Taiwanese Set B (Pig Intestine Mee Sua + Salt Pepper Chicken) ($6.80)!
Golden Mile Taiwanese hawker Set B: pig intestine mee sua (大腸麵線) with thickened broth, side of salt and pepper chicken karaage. $6.80.
Lunch at the Golden Mile Taiwanese hawker. Set B (pig intestine mee sua + salt pepper chicken), $6.80. 😋👍🏼
What was in the set:
- Bowl of pig intestine mee sua (大腸麵線): thin handmade wheat noodles in a slightly thickened brown-grey broth, with strips of braised pig intestine, scallion, fresh coriander, minced garlic dollop
- Side plate of salt and pepper chicken karaage (鹹酥雞): golden brown deep-fried chicken bites, the Taiwan night-market staple, lightly seasoned with salt + white pepper + five-spice
- The classic Taiwanese hawker set format: noodle bowl + protein side, single price
Da chang mee sua (大腸麵線, pig intestine vermicelli) is the Taiwanese national comfort food:
- Mee sua: very thin wheat-flour vermicelli, cooks in 2-3 minutes
- Long-stewed pork bone broth: thickened with sweet potato starch into the signature gloopy consistency
- Braised pig intestine: cleaned, blanched, then slow-cooked with soy + shaoxing + ginger + star anise + rock sugar until completely tender
- Garnishes: chopped scallion, fresh coriander, minced garlic, sometimes a touch of black vinegar
- Eaten with a spoon only: the thickened broth + short noodles make chopsticks impractical
The Taiwanese version vs the Singapore lor mee:
| Da chang mee sua (Taiwan) | Lor mee (Singapore) | |
|---|---|---|
| Noodle type | Very thin mee sua | Yellow noodles + bee hoon mix |
| Broth thickness | Thick, gloopy | Thick, gloopy |
| Headline protein | Pig intestine + minced pork | Fried fish + fried wonton skins |
| Aromatic herbs | Coriander, scallion, garlic | Sambal, garlic, vinegar |
| Eating utensil | Spoon | Spoon + chopsticks |
| Origin | Taipei night markets | Singapore-Teochew hawkers |
Salt and pepper chicken (鹹酥雞 yan su ji, also called Taiwanese popcorn chicken or simply ji pai) is the Taiwan night-market mascot:
- Marinated chicken pieces: usually thigh meat, sometimes breast, in soy + garlic + ginger + white pepper + five-spice + sweet potato starch
- Dredged in sweet potato starch: the Taiwan signature crust ingredient (not flour or panko)
- Deep-fried twice: low temp first, then high temp finish, for the ultra-crisp texture
- Seasoned at the end with salt + white pepper + sometimes chilli powder + basil leaves (the basil leaves fry briefly with the chicken to release aroma)
The Singapore Taiwanese street food scene grew from the 2010s with chains like Shihlin (士林夜市) popularising the salt-and-pepper chicken across malls, and independent Taiwanese hawker stalls building out the broader menu.
At $6.80 for the set at Golden Mile, this is solid mid-tier hawker pricing. The pig intestine mee sua at this price point is competitive with most Taiwanese chains, and the salt-and-pepper chicken side adds the protein hit.
Overall: 4.4 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid Taiwanese set lunch. The mee sua broth was on point, the karaage was satisfying. Would re-order.
