Chef Nobu Lee's 2025 Dadaocheng Route: From Yi Mian Wang to a Tea House and Old-School Western Diner
In 2025, chef Nobuo Lee shared his personal picks in Dadaocheng, from dry wonton noodles to a century-old tea house, Showa-era Western cuisine, and a natural wine bar, tracing a century of local food culture.
In a report published in May 2025, chef Li Hsin-nan (Nobu Lee) shared four of his personal favorite spots in Dadaocheng. This list of picks wasn't arranged by commercial popularity, but rather reflected a personal route he shared at the time, connecting noodles, tea, old-school Western cuisine, and a natural wine bar—linking different generations of Dadaocheng's food culture.
Nobu Lee's Dadaocheng store selection notes. Image: Renan Chung
The first stop is Yi Mian Wang, located at No. 202 Guisui Street. Nobu is firmly in the dry noodle camp, always ordering the dry wonton noodles. The shop also serves side dishes like squid, smoked shark, roasted pork, and pork liver—classic accompaniments commonly found at traditional noodle stalls.
The dry wonton noodles at Yi Mian Wang are Nobu's go-to order. Image: Renan Chung
How did Yu Chi Tea House evolve from an old establishment into creative tea drinks?
Founded in 1890, Yu Chi Tea House had already stood for 135 years by the time of the 2025 feature, located at No. 26, Lane 64, Section 2, Chongqing North Road. Fifth-generation heir Wang Sheng-chun (Jason) is a close friend of Nobu's, and their friendship extends to Wangtea Lab, newly opened next to the tea house. This space offers creative drinks such as sparkling tea and nitro cold brew—for example, the "Christmas Red," made with dragon fruit—reimagining traditional tea leaves in unconventional ways, forming a contrast with the historic tea house next door.
Founded in 1890, Yu Chi Tea House's fifth-generation heir Wang Sheng-chun has known Nobu for many years. Image: Renan Chung
What remains of Showa-era Western cuisine at Bolero?
Bolero's original flagship store, founded in 1934, is located at No. 314 Minsheng West Road and is one of Taiwan's oldest surviving Western restaurants, currently run by its third-generation proprietor. Nobu often orders the beef curry rice or French-style duck rice; the menu also includes prawns, steak, salad, ox tongue, and coffin bread (guan cai ban)—dishes that largely reflect the Showa-style cuisine common in early Taiwanese Western-style restaurants, capturing the local adaptation of Western dining when it first arrived in Taiwan.
Wangtea Lab reimagines tea through sparkling and cold-brew techniques. Image: Renan Chung
Placing Yi Mian Wang, Wangtea Lab, and Bolero on the same route shifts the focus from specific dishes to dining formats: noodles and side dishes at the noodle stall, tea-based creative drinks, and the rice and set dishes preserved at the old-school Western diner each offer a different kind of stay. This perspective is shaped by the store selections shared at the time, and does not represent a comprehensive comparison of each venue's current menu.
Anita, proprietor of Salon et Tutu. Image: Renan Chung
What role does Salon et Tutu play in Dadaocheng?
The fourth stop is Salon et Tutu, run by Anita, which opened in 2022 and is located at No. 92 An'xi Street. This is a natural wine-focused bar that, according to the 2025 feature, opens at 10 a.m. and offers more than 12 options of natural wine by the glass. At the time, Nobu mentioned that even when not drinking, he would come here for a cheese frittata or a special late-night dish, calling it a place where he goes to relax.
Beef curry rice and French-style duck rice at Bolero's flagship store are among Nobu's frequent orders. Image: Renan Chung
These four stops—linking noodles, tea, Western cuisine, and a wine bar—represent Nobu's personal choices as of 2025. For those hoping to explore Dadaocheng along this route, actual plans should still be based on each venue's current address, opening days, and available dishes; founding years can serve as historical clues, but the dishes and hours from that time should not be taken as reflecting the present situation.
Salon et Tutu offers a wide selection of natural wines by the glass. Image: Renan Chung
