Formosa Streets

When I first moved to America, I went to every Taiwanese restaurant to find the best beef noodle soup. But no restaurant had a good enough beef noodle soup that could make me want to go back for more. After 6 years, I finally found my fix.
Formosa Streets is a Taiwanese food truck that is usually only open for weekdays for lunch. The location varies around the south bay so you’ll have to check their schedule.
I’ve only tried the Beef noodle soup so far because I seldom eat here so I always have to get it. The portion isn’t very big, but the taste makes up for it. The soup is delicious. mildly spicy and as close as it gets to that Taiwan flavor.
I really want to try the the side dish trio but it hasn’t been available. The other noodles look really good too.
I think this is as close as it get to a real Taiwanese beef noodle soup in the Bay Area.

content is less for the price. very less option. Its more like a topramen with salsa on top

Many of my friends are taiwanese and love the food of thier people and they constantly complain about the taiwanese food in the area. Aftet some Unilocaling I found this place and I thought I’d give it s try. After a month of waiting for the truck to reopen here are my thoughts:
VERY HELPFUL OWNERS: had trouble finding the place so I called their number listed on thier facebook page. The owner picked up quickly and gave me directions there. As I arrived the owner called me back just to see if I had found the place.
FOOD + SERVICE: ordered the spicy beef noodle soup. The service was quick and I got the food in a brown bag. The broth was very good very flavorful and had a strong star anise taste but the noodles were not that spicy. The noodles were perfect, Chewy and fresh. There were many chunks of beef in the container they gave you it in. The beef was braised and very flavorful as well. There were also chunchs of bok choy and green onions. The portions were very good as well.
Overall I would definitely come back to this place to try more of their delicious items on thier menu.

I had the Zha Jiang noodles and the new sesame chicken noodles. Both were good, 8 dollars each as advertised, unlike the other food trucks that jack up their prices when coming to my work place.
Portions are medium, so its good for portion control people. No too much no too little.
Note: did not try the beef noodle soup.

A little skeptical at first since its a food truck, but was pleasantly surprised with the excellent broth and perfectly seasoned and juicy meat. This is the real deal: Authentic Taiwanese beef noodle soup. Would be even better if the noodles were handpulled, but I cannot complain since most places have no idea how Taiwanese beef noodle soup should taste. This place got it right! Only complain is the portion is a little small, but I don’t mind paying more $ for good food. Definitely would recommend!

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup: Very heavy on the star anise. If you’re not a fan of that anise/​licorice taste, you probably won’t love Formosa Streets’s version of this dish. The broth is flavorful though (not bland). However, it is definitely not very spicy. So if you’re concerned about that, no need to worry. On the other hand, if you like it hot, you will be disappointed. Not that I was expecting this to be exactly like the niu rou mian I had in Taiwan, but this was not nearly as good. It is probably better than those at a lot of the Taiwanese joints in the area, though.
Zha Jiang Noodles: Leans a bit on the stinky side (like stinky tofu stinky). If you’re not very familiar with Chinese/​Taiwanese food, you may not like it.
Sesame Chicken Noodles (special): Very pasty (lots of thick sauce). Really strong sesame/​nutty flavor.
All the noodles were fresh, with a nice chewy consistency. You could tell they were handmade.
When we first got our food, each portion seemed really small, but it was surprisingly filling!
If you’re a big fan of Taiwanese food (especially beef noodle soup), and you’re always on the look out for some, I think Formosa Streets is worth checking out, as it is probably better than a lot of other Taiwanese places in the Bay Area.

