, all other side dishes seem to be a uniform price of 40 NTD. Even though there were still a few more things I wanted to try, this was already enough to fill me up to the brim!
Cold sesame noodles with cucumber is a classic Chinese dish that is rarely found these days. The chewy and smooth noodles, paired with crisp cucumber and drizzled with rich sesame sauce, make for a refreshing and appetizing dish.
Dou jiao, also known as pickled long beans, is made by pickling and fermenting long beans. It has a unique sour and fragrant flavor, making it a popular appetizer for many. I personally love this dish! The version at Lao Fu Zi includes ginger, and the taste is on the sweeter side due to added sugar.
Fried Pork Chop (60 NTD): The bone-in pork chop, coated in a thin layer of flour, is fried to order, so you'll need a bit of patience before it arrives at your table. Made with 100% real meat and without relying on too many "technological enhancements," the texture is a bit on the tougher side. But at least they haven't added a lot of additives like most small eateries do to improve the texture. It tastes similar to the pork chops you find in typical budget-friendly bento shops, perhaps a little drier.
Braised Beef Noodle Soup (100 NTD): The bowl of beef noodles isn't very big, but considering the current cost of living, the price of 100 NTD is still somewhat acceptable.
The beef they use is beef brisket. It's been braised to the point of being very tender. Personally, I think it has a good beefy flavor, but lacks texture. The taste is decent overall. The noodles are your typical thin noodles, the kind you'd find in a casual home-cooked meal. They also resemble the kind made from dried noodles. Actually, that's not entirely out of the question, as the shop also offers frozen meal kits for delivery.
The broth isn't the super rich and fragrant kind. To me, it tastes very similar to the beef soup my classmates' moms used to make in the military dependents' village when we were kids. Perhaps this kind of broth might seem too bland to many people today, but back in the day, this level of beef soup was considered top-notch, because not many people ate beef then.
My impression after eating there is that it's cheap and decent. If I have the chance to come back again, I'll probably still go to Lao Hu Noodle Shop next door, as it suits my taste better. Just a suggestion for everyone!
"Tainan Beef Soup" is renowned for fresh beef slices cooked in broth. However, during my time in Tainan, I didn't find many notable beef noodle shops. It seems beef noodle soup thrives more in central and northern Taiwan. Interestingly, I recently found a braised beef noodle shop originating from Jiali, Tainan, right here in Taichung!
Located at the corner of Guangfu and Ziyou Road, this shop caught my eye. It's called "Lao Fu Zi Beef Noodle," distinct from other shops with similar names. It offers air-conditioned indoor seating, which is much more comfortable than the outdoor corridor seats in summer. The furniture matches their main branch in Tainan.
The menu had many crossed-out items, indicating limited availability. I went for the full experience with Beef Three Treasures Noodles and a side dish. The Boneless Duck Feet ($40) were cut into generous chunks with good texture, though the seasoning was a bit light.
The Beef Three Treasures Noodles ($180) was a large portion for the price. However, the beef looked like canned meat. The tripe was soft and dark, lacking crispness, and the tendon was also soft—likely reheated from a pack. The broth had a medicinal herbal taste, savory but not too salty. The noodles were likely frozen pre-cooked ones but still had a decent bite. Overall, not bad, but not memorable enough for a revisit.
📍 店家資訊：老夫子牛肉麵 台中自由店 (已歇業)
地址：400台中市中區自由路二段84號 備註：本作僅供緬懷，店家已永久停業。
* 本文為歷史食記回顧，該店家已歇業。
* This is a review of a past dining experience. The restaurant is permanently closed.
* 本文照片以 iPhone 13 Pro 拍攝
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