Affordable food near Taipei Main Station | 話一隻雞-南陽店 (Hua Yi Zhi Ji — Nanyang): a popular Nanyang Street chicken-soup shop where the pepper noodles and signature stew both deliver
My lunch requirements are modest: no lavish feast every day, and no need for three flowers arranged on the plate.
I only ask that it betasty, filling, and priced so my pay slip does not burst into tearsand ideally restore a little of my humanity after the boss attacks.
Recently, near Taipei Main Station and NTU Hospital Station, I found a small shop well suited to office workers and students—Hua Yi Zhi Ji。
It has drawn plenty of discussion lately, specializing in chicken soup and pepper noodles while also serving fried-chicken curry rice, braised items, and sides. After eating there, I would indeed recommend it to nearby workers and students, especially anyone wanting a hot meal without wounding their wallet.
Where is Hua Yi Zhi Ji? On Nanyang Street, convenient from Taipei Main and NTU Hospital stations
Hua Yi Zhi Jiis on Nanyang Street near Gongyuan Road and Xiangyang Road, not far from the Two Two Eight Peace Memorial Park.
By MRT, get off atTaipei Main (台北車站·Taipei Main)orNTU Hospital Stationand the walk is about 5 minutes from either, making it convenient and easy to find.
The neighborhood is packed with cram schools, students, and office workers, so meal times draw a crowd.
Do not be surprised if every seat is taken during the rush.
Nanyang Street's lunch battlefield is no joke.
Everyone looks as if they are competing in the delivery edition of Culinary Class Wars, minus a judge shouting, “Time's up!”
A crisp white exterior and relaxed wood seating inside
The storefront looks clean and tidy, with fresh white walls that make it easy to spot along Nanyang Street.
Food photos at the entrance also help first-time visitors choose what to eat.
For an indecisive person like me, those photos are reassuring; at least I do not have to stage a “life-changing decision” in front of the menu.
Wood finishes define the seating area. It is medium-sized rather than spacious, but still comfortable and relaxed.
This is not a linger-and-chat restaurant. You come for a meal and a bowl of soup, then leave with a comforted stomach.
An open kitchen lets you watch the cooks at work, another plus for me.
The steam, fragrance, and bustle make the meal feel earnestly cooked on-site, not like a cold boxed-lunch existence.
A broad menu, with set savings when chicken soup meets a main
Hua Yi Zhi Ji serves far more than chicken soup.
Main dishes includeSichuan pepper noodles, old-fashioned tossed noodles, liangfen, dan dan tossed noodles, curry rice, and Sichuan pepper chicken ricewith sides such as fried chicken, blanched greens, and braised items.
The one thing not to miss here is probably theStewed Chicken Soup。
Pair it with a main for a set discount of NT$10.
NT$10 may not sound like much, but for a budget-conscious young worker, it is a little everyday victory.
Save NT$10 often enough and it becomes another cup of coffee. That is practical life planning.
Signature Stewed Chicken Soup: humble and home-style, but genuinely warming
At Hua Yi Zhi Ji, skipping a bowl ofStewed Chicken Soupwould be like visiting the set of a Korean drama and missing the male lead.
There are no extravagant ingredients; it looks thoroughly home-style.
It resembles the chicken soup a mother might set on the family table.
That simplicity is exactly why it is so comforting to drink.
The broth is savory and gently sweet, neither oily nor overly heavy. Drinking it brings direct warmth: first the stomach feels comforted, then the rest of you slowly regains health points.
The chicken is selected for stewing, releasing its essence into the broth and giving the soup savory depth and sweetness.
Better still, the meat is not simmered into dry mush. It keeps its sweetness and spring, so the chicken itself remains delicious.
I really liked that.
Sichuan Pepper Tossed Noodles: more memorable than expected
The other dish that left a deep impression was theSichuan Pepper Tossed Noodles。
The menu says the shop uses its own hand-fried Sichuan pepper sauce, not a ready-made commercial product.
Honestly, I did not expect much at first; I assumed it would simply be a decent bowl of tossed noodles.
After eating it, though, I quietly awarded extra points.
The noodles are well chosen and boiled with precise timing, retaining both bounce and bite.
They do not collapse as soon as they are tossed, lifeless like me after five workdays.
They also grip the sauce well, delivering Sichuan pepper fragrance in every bite.
Dark soy first anchors the savory flavor, then toasted peppercorn aroma and numbness rise gradually, adding layers to the bowl.
Both heat and salt are controlled: not so salty that you chug water, nor so numbing that your tongue resigns on the spot.
It grows smoother with every bite and more fragrant with every toss.
If you like a little stimulation without sweating buckets, these noodles are an excellent choice.
Verdict: ideal for an everyday lunch or dinner near Taipei Main Station
Overall,Hua Yi Zhi Jiis a small shop worth saving near Taipei Main and NTU Hospital stations.
It is neither a flashy restaurant nor somewhere designed for a long, leisurely date.
But if you want a hot Zhongzheng District meal with a main, soup, and sides, it is wonderfully practical.
The signature chicken soup is home-style, warming, and comfortable; the pepper noodles are more layered than expected, with pleasingly springy noodles.
The convenient location makes it especially useful for nearby workers, students, or anyone seeking a quick meal by Taipei Main Station.
On days when the boss has lectured you, spreadsheets have hunted you down, and you only want soup to haul you from the ruins of office life, Hua Yi Zhi Ji is just about perfect.
