WHAT WE ATE
- Scallop Chintan Ramen 干貝清湯拉麵 – 85/100, Taipei, 28 Sep 2026
- Lobster Chintan Ramen 龍蝦清湯拉麵 – 90/100, Taipei, 28 Sep 2026
The contemporary Taiwanese ramen scene has evolved dramatically beyond traditional imports, giving rise to specialized local concepts that reframe coastal ingredients through precision broth craft.
Positioned in the bustling heart of Taipei’s Zhongshan district, Yan Liu (塩琉) has emerged as one of the city’s premier destinations for seafood-forward shio ramen. The shop stands out for its deliberate focus on pristine marine extractions, capturing a refined yet punchy sea-driven profile that sets it apart from the city’s dominant tonkotsu and shoyu landscapes.
What truly distinguishes Yan Liu is its masterclass execution of clear soup foundations paired with seasonal aquatic delicacies. While most modern shops rely heavily on poultry or pork bone emulsions, Yan Liu builds its identity on crystal-clear shio stocks elevated by high-grade shellfish, spiny lobster, and regional marine yields. This technical commitment to temperature-controlled boiling ensures a soup of pristine clarity, rich in natural glutamates without a trace of harsh fishy astringency or heavy grease.
Beyond the broth, the kitchen approaches every bowl with a minimalist’s restraint and a craftsman’s precision. Custom-extruded straight noodles are tuned for ideal tensile snap and controlled hydration, providing a clean conduit for the delicate salinity of the soup. Balanced by meticulously torched protein cuts, fresh scallion geometry, and subtle citrus notes, Yan Liu offers a uniquely modern Taiwanese interpretation of classic Japanese shio technique that continues to draw long lines of discerning ramen enthusiasts.
Scallop Chintan Ramen 干貝清湯拉麵: 85/100
Noodle: 30/35
The pale yellow, thin, straight noodles arrive as requested: hard, firm, and holding a snappy, al dente core. The bite provides an immediate, clean resistance with a smooth, slippery mouthfeel that glides across the palate. Flavour-wise, a light but pleasant wheat