If you have been to a night market, then you know that it can be an assault on the senses. So when I smell something delicious through the cacophony of other smells, I hone in on it. Enter – Guo Family Stir Fried Beef! The sound of the wok slapping down on the hob might come before the smell, indicating that you could get a tasty bowl of stir-fried something. As you get closer, you will get a smokey, acidic smell that comes from the WOK HEI of a skilled cook, in addition to the seasoning used in the beef dishes here at Guo Family Stir Fried Beef.
Commonly known around some circles in Taipei as ‘Snake Alley night market‘, Huaxi Street Night Market near Longshan Temple is an undercover market dedicated to some of the best Taiwanese food you’re likely to get at any night market in Taipei. The reason I say this? It’s not geared towards the tourists (apart from the snake and turtle restaurants). Guo Family Stir Fried Beef have been here for decades, creating a loyal customer base who return regularly for top-quality stir-fried beef, incredible beef soup, and many other delicious stir-fried dishes.
Guo Family Stir Fried Beef is a place to bring out-of-town guests for a busy restaurant experience, at times loud, but for a taste of quintessential Taiwanese stir-fried food sure to put a smile on faces. Huaxi Street Night Market has many other amazing restaurants, such as Taipei’s Bib Gourmand picks Yuan Fang Gua Bao and the pickled melon soup restaurant sure to surprise, but if you come here for one restaurant – Guo Family Stir Fried Beef should be the one. Take a walk around Longshan temple, check out the underground mall area connected to the MRT station, and embrace the weird and wonderful at Huaxi Street Night Market – you won’t regret it.
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As you walk the undercover market area at Huaxi Street Night Market, you'll likely walk past some delicious pork knuckle soup, and some fragrant gua bao at Yuan Fang Gua Bao, but after a while your legs are tired and you want somewhere to sit down. This is where Guo Family Stir Fried Beef comes up with all of the goods.
If you aren't sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at Guo Family Stir Fried Beef, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at Guo Family Stir Fried Beef
Where you see "炒" (chǎo) on the menu, this means stir-fried. Essentially speaking, order anything stir-fried from Guo Family Stir Fried Beef, and you'll be a very happy customer. But, if you want some more specific advice, check out some of the keywords on the menu below:
- 炒牛肉 chǎo niú ròu
- Stir-fried beef
- 炒牛心 chǎo niú xīn
- Stir-fried beef heart
- 炒毛肚 chǎo máo dù
- Stir-fried beef tripe (stomach)
- 炒牛雜 chǎo niú zá
- Stir-fried beef entrails
- 薑絲牛肉 jiāng sī niú ròu
- Stir-fried ginger with beef
- 薑絲毛肚 jiāng sī máo dù
- Stir-fried ginger with beef tripe (stomach)
- 牛雜湯 niú zá tāng
- Beef entrail soup
- 毛肚湯 máo dù tāng
- Beef tripe (stomach) soup
What We Ordered
Beef entrails soup
牛雜湯 niú zá tāng
While it may not sound particularly inviting, I can assure you that the beef entrails soup at Guo Family Stir Fried Beef is well worth ordering. Not only for the copious amount of ingredients stuffed into the soup but for the fact that the beef flavour in the soup itself is fantastic. Rich, yet light in beefy flavours, the soup sings with fresh ginger and clean flavours.
There are textures galore inside. You'll find cuts of beef tripe (stomach) throughout the soup of varying textures. Remember, a cow has 3 stomachs, so you're likely to find different textures of stomach scattered around inside the soup. Inside this bowl is essentially a who's who of a cow's organs, with some gelatinous tendon thrown in for good measure.
It's delicious, pairs nicely with the chilli sauce, and is a stand-out dish right here.
Stir-fried ginger with beef tripe (stomach)
薑絲毛肚 jiāng sī máo dù
The aroma of this dish when it's put in front of you is absolute money. Slivers of ginger are stir-fried with that wok hei perfection giving everything a layer of smokiness in the pan. There's chilli, bean sprouts, and even some green onion thrown in for good measure. There's lots of beef tripe to chew on, and the whole dish is a rich delight.
You have to pair this with some white rice, as it's quite a rich and salty dish, but let me tell you it could be one of the best beef dishes you're likely to have all year.
Stir-fried beef
炒牛肉 chǎo niú ròu
The name of the restaurant is Guo Family Stir Fried Beef, so it feels rude to come here and not order the stir-fried beef. Let me tell you this - there's a reason this place is a must-visit when you're at Longshan Temple Huaxi Street Night Market. The flavour combinations in the stir-fried beef are incredible.
Fried with fresh vegetables, the fresh beef is perfectly cooked to allow for some chewiness but to retain its delicate nature. The flavours aren't quite as heavy and rich as the stir-fried ginger beef, but you're going to want some rice to go with your order. There's just something about this dish that keeps me going back for more. Maybe it's that wok hei or simply the freshness of the beef. At the end of the day, I come here when I want some delicious stir-fried food, which is quite regular!
All of the dishes on the menu can be a little on the rich side of saltiness. So a bowl of white rice goes down nicely (as does a beer, for those alcohol drinkers). I mixed in some of the stir-fried beef and shovelled it unapologetically into my mouth spoonful after spoonful.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? I can safely say that Guo Family Stir Fried Beef is worth it every time. I have been here countless times, and it has delivered me a great plate of food every single time.
What is the best dish? The stir-fried beef is fantastic. If you come here for one thing, make that it.
Are there other places like this? Re Chao (熱炒 Stir-fry) restaurants are a dime a dozen. But this place does stir-fried food with such precision and attention to detail that I would skip all Re Chao's out there and come straight here for all of my beef needs.