An Endless Search for Hun Tun Mian

"How do you feel about the soup?"
"It tastes like a basement."
"Funny, I was thinking Grandma's house."

It has come to pass that the majority of our meal time conversations are about trying to figure out exactly what the hell we're eating. It's kind of fun actually. The streets of Taipei are littered with an abundance of street vendors peddling food from carts much like you would see on the streets of New York. On top of that, about 4 out of every 5 storefronts is a restaurant (the other 20% are banks or 7-11s). We sit down when we see something that looks tasty, or at the very least edible, attempt to have a dialogue in Changlish with the owner that usually just ends up confused expressions on all parties involved, and we sit down.

Plate of Dumplings with Grandma's Basement Soup

Countless times we have searched for Hun Tun Mian (Won Ton Soup with Noodles) and came up short. As each meal came, looking distinctly not like Hun Tian Mian, I shed a little tear and dug in. Not knowing what to expect, the first few bites are always a little interesting, but by the end of the meal the soup that once tasted like Grandma's basement is quite enjoyable. And each meal without Hun Tuns will just make the payoff that much more delicious.

Also, please note that I have uploaded some pictures for your enjoyment. You can find the link to my Picasa album on the left hand side of your screen, right below my beautiful mug.