28 March 2017
Best ramen ever
The Ippudo in Taipei station is as good as any other Ippudo
Last night was an attempt at best beef noodle in Taipei, I dont think the claim was true. Tonight however, turned out to be the best ramen ever!
It came from Ippudo, who have stores in many cities including Sydney. The Taiwan menu is much more extensive and it was fantastic, more on that later.
Before I could leave this evening, I had to go in the shower, to rehydrate my wind dried hair and wash layers of streaking sun screen off. The only problem was, the hotel was fixing the hot water. The sign said it would be available at 4pm, so in the shower I go at 5pm, still cold.
I thought I would give it a bit more time before giving up, now I was naked and standing in the shower shivering. So thinking I was at home where no one can see in our window, I went and stood naked at my hotel window, 3rd floor, watching people walking past, waving at me. I havent been arrested yet.
Despite suggesting I wouldnt do much this evening, I ended up doing lots. The area around my hotel is the busiest part of the city, so every time I step outside something is happening, and this evening was no exception. A mercedes was trying to fit up the small laneway, and it couldnt, so someone was tasked with moving approximately 9000 parked scooters so the car could get by.
I watched and wondered why he didnt just back up, there was nothing behind him, I thought he must be going to park somewhere in the laneway, but not, 10 minutes later he got to the end of the lane and turned onto the main road.
Ximending movie street, not the busiest street in Ximending.
Behind the Taipei main station is a busy dense area of streets with mainly Japanese restaurants, lots of good places to eat here.
In addition to the good places, they also have both Yoshinoya and Sukiya.
There is also the Taiwan locomotive railway lunch box. This is not uncommon in Taiwan, there are a few similar brands. Someome liked the train lunch boxes so much they started a restaurant based on the concept.
I recall in Kaohsiung there is a similar one called the Kaohsiung airline catering company, in case you really like plane food.
Under these streets behind the station is a labyrinth of funky little restaurants, I had no idea any of this was here.
My ramen from Ippudo was amazing. I asked for whatever was spiciest, and it was indeed spicy. The red stuff is really spicy red miso I guess, or just plain chilli, and the noodles were awesome.
I also got an entire pickled cucumber thing cause ramen has no real vegetables on its own.
Highly recommended! Its above the main train station for future reference.
To get back to my hotel I walked along the underground subway malls, which had an exhibition of a lego competitor featuring manga girls.
This one was the best in my opinion, the books and bookshelves are also made from the lego knock off.
Eventually along this mall thing you get to a new station, built for the recently opened airport MRT, when they excavated to build it they uncovered ancient ruins. So now you can stand on them and take photos.
All these people are eating Ay-Chung flour rice noodles from 1975, out of paper cups. I had a closer look, they only serve the one thing, 2 sizes, and its just plain noodles in plain looking liquid, nothing else.
Welcome to try to eat.
This store welcomes to deposit an article.
Nearby is the creative artists park in an old building, I think I went here once on a previous trip. A good place to buy gifts from.
They also have a cat.
One last one of these for the evening, maybe the best yet!
Looking forward to that myself.