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Mei Nung Beef Noodle House
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Restaurants Taiwanese Chinese, Taiwanese [Edit]
3229 Hwy 7 EUnit 15
Markham, ON L3R
(905) 477-8388
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
15 reviews for Mei Nung Beef Noodle House
15 reviews in English
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Review from Joyce P.
1/5/2012
Solid beef noodle soup!
Because I am so deprived of Taiwanese beef noodle soup in Cleveland, I will give Mei Nung 5 stars.
Mmmmm...
We decided that there were 2-3 different kinds of beef noodle soup out there, and this was not the kind with a lighter broth. This broth was packed with flavor and just the right amount of meat. The noodles had a great consistency and it filled me up!
We got the thousand year old egg + tofu side dish with bonito flakes... such tastiness.
My bf says this beef noodle soup is better than the ones in california (bay area) and is second to the beef noodle soup in Taiwan! -
Review from Wendy C.
1/3/2012
Definitely the best Taiwanese style beef noodle in Toronto! In each bowl is a super delicious package of fresh home-made noodles, flavourful broth, and plentiful tender beef and/or tendon pieces. The restaurant gets busy some times, but the quality of food hasn't suffered.
Consider yourself warned that the place smells stinky tofu most of the time. If that's not your whiff of choice or tolerance, please don't hold out on the nice beef noodles but do one of the following: (1) practice to hold your breath long enough to slurp down the entire bowl of noodles; (2) if you have Japanese friends who have face masks, borrow one; (3) if #2 fails, hold your breath just long enough to get a take-out. I've had the stinky tofu here, it's okay, not the best or the stinkiest I've had. -
Review from David D.
Markham, ON
10/16/2011
As you're walking along the chain of restaurants of First Markham Place, you come across a pungent aroma coming out from a particular restaurant, but don't let that "stink" divert your direction as Mei Nung houses one of the best Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup in Toronto.
Mei Nung can definitely be overlooked as another one of those beef noodle houses, but it is definitely not the case. The beef is prepared, braised, and marinated to the point where it is very tender and flavourful with every bite. The broth is very rich and savoury, combined with hand-made noodles that is cooked to perfection.
There are also options that does not include soup, but instead, combines with sesame oil, which I found to be another refreshing choice.
For the smelly tofu, the outer shell was still crispy when they served the dish and the tofu inside was still very firm. The sauce is 'sticky soy sauce'. The stinky tofu/smelly tofu and the pickled vegetables are exactly as I remember them from Taiwan. This stuff is legit!
You hardly even notice the smell once you're eating it.
I came here many, many times, and will continue to be one their of loyal customers.Listed in: 30-Day Yelp Challenge: October…
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Review from Tara L.
7/22/2011
Because I spend a lot of time in Michigan, one of the things that I really miss eating after a long duration is Braised Beef Noodle Soup. It's always when you really want it, you can't have it. Since the drive over to Toronto/GTA isn't too far, Husband and I come occasionally when we really need our Asian noodle soup fixing.
Let me tell you this. This place has solid beef noodle soup. It is definitely one of the closest ones you will find in terms of Taiwanese beef noodle soup outside of Taiwan itself.
The broth was earthy, full of fragrant star anise, and not too much soy sauce. I loathe having beef noodle soup where the broth tastes flat and oozes nothing but soy sauce, but this one was great. It's prepared just how it should be: with a tomato base. Not too salty or oily, we were excited.
The noodles were great in that they were fresh and homemade, and the tender chunks of beef brisket were marinated and braised just the right amount of time. Too many times have I been to a noodle house and ordered this dish, only to find that the meat they gave was old, rubbery, and nothing but tough tendon. This bowl had NONE of that! Woo hoo!
Add the sour pickled greens and a few leaves of baby bok choy, and this was one scrumptious, simple meal. I only wish that they gave more of the sour pickled greens to enhance the broth's flavor, but it was still good nonetheless.
We also ordered their house made Fuzhou Fish Ball Soup ($4). It was described as hand made, so we had to try it, as these days, nobody makes fish balls from scratch. The fish balls were made very well with a good ratio of tapioca starch to pollock and the meat filling inside was well done and not overseasoned, but the broth was nothing special. There were some fried shallots in it that were nice, but it would have been nice if the shallot's essence were slow-cooked with the broth. Now that would have been amazing.
They have 2 sizes for the noodles, and the regular size is a good amount if you're not super hungry. It was a little too much for me, but Husband said it was just right for him.
I'd definitely come back again for the beef noodle soup but pass on the Fish Ball soup, and this time I would like to try their stinky tofu. -
Review from Calvin S.
Markham, ON
5/20/2011
It's good, not a lot of selections, but hey it's a beef noodle house for a reason.
The broth is excellent. Well obviously, you can smell it once you go in! The noodles are homemade and fresh as well. Their bok choy is juicy and succulent as well (this is coming from someone who is not a fan of vegetables!). Their beef is chewy, and that's beef and their beef cowheels (their other beef option) as well!
I wouldn't bother with drinks, just drink the tea they have.
Oh, expect about a 10+ minute wait for your food. They're low on servers at most times. -
Review from Ed C.
North York, ON
11/11/2011
This is the place to be for authentic Taiwanese noodles and stinky tofu. But I have to warn people that can not stand the smell of stinky tofu then this is not the place for you. This is my regular place for the Taiwanese minced pork noodle and braised beef noodle. I still can't find a place better then this place in the GTA for taiwanese noodles. Prices are very reasonable too.
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Review from Valery C.
11/27/2011 1 photo
While en route from our car to Ding Tai Fung, our group was stopped short by a waft carrying the distinctive aroma of stinky tofu. Familiar to some and not to others, it was not part our itinerary but since we were in Markham to try things and good versions of this dish are hard to find in NYC, sure enough, we headed over here a few hours later.
Opening the door, we were almost physically hit by the stinky tofu aroma, which while funky, isn't really intolerable, and everyone got used to it. The small, casual dining room was empty in the mid-afternoon we went, and we got settled into a table by the window. Their specialty is actually Taiwainese-style beef noodle, but being already several meals into the day, we didn't order this. We ordered what we came for, a plate of stinky tofu, and a few smaller accompaniments, marinated beef tripe and beef, both excellent small snacks.
I suppose stinky tofu is like durian (something I discovered I liked this Markham trip), foods with famously bad aromas that split everyone into fans or those who won't go near them. Stinky tofu, which gets its odor from fermentation, has different regional styles, preparations, and condiments. My first and best stinky tofu was had at a street stand in Beijing; whatever style that was featured rectangular cubes deep-fried for a light, crisp coating over a silky soft interior. Tried again in Flushing, NY, which has a major Taiwanese population, but was sorely disappointed; can't describe it, I've apparently blocked the experience from my memory. Mei Nung's version is probably Taiwanese style, deep fried triangular chunks that were golden and very nicely crispy, but the interior surprised me by being firm and somewhat spongy, with lots of air pockets giving it a mini-Swiss cheese look. Tasted fine with the drizzled and extra sauces, well-made, but I prefer the soft texture tofu style.
I'd return here to try their beef noodle, and would recommend the stinky tofu as a good version. -
Review from Alan K.
4/7/2011
We walked into this place because the pungent aroma emanating from here to the parking lot attracted us. This joint is all about the Taiwan-style beef noodle, hence its name, "Mei Nung Beef Noodle House," and I'm guessing that that was beef noodle that we could smell from the outside too. We actually came here on our last day in Toronto and we were on a mission to try to eat as much of the good food as we can before we headed back. This was the first stop before we went to Ding Tai Fung, just a few storefronts down, so it was a quick stop.
First, we ordered the tofu with preserved eggs appetizer. It was chilled (supposed to be) but it was good. Then we split a bowl of homemade beef noodle soup and a bowl of homemade noodle with fried beef sauce among 4 people. After ordering, our waitress gave us a quizzical look, like the kind that says "you guys are only ordering 2 bowls for 4 people??" Yes, we are only ordering 2 bowls for 4 people. We are trying to save our stomach for our food binge later on.
Anyways, everything here was really good. I liked the appetizer a lot and the beef noodle soup over the one with the sauce. I would come back here again next time, hopefully for more than 15 minutes and I get my own bowl myself too. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
4/12/2010
Mei Nung is still #1 in my books for TW-style Beef Noodle. Many Many Many... A long time ago when this place opened, I was so EXCITED and at that time it did not disappoint as there are really limited restaurants that offer TW Beef Noodle so a resto focused on TW Beef Noodle was like I've gone to heaven.
What made me even more excited was that they did HAND-MADE noodles and it is part of their BUSINESS NAME(Chinese) and it tasted GREAT.
Reminded me of my trip to Taiwan even though at that time I didn't have Beef Noodle in Taiwan yet, but they do close 1 day on a weekday just like Taiwan shops and restaurants.
The soup broth was GOOD too, but maybe I have higher expectations since I've made my own Beef Noodle awhile back. The Beef could be better, and I have had better beef elsewhere but the Hand-Made Noodles rocked my world.
Even though I enjoyed the Noodles, the few times I've been there it really depends on the day as it can be inconsistent from one day to another which is why the FIRST time was most memorable for me.
They also have STINKY TOFU served with Pickled Cabbage(Kimchi). Seriously I don't even smell the stink anymore, even from the ones in Taiwan but the Tofu here should be considered as it is Crispy outside and Moist inside. -
Review from Karen S.
1/30/2011
Super yummy! We came here upon recommendation by friends who raved about the beef noodle soup where the thick noodle is hand made. The beef was so soft. the soup incredibly flavourful, the noodles cooked perfectly al dente and the bright green veggies were a welcome complement to the lunch. At $5.99 plus tax for the small bowl, I was pleasantly satisfied. Everything came very quickly after ordering and it looked like the chef took care with the quality of ingredients and presentation. My companions also had the version of beef noodle without soup and that was tasty as well. I was almost expecting a bit of a rundown experience from just looking at the exterior of the restaurant which as it turned out was completely not the case. I've always passed by and dismissed this restaurant - not anymore!
We had the stinky tofu (my first time!) and I think I'm getting into it. It wasn't as pungent as the other times I had smelled it like at the annual night market at Warden and Steeles. The fried tofu was dense and had good texture. The experience wasn't as intense as I thought it would be - just yummy and it has peaked my interest enough that I want to keep trying it!
We were seated pretty much right away even though it was the late lunch time on Sunday. Parking is a hassle at First Markham, but better than other Asian plazas. There's a lot of parking spots, and more than enough visitors to justify every single one of them. -
Review from Belinda I.
North York, ON
Stinkiest stinky tofu in Toronto!! Since I don't eat beef, I couldn't really try out their famous beef noodel. But my friends who had it, all said it was delicious!!!!
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Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
3/3/2010 11 photos
Mei Nung Beef Noodle House is located at the outer strip of First Markham Place which is famous for their home made beef noodle soup in Taiwanese Style.
When I entered the restaurant, I can smell the really strong beefy soup smell. This is a good sign as hopefully the soup will taste as good as it smell.
I ordered the Large Beef Noodle Soup ($6.99). There are no lunch specials. It took around 10 minutes for my order to arrive as the noodles does take time to be cook. The broth does taste rich with just a hint of spicy... too timid for me, however you can make it more spicy by putting the spicy soy bean sauce and the hot sauce in. The beef is chunky and plentiful.
I have to comment on the noodle, Yes, it is different than the other restaurants since it is cooked more al dente and has more a chewy texture. It does give me a sense of more fullfilling than usual.
There is only 1 waitress during lunch hour, so service can be a little slow.
Cash only. -
Review from T T.
3/2/2011
We were really full since we already had dim sum and mango bubble tea for dessert before going to this place. It really was a complete accident since we were on our way out of the mall and smelled some stinky tofu. We followed our noses and found this place. I was a little hesitant to try it since I heard it was really pungent. The one at this restaurant were pretty mild I think. I will have to try the beef noodle soup next time. Everyone was ordering it. The guy next to us was slurping really loudly so it must be good.
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Review from Sam C.
10/14/2010 3 Check-ins Here
In our search for Taiwanese food that comes as close to being in Taiwan as possible, this place is definitely a front runner in the GTA. My S/O is from Taiwan and she gave it two thumbs up especially the beef noodle (either dry or in soup). And I have to agree, the noodles are homemade and has a chewy texture like how good homemade noodles should be. The beef portions are generous and extremely tender. Not a lot of options but they do have a lot of variations of beef noodle soup. We also tried some of their cold appetizers which were very refreshing and the infamous stinky tofu and found that to be very good as well, I'd say almost as good as Wei's. The spot is at First Markham Place, if there is a wait, be patient as turnover is usually pretty fast.
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Review from Tammy L.
Toronto, ON
7/31/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Probably deserves a 3.5 star rating.
A wonderful beef soup smell greeted us when we entered the restaurant. I ordered a beef and tendon noodle soup. It did not disappoint - the beef and tendon were wonderfully tender and the noodles were done al dente. We had two appetizers (pig ears and bamboo shoots) but noticed that most of the other tables were ordering the stinky tofu. Maybe next time...
Despite the yummy taste, I had to dock off points for the loads of MSG used in the broth. Both my partner and I got that dry-mouthed sensation after eating at Mei Nung. Not pleasant, and while I understand the uses of MSG, I personally don't prefer it in my food.
Service was fast and curt, but not unpleasant. Would go back again, but would arm myself with watermelon juice afterwards to quench the MSG-induced thirst.
