Shanlin Eatery is a place I visit almost once a week. It is really just a tiny noodle-and-rice shop near Yuan Ze University, but come lunchtime or dinner, every seat is packed and a line of people will be waiting for takeaway orders. The shop is run by the brother, who does the cooking, and his sister, who sometimes serves customers and sometimes helps cook, plus one or two people helping out front. It is no small feat for such a tiny eatery to become this popular.
So why is it so popular? Because the food is delicious, of course! What impresses me is that they seem to be good at cooking just about everything. Whether it is rice, noodles, soup, or braised dishes, it all tastes great! Andthe portions are pretty generous, so there are always lots of Yuan Ze University students here. However,there is one crucial thing to remember if you want Shanlin Eatery at its best:timing. When the shop gets crowded—and for such a small place, it gets seriously crowded—the food cooked in a rush never tastes quite as good. So you need to go when there are fewer people. For dinner, that means arriving shortly after 5 p.m. or waiting until after 7 or 8 p.m. That is when the food tastes best!
Whenever I visit Shanlin Eatery, I try to order something different. But personal preferences being what they are, there are always a few favourites that I keep ordering again and again.
[ Shanlin Clam Noodle Soup NT$80 ]
This Shanlin clam noodle soup is something I order eight times out of ten. I have always loved clams, and this dish comes with a whole bowlful of delicious clams, a few slices of meat, and noodles in a sweet, clam-infused broth. It is genuinely delicious!If you like clams, I definitely recommend trying a bowl of Shanlin clam noodle soup. If you prefer stir-fried noodles, they can also make a stir-fried version! Personally, though, I am very much on Team Noodle Soup~
[ Shanlin Clam Noodle Soup: A Crowd of Adorable Clams ]
Most of the time, if I visit during one of those periods when the food is at its best, every clam comes out plump and juicy like this. One look and you can tell how fresh and tender it is, ha~ And there are loads of clams, so you leave full and completely satisfied.
[ Shanlin Clam Noodle Soup: One Adorable Clam About to Be Eaten ]
One more close-up. It really makes you want to gobble it up in one bite~
[ Assorted Stir-Fried Noodles NT$70 ]
Huang Hao-Hao orders this every single time we visit. He is about as likely to order the assorted stir-fried noodles as I am to order the Shanlin clam noodles, so every time, I have the clam noodles while he has this. They certainly do not skimp on the ingredients.
[ Assorted Stir-Fried Noodles: Clam Close-Up ]
[ Fried Chicken Leg, À La Carte NT$50 ]
Shanlin’s fried chicken leg is delicious too. It is braised before being fried, so the skin is crisp while the meat stays tender and never dry. We like to order whatever main dishes we feel like having and add a chicken leg on the side, though of course you can simply order the chicken leg rice (NT$80) instead~
[ Assorted Braised Foods over Rice NT$80 ]
This is a type of rice dish I find quite unusual: assorted braised foods over rice. Since Shanlin sells à la carte braised side dishes, they also came up with this rice bowl featuring several kinds of braised foods, along with some vegetables and other sides. One bowl lets you enjoy several different braised items and vegetables, which makes it another rice dish I enjoy ordering.
The braised foods and side dishes change from day to day, though. The meal pictured here, for example, even came with a braised chicken leg. You may want to ask what is being served that day first, just in case it includes something you do not like!
[ Assorted Braised Foods over Rice: Side Dishes ]
[ Assorted Braised Foods over Rice: Braised Foods ]
[ Complimentary Soup ]
Whether you order rice, noodles, or soup, the shop always provides complimentary self-serve soup. The soup changes every day too. Some that I remember include duck-blood soup, shredded bamboo-shoot soup, daikon soup, and miso tofu soup. The broths are all delicious!
Besides serving delicious food, the proprietress of Shanlin Eatery also loves chatting with customers, and many students know her well. If you enjoy having a natter with restaurant owners, you can get to know her too—but only when the shop is not busy, of course! Once things get hectic, she starts talking very loudly, and I doubt anyone would dare strike up a conversation with her then….
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Shanlin Eatery |
Important Information
[ Shanlin Eatery Menu ]