4÷6÷15 (update): No changes since last time I had this about 3 months ago – standard Chinese noodles for a decent price. Reviewed the noodle soup last time, so figured I’d try something different:
1. Zha Jiang Noodles $ 8.00: This is one of those popular Chinese dishes that isn’t really same at any two restaurants. But I do think that their variation is pretty basic: noodles, the meat «sauce» (ground beef and finely chopped tofu), thin strips of cucumber, and a somewhat unique ingredient that would be peas. There’s about a medium bowl’s worth. Might be hungry after this. Tastes good, but nothing special. Cost seems about right for a truck and this amount of food. ⁵⁄₁₀
So, like my last lunch from here, the food’s a decent lunch, but nothing worth bragging about.
#truck #chinese #noodles

Hunted these guys down before school the other day. Thankfully, we found them. Delicious noodles. I am a fan.

was at Moveable Feast last week and saw Formosa Streets there and had to try. My friend love this truck so much that he checks their schedule obsessively… Actually we were at Moveable Feast because he knew they were going to be there haha
I think the price is OK ($ 8) considering the amount you’re getting. The soup was pretty tasty and flavorful and the meat was tender. I prefer thick noodles so I wish it was better. All in all, Formosa Street’s beef noodle soup is arright. I probably would not check them out obsessively and would rather go to Liang’s Kitchen instead but if there are no better truck options, then I’ll go for them.

Mind… Blown! I thought a noodle soup truck… in summer? you must be crazy! I had to try it since i’m some what of a noodleholic. I have to give them major credit for having really fresh noodles for being on a moveable kitchen. I got the beef broth soup and the flavors were so intense! It wasnt overpowering or too salty, it was just so flavorful! Definitely going to be a repeat customer!

From a single uncluttered window, a hospitable woman greets patrons, and packs each order in meticulous quadrate parcels of a brown paper bag. Thankfully, that same care and consistency is evident in their food. Fast becoming one of my favorite trucks among the rotation that frequent my work place, Formosa Streets — an austere slate gray truck, organized and tidy — dishes up some gratifying noodles.
If you’re accustomed to eating broth-​y, noodle-​y, big abundant bowls of phở for $ 6 or ramen for $ 10 — Formosa Streets’ modest servings may seem small but what they serve up for $ 8+ is worthwhile in its rich, tasty, uncommon cuisine.
Now, let me premise this review by saying I’ve had little (to none) exposure to Taiwanese cuisine, so I can’t really comment on how Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, Zha Jiang Noodles, or the stewed trio (egg, tofu, and something akin to jellyfish or seaweed (?)) should taste, but I’ve been thoroughly won over by the dishes’ depths of flavor and surprisingly satiating, glutinous heft.
The spicy beef noodle soup is a dense portion of round noodles with a tender-​but-​not-​mushy bite accompanied by morsels of long simmered beef, fresh green onions, & pickled mustard (?) greens bathed in an earthen, rich soup. The «spicy» might speak more to the complexity of the broth, flavorful and inky dark, with the slightest shimmer of oil. I’s flavors stand on their own, though I sometimes add a dash or two of Chinese black vinegar for a hint of brightness to an otherwise satisfying, heavy savoriness.
The za zhang noodles is a sauced dish; a hearty bedding of noodles topped with minced pork meat sauce garnished with peas, diced tomato, julienned cucumber (?). The color wheel kaleidoscope of fresh produce on top makes the dish look delicate, if pretty. Take a moment to mix the noodles, meat, and vegetables up, it comes together into a homey, sheeny, unctuous potage of comfort food. Quite tasty. They offer a vegetarian option to this dish, though I don’t know if it would be as satisfying.
It’s probably a good thing they only come around once every other week, because I could probably have either of these dishes way more often than I should or afford (economics considered, it’s not a lot of bang for buck, but it is good!). Looking forward to their next visit though. *looks at calendar*
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Chinese black vinegar is so heady tart and potent. That’s the stuff. The lip-​puckering, mouthwatering, eye-​squinting, taste elating stuff.

THe proliferation of Taiwanese based trucks is amazing. It went from nothing to me seeing like 3 in one month. Formosa was parked near my old job where some of my co workers still are so we met up there. Tried the Zha jiang noodles, Spicy Beef Noodle and the medley of tofu, egg, and something else. First off the noodles are firm in the dry version and slightly softer in the soup. Now it’s way better than most places where they let the noodles get too soft. I think that’s a pet peeve for me now, soggy bland noodles. Soup was good, the pickle provided flavor, but needed some salt I think. The dry noodles were really tasty though there was some funkiness in the spices. The egg, and tofu tray was probably the kicker as we all enjoyed it. Solid eats in a form no one else is doing

Very good beef noodle soup. The beef is very tender, not very fatty, very flavorful, and they don’t skimp on the amount of beef. You can really taste the anise, which I liked. The broth was only slightly spicy, which was enough to make my nose runny, but not to make my mouth uncomfortable. If you like it very spicy, you can add more chili, which they provide. The noodles are just a little bit al dente, and you get some veggies too to balance out the meal. Definitely enough for a substantial lunch.
One thing I liked about the truck is that it comes with seating! They provide a bar-​like table on the non-​ordering side of the truck with a few stools and an awning for some shade. If you want to sit outside and enjoy some fresh air, instead of going back to eat at your cubicle, there you go! Nice touch that I hadn’t seen before in a food truck.

Best. Soup. Ever. Listen… It was 92 degrees outside today and I still wanted this soup. If that’s not a testament to it’s greatness. I don’t know what is.
The broth is SO fragrant. just waiting outside the truck I was swooning… Luckily service was fast and friendly so I didn’t have to wait long.
When I finally got back to my desk I was impressed at how large the portion was. Sometimes I feel like food truck prices are a bit out of control but this is very reasonable.
I dug in and the broth was just as rich and wonderful as it smelled… lots of tender bite sized chunks of beef, tasty al dente noodles, and crunchy vegetables. A little spicy but not terribly so… just enough to compliment the other flavors. Really well balanced. And no doctoring up with additional condiments needed. It’s perfection just as it is.
Follow this truck! You won’t be disappointed.

This is by far the next best thing than having beef noodle soup in Taiwan.
When I went to Taiwan, everyone told me to get the beef noodle soup there. It was delicious! I haven’t found anything in the Bay Area close to how it tasted like in Taiwan, until Formosa Streets!!!
Yeah, you’ve got your Mama Chen, Liang Mama, etc in Cupertino, that had watered down beef noodle soup and has left me disappointed every time. This, this, I tell ya, is Le-​Git!
The beef is so tender, the broth is complex and you can tell there were many spices used to cook the broth. The noodles had a little bite, so it was perfect.
The truck itself is very nicely designed. It reminds me of street food in Asia, where there’s a counter, with an awning and a couple of stools to eat your street food.
The chef! Now, the owner of the food truck really impressed me. I asked why this was established in 1999, and it turns out this is a family business that has been thriving in Taiwan as a popular beef noodle soup shop for years. David, the owner, who loves to cook, went to train there before opening up his food truck. No wonder this tastes so good!
I am very impressed with the flavorfulness of the soup. Thanks for bringing one of the best part of Taiwan to the South Bay!

This food truck is legit. I can say that because I am Taiwanese and the food here is very authentic. They literally only has 3 things on their menu: beef noodle soup, stew trio, and za zeng noodle, and I tried all of them. You can’t go wrong with any of them, they are all pretty awesome. Follow them on twitter or FB to find out where they’ll be for the week. Note that they only open during weekday lunch.

The broth for the beef noodle soup was amaaaaazing. The noodles were good, but i prefer mine just a tad more chewier. Beef was tender and wonderfully bite-​sized. I wish there were just a bit more vegetables in it. For a little under 9 dollars it wasn’t the cheapest but the serving size was appropriate, especially for a food truck. 6 dollars for the appetizer trio was a bit steep. The eggs were good, but the bean curd really could’ve used more flavor.
The lady taking orders was very sweet, but service is not fast here.

Having largely been disappointed with Chinese Beef Noodle Soup in the Bay Area (despite a recent claim that the Bay Area could arguably be the beef noodle soup capital of the US), I knew it was time to try something different.
Visits to Mama Chen, Liang’s Kitchen, Chinjin Eastern, Guocui, QQ Noodle, Tai Kee, Venus Tam, Queen’s House, Steam, Cooking Papa, Joy Restaurant, A&J Restaurant, and even 99 Ranch hadn’t really impressed with some versions ok but numerous mediocre. (versions at Joy and the defunct A&J being my picks of the bunch).
Enter Formosa Streets. A food truck traveling from San Jose to Palo Alto with different daily locations shared via their Facebook page, Formosa Streets is as ambitious a food truck as I’ve seen. If they can’t even execute great beef noodle soup at these standalone restaurant with a full kitchen, would a food truck even have a chance?
Formosa Streets parks in various corporate parking lots and serves their fare from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. From the small queue that had already formed when I arrived shortly after their serving time, they apparently sell out too.
The menu is a simple one and today they offered spicy beef noodle soup, za zang noodles, and a stewed trio. A few cold drinks are also sold. A women takes your order and writes your name down and I’d say orders were ready in 5 – 10 minutes.
Spicy beef noodle soup — $ 8.50. A to go container and chopsticks are packaged in a brown paper bag. Many seem to go back to their cubicles to eat, but there is limited seating on the opposite side of the truck (roof, table, stools).
The soup is piping hot and is a great savory flavor. It’s supposed to be spicy but I found it relatively mild. A small amount of pickled cabbage and bok choy top the small container. Noodles are round but thin and are ok. The best part was probably the beef. It’s well soaked with broth flavor and easily more tender than several restaurants.
Overall, I was pretty happy with my order. Is it the best I’ve ever had or comparable to LA, Vancouver, let alone Asia? Not really. But for a food truck it’s pretty good and hits the spot. I would have loved wide, thick noodles (like Liang’s or Joy) as well as a more generous portion (it’s quite small), so I’ll keep looking. (China Bee, Mama Chef you’re next)
Za Zang Noodles — $ 8. Funny spelling but it’s the dry pork noodles many know. They also sell a vegetarian version for 50 cents less. I was still hungry after my noodle soup so though I ordered this for someone else, I ate it too. Oh well. It’s tasty and has a nice flavor. Noodles work better here and the special pork sauce is good.
Overall, Formosa Streets was a pleasant stop. It’s clear the owners of this food truck are passionate about their food and hopefully one day we’ll see what they can do in a restaurant space. Thanks to Ken K. for the rec and here’s looking to more good eats.
Formosa Streets takes credit cards via Square as well as cash.

Yo, it’s the Beef No’ Guy!
O — - Beef No (odle) Guy, on wheels now baby!
/​| \ Yeeba yeeba!
((@ @))
First Mama Liu (stinky tofu) truck, and now finally a new entry of a representative Taiwanese food culture icon… beef noodle soup, on wheels!
Let’s be realistic here, it would be foolish to make any comparisons to beef noodles in Taipei, let alone Southern California (as punk bitches making youtube videos about boba and bullshit would say, «the 626»). And trying to execute restaurant quality food from a gourmet roach coach? Not an easy task. But get it to an acceptable quality? It’s already quite a feat.
So the effort put forth by Formosa Streets, is very noteworthy indeed from that perspective.
Dropped by the chitty ass «Night Market» on ⁷⁄₁₂ Friday evening, and this truck pretty much saved the entire event and venue in my humble estimation. The only food offering that was not disappointing, and fit right in (nothing against Mama Liu’s stuff, but her pork chitterling potage noodles was quite horrendous).
No ja jang mian Friday night. Just one standard spicy beef noodle soup ($ 8.50) and an appetizer simmered trio, aka «lu wei» which means braised/​simmered snacks.
By the way, it is customary of many beef noodle specialist restaurants in Taipei to offer small side dishes (mostly served cold). These can range from dried tofu strips (dou gan), marinated seaweed (hai dai), tofu julienne «noodles» (uncooked/​unmarinated, but seasoned with vinegar and sesame oil, aka «gansi»), and simmered hard yolk eggs «lu daan») to name a few. The braise is soy sauce based, sometimes with a ton of herbs and seasonings (star anise, salt, pepper, sugar, scallion, ginger, sugar, garlic etc)…like a parallel to Chiu Chow/​Teochew braising of goose and intestines in Hong Kong, but also different. If you are hardcore, you order several of these side dishes and eat them along with the beef noodles. It is part of the experience!
Bottom line, the simmered trio is outrageously expensive by Taipei standards, but for a truck offering, it is as authentic tasting as it gets. The only place that might surpass this would be Mama Chef (old Mama Chen) in Santa Clara. The tangy sauce they squirted over the eggs is not the typical vingeared/​garlic/​Kim Lan soy sauce paste, and looks a bit unusual, but it tastes really really good.
Spicy beef noodle soup — It came in a large round cardboard container, similar to those used for holding large sized soups from supermarkets. A tad bit steep at $ 8.50 but that’s the way the truck goes. The noodles had a nice bite to them and were cooked well. The beef… it was either a skinny shank cut (very little to no tendons in) or a certain part of the brisket, but I’m leaning more towards shank. The beef was indeed soft enough with a very light chew/​bite (where you can also taste good beef flavor), but the cuts were uneven. I would have preferred the more laborious approach of pre braising the beef shank (with lots of tendons inside), refrigerating, then evenly thinly slicing them, then reheating per order, till the pieces get really soft. A&Js, ASJ, and San Tung for example do this (San Tung’s shank has a feckload of tendons in them). Broth… I loved the fact they skimmed off the grease, didn’t rely on chili oil for the spicing (like A&J), and still came up with a fairly robust broth (although heavier on the soy sauce flavor). I could taste some carrots and vegetables in the stock that gave it a slight sweet ending. The addition of pickled mustard greens was a very nice touch (also prepped and cooked nicely with a good balance of sour and savory), and while not everyone’s cup of tea, is akin to sauerkraut with rye and pastrami.
Condiments: Chili sauce, chopsticks, hoisin sauce, lime wedges.
You can go behind the truck and there’s a fold down counter + stools for you to enjoy your purchases.
Friendly staff/​owners. Was told they learned the ropes in Taiwan, and are Taiwanese themselves. The fact they didn’t turn a popular food culture icon into douchesnobbery hipsterism, is commendable.
This truck would do very well if it could get to more busier areas, hopefully further north! I would try more offerings, but certainly not wanting to go back to Night Market again just for it (unless the market revamped the contents entirely and changed locations).

Formosa Streets serves Taiwanese noodles. I’m no aficionado of Taiwanese cuisine, but I know good customer service when I see (or experience) it. I never heard of this truck before, but they were at the first day of Moveable Feast being at Valley Fair. The young guy taking orders was very friendly and answered all of my questions about their truck and food. It turns out they’ve only been in business a few months, and they’ve typically been hitting spots in Cupertino; which is perfect for their cuisine. Formosa Streets’ menu is pretty limited, but that can be a good thing, as they specialize making those few things really well.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat the spicy beef noodle soup (since I’m a spice-​wimp), so I ordered the za zang noodles. My order was ready lickedy-​split. No kidding. i mean, I didn’t even have time to finish typing my notes and it was done. Little did I know these were SPICY! Okay, they were spicy for me. There was a good ratio of veggies & tofu to go with the chewy noodles. I probably won’t be able to eat Formosa Streets’ food based on their current spicy menu (for my delicate taste buds), but I totally recommend them to you. Good luck to you, Formosa Streets!