品嚐骨仔肉麵 / Enjoying a bowl of bone-meat noodles

在台灣，提到庶民小吃的話，人們首先會想到的，大概是牛肉麵或滷肉飯吧，牛肉麵是1949年左右來台灣的外省軍人，結合台灣本地食材，再根據家鄉味改良而成的特色小吃，而早在日治時期之前，用豬油、醬油滷製而成的滷肉飯，就是台灣勞工階層的日常佳餚，現在，從小吃店，到高級餐廳、國際機場，外送平台或海外台灣餐館，都可以見到牛肉麵與魯肉飯的蹤跡。

骨仔肉麵雖然較不為人熟知，但是它起源於中南部農村，一開始大多賣給在地農民或勞工，而以家庭式經營為主的骨仔肉麵店，之後，慢慢地進駐市區，也成為古早味美食之一，我第一眼看到「骨仔肉」，還真的不知道是甚麼樣的肉，上網查了一下，才知道「骨仔肉」又叫「骨邊肉」，指的是貼附在豬骨邊緣的肉塊，可能是因為我從小就生活在城市，還真沒聽過骨仔肉麵。

總之，掃了一眼菜單後，我就點了一碗骨仔肉麵，老闆娘送來後，我看是一碗乾拌麵，骨仔肉和一些肉燥就蓋在麵上，肉燥真是百搭阿，吃甚麼東西，都可以放點肉燥，來增加食物的層次感，骨仔肉上有的還帶有軟筋膜，吃起來格外有咬勁，可惜桌上沒有辣椒醬，要不然再攪拌一些辣醬進去麵中，吃起來一定更夠味，老闆娘另外還端來一碗清湯，湯頭是大骨湯頭，喝了一口，還挺清甜的，可以解膩，和骨仔肉麵真是絕配。

這次在傳統市場閒逛時，無意間發現的無名麵攤，沒有招牌、沒有裝潢，只在一處角落默默營業，攤位前只擺了幾張桌椅，菜色簡單，幾種麵類及湯品，卻給了我意外的驚喜，美食，真的不一定要在裝潢華麗的餐廳裡才能遇見，這碗骨仔肉麵，是這趟市場閒逛時，最意外、也是最真實的收穫。

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When it comes to everyday street food in Taiwan, most people would probably think of beef noodle or braised pork rice. Beef noodle was created by mainland Chinese soldiers who came to Taiwan around 1949. They took inspiration from their hometown flavors and combined them with local ingredients to create a uniquely Taiwanese version. Braised pork rice, on the other hand, has been around since even before the Japanese colonial era. It’s made by simmering minced pork in soy sauce and lard, and has long been a go-to comfort food for Taiwan’s working class. Nowadays, you can find both dishes everywhere, from humble food stalls to high-end restaurants, airports, delivery apps, and even Taiwanese eateries overseas.

Bone-meat noodles (gu-a-bah mi) may not be as famous, but they actually have deep roots in the rural areas of central and southern Taiwan. Originally, they were sold mostly to local farmers and laborers. These noodle shops were typically small, family-run businesses. Over time, they slowly made their way into urban areas and became known as part of Taiwan’s “old-school” or nostalgic food culture. Honestly, when I first saw “bone meat” on the menu, I had no idea what it was. I looked it up and found out it’s also called “meat on the bone”—basically, the meat that clings to the edges of pork bones. Maybe it’s because I’ve always lived in the city, but I had never even heard of bone-meat noodles before.

Anyway, after glancing at the menu, I decided to give it a try. I ordered a bowl of bone-meat noodles, and when the lady brought it over, I saw it was a dry noodle dish topped with chunks of bone meat and a scoop of braised pork. Honestly, braised pork goes well with everything. it adds that rich, savory depth no matter what you’re eating. Some of the bone meat even had bits of soft tendon still attached, which gave it a pleasantly chewy texture. The only downside was that there was no chili sauce on the table—if I had some to mix in, it would’ve added even more flavor. The lady also brought over a small bowl of clear soup, made with pork bones. It was light and naturally sweet—perfect for cleansing the palate and a great match for the noodles.

I stumbled across this nameless noodle stall while wandering through a traditional market. No signboard, no fancy setup, there is just a few tables and chairs tucked into a quiet corner. The menu was super simple, just a handful of noodle and soup options. But still, this little spot completely surprised me. It just goes to show that you don’t need a fancy restaurant to find amazing food. That bowl of bone-meat noodles ended up being the most unexpected and most authentic and highlight of my entire market stroll.

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