✨ AI Quick Take
臭臉蒸餃乾拌麵 (Choulian Steamed Dumplings & Dry Noodles) began as an unnamed dumpling stall familiar to Zhuwei locals, who eventually gave it a memorable nickname inspired by the owner’s expression. Beside Zhuwei Station on Minzu Road, it specializes in freshly wrapped and steamed chive and cabbage dumplings, plus Dry Yi Noodles and hot-and-sour soup. The name sounds fierce, but the food is solidly old-school. I only care whether the dumplings are juicy; a smile need not be ordered on the side.
● Steamed Chive Dumplings
The wrappers are thin but resilient. Bite through and distinct chive fragrance arrives first, followed by the pork filling’s sweetness and juices; the dumplings are plump without relying on heavy salt. Straight from the steamer is when wrapper, filling, and hot juices show their best layers, though the first bite can burn. Start with only a little sauce, or the chive aroma you queued for will drown in soy sauce within three seconds.
● Steamed Cabbage Dumplings
These have the same thin wrappers and full filling, but cabbage tastes lighter than chive, with clear vegetable sweetness and pork juices binding everything together. Choose chive for aroma or cabbage for gentle sweetness—or order one of each to avoid making a major life decision in line. Eat them hot: the wrapper and juices hold up better than after steaming inside a takeaway box.
● Dry Yi Noodles
The noodles carry the familiar comfort of a traditional stall. Even the small serving comes with sliced pork and half a boiled egg: simple, but not bare. A mild, faintly sweet sauce clings to the noodles once mixed. The house chili adds aroma and a fuller heat, but there is no need to pile it on immediately. Dumplings are the star; this bowl makes sure bigger appetites actually leave full.
● Hot-and-Sour Soup
Both sourness and heat register clearly; this is not a soup pretending to have substance through thick starch alone. It pairs with the Dry Yi Noodles and dumplings, resetting your palate after several dumplings in a row. Strength may vary slightly by pot, so taste it plain before adding vinegar or chili. Uncle has watched too many people pour in half a bottle of vinegar and then blame the soup for being too sour. The soup accepts no responsibility.
First-timers can compare one order each of Steamed Chive Dumplings and Steamed Cabbage Dumplings, then add Dry Yi Noodles and hot-and-sour soup according to appetite. On a longer takeaway journey, steam can make the dumplings soggy, so do not collect them and then forget them while wandering nearby.
- Location:新北市淡水區民族路22號; from Exit 2 of Zhuwei Station, the walk takes about 3 minutes.
- Type:Freshly wrapped steamed dumplings, Dry Yi Noodles, and hot-and-sour soup.
- Highlights:An unnamed stall turned local nickname, serving fresh-made, fresh-steamed takeaway from a window; queues are common at peak times.
- Good for:Zhuwei residents, MRT commuters, nearby office workers, and anyone after a quick takeaway snack.
📌 Editor’s wrap-up
臭臉蒸餃乾拌麵 is more than a catchy name: the Steamed Chive Dumplings are aromatic and juicy, the Steamed Cabbage Dumplings cleanly sweet and plump, while Dry Yi Noodles and hot-and-sour soup complete the meal. From Exit 2 of Zhuwei Station, it is about a 3-minute walk; the tradeoff is a possible peak-hour queue and a wait for fresh steaming. Eat them hot—far more worthwhile than trying to score the owner’s expression today.
