Oyster vermicelli is a Taiwanese street soup made by thickening thin red vermicelli cooked in bonito stock, then topping it with braised intestine and fresh oysters. At the corner of Emei Street in Ximending, a tiny shop front is permanently ringed by people bent over their bowls, the orange-red broth steaming, finished with cilantro, garlic paste, and black vinegar — no chairs, no greeting, just standing at the curb to finish a bowl.
Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle was founded in 1975 on Emei Street in Ximending, famous for its no-seating, stand-and-eat style of serving large-intestine vermicelli; it has operated for nearly 50 years and is one of Ximending's most recognizable versions of this dish. Ay-Chung has not appeared on the Michelin Guide or Bib Gourmand list — its prominence comes from its half-century history, fixed location, and chain recognition rather than a rating-body endorsement.
What is Oyster Vermicelli
Oyster vermicelli, also called large-intestine vermicelli (da chang mian xian), starts with thin red vermicelli cooked in bonito stock and thickened into a smooth, viscous broth. On top go fried or braised large intestine and fresh oysters; the whole thing is finished with black vinegar, garlic paste, cilantro, and chili sauce. Northern Taiwan typically uses red vermicelli while the south occasionally uses white; the texture ranges from silky to moderately thick depending on the shop. It is a popular street soup found across the island, each area with its own technique.
A Zong Mian Xian on Ximending's Emei Street was founded in 1975 and became a Ximending landmark through its iconic style of eating large-intestine vermicelli while standing on the sidewalk. It has been featured repeatedly in UDN Media and local tour guides. Honest note: A Zong Mian Xian has not appeared in the Michelin Guide or Bib Gourmand list. Its significance comes from nearly five decades in business, a fixed address, and its recognition through chain expansion — not from rating-body endorsement.
How to eat it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified endorsements (filtered for sponsored content)
- A Zong Mian Xian has operated in Ximending since 1975, nearly 50 years, making it the highest-profile version of this dish in Taipei.
- UDN, Yahoo, and other media have repeatedly listed A Zong among Ximending's essential street foods.
- Honest note: This dish has no Michelin or Bib Gourmand listing in Taipei. This guide is organized by dish category, with individual shops as supporting reference.
Visiting tips
- A Zong's Ximending flagship is very crowded on weekends; weekday afternoons from 2–5 p.m. are much calmer. Have exact change ready to speed up checkout.
- MRT Ximen Station Exit 6, then a 2-minute walk. Combine with the Red House, Film Street, and Xiben Ganji Square.
- The broth is hot and can splash — be careful wearing white clothing; when standing, watch for the flow of people behind you.
Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, the Taipei City Government Tourism website, and large-scale public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos are placeholders until Dio's on-site shots replace them with exclusive channel footage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is oyster vermicelli also known as?
Oyster vermicelli is also called large-intestine vermicelli, made by thickening thin red vermicelli cooked in bonito stock, then topping it with intestine and oysters, finished with black vinegar and garlic paste.
When was Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle founded?
Ay-Chung was founded in 1975 on Emei Street in Ximending, famous for its stand-and-eat style of serving large-intestine vermicelli, and has operated for nearly 50 years.
Has Ay-Chung received Michelin recognition?
No — Ay-Chung has not appeared on the Michelin Guide or Bib Gourmand list; its prominence comes from its half-century history and widely recognized chain presence rather than a rating-body endorsement.
Sources
- Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle - Taipei Travel — 阿宗麵線1975年創立、站著吃經營型態