阿宗麵線 Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (Average)

Address: No. 8-1號, Emei St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108 (Located within Ximending Shopping District)
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9amsk33CWckZdK8y8
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

Taiwanese Mee Sua (Small) = TWD 65 (S$2.70)

No Service Charges

 Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.
Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.

If you are a Fan of Taiwanese Cuisines, the Name Ay-Chung would probably be Very Familiar to you. 🤔 This is a Very Famous Taiwan Mee Sua Franchise 🍜  Highly Praised and Highly Recommended in Numerous Food Blogs covering Taiwan Foods. 🇹🇼

Every Popular Food Influencer worth their Salt will probably have already covered this Place in one way or another throughout their Career. 🤔 This Particular Outlet is Especially Popular because its Located right in the Heart of Ximending Night Market 西門町商圈 which itself is a Very Hip and Happening (Also Very Touristy) Zone of Taipei that is Comparable to Japan's Shibuya or Shinjuku. 🛍️

Located at the Side of the Street, this was a Large Eatery that has No Dine-In Facilities. Everything sold here is Only for Takeaway. 🛍️ And as you can see from the Massive Amounts of People in the Photos, it is the type of Stereotypical Famous "Social Media 网红 Food" that People will proudly take Selfies with. 📷

Even on a Monday Afternoon there were Large Groups of upwards of 20 People or more. 😳 Having said that, because this is only for Takeaway, the Queue actually moves Very Fast. 👍 Sometimes if you're lucky you can even catch Brief Moments of Zero Queues. I got mine within like 6 mins of Queuing. 😅 Simply order what you want, pay up and go to the Serving Area where you will get it served to you almost immediately. Fast and Efficient. 👍

I also appreciated that despite how Busy it was, the Staffs were still able to maintain a Reasonable Level of Customer Service to all Customers. 👍 They don't smile, but they still try their best to behave as Polite as they can. 👍 

What is Taiwanese Mee Sua?

I've actually made this Dish before and I'm here to taste the Authentic Version. Its actually a Bowl of Rice Vermicelli 面线  🍜 cooked and Boiled in a Soup Base that is primarily Powered with Japanese Bonito Flakes 🐟 and Thickened with Cornstarch. 

Other Major Ingredients added within this would be Pieces of Pig Intestines 🐷 and/or Oysters. 🦪 This Dish is also called "Orh Ah Mee Sua" if Oysters are added. 🦪 The Result is a Gloopy Soft and Thick Soup Stew with a Smokey Fishy Presence 🐟 due to the Bonito Flakes mixed with a Bit of Porkiness from the Pig Intestines 🐷 while you're slurping the Soft Thin and Smooth Vermicelli Noodles 🍜 with Ocassional Hits of Oysterly Seafoodyness from the Oysters. 🦪

Taiwan Mee Sua (Small) = TWD 65 (S$2.70)
How does Ay-Chung's Mee Sua actually taste like?

The 1st Taste I immediately got was a Very Strong, Very In-Your-Face Presence of Bonito Flakes 🐟 in the Thickened Soup. 🤔 Usually, Bonito Flakes is something that People like Alot of, but for some reason, I thought it came on abit Too Strongly for me and asserts its Dominance Way too Much. 🤔 The Broth itself is Savoury Sweetish.

There are a Few Very Small Pieces of Pig Intestines 🐷 that while injected an Acceptable Amount of Porkiness into the Dish, I thought the Amount of Intestines was Too Thin to be able to actually enjoy eating them. Very Obvious Attempts at Cost Cutting and Scrimping of Ingredients. 🤔

You can add whatever Condiments you want to it with Vinegar being the Most Common but I thought the Default Taste of this Mee Sua itself is actually good enough. 🍜

The Mee Sua itself is Soft and Smooth and Easily Slides Down my Throat, 🍜 but if I am to be Very Honest, I feel this Quality is quite Average comparable to the Mee Sua sold at "Shilin Taiwan Snacks" in Singapore or Malaysia. 🤔 If you were to Blindfold me, I will probably not be able to taste any difference.

Ultimately, is this a Good Bowl of Mee Sua? 🤔

I would say yes it is Tasty and is an Acceptable Tasting Bowl of Mee Sua, 🍜 IF this is the First Time you're tasting this Dish and have No Prior Expectations of how a Taiwanese Mee Sua tastes like.

Personally though, as I've eaten and cooked Mee Sua before, I feel the Bonito Flakes 🐟 came on much too strongly for me and asserted its Dominance way too much trying to Overpower everything else. 🤔 The Small Slivers of the Pork Intestines are also very Typical of the Type of Touristy Foods 偷工减料 that Most Locals would also probably won't go for. 🤔

From the way I see how they operate this Stall, I can tell the Staffs here, while Polite are here doing this as a Regular Job and don't really have any Passion for it. 🤔 This Bowl of Mee Sua 🍜 tastes Very By-The-Book, Very Mechanical and Coldly Manufactured for the Masses if it makes any sense. 🤔 But I also won't blame them too much because at the end of the Day, this is the Price of Success when a Place gets Too Famous. 🤔 

I'm also sure the Rental for such a Prime Location in Ximending is sure not Cheap hence thats why 吃得出来 their Obvious Attempt at 偷工减料. 💵 This Mee Sua feels More Famous in Name than Actual Taste in my Opinion. 

麵線陳 Vermicelli Chen that I've reviewed previously is another Mee Sua Eatery I visited in Taiwan and that feels like its made with More Passion than this one at Ay-Chung. But thats just my Personal Thoughts about it. 🤔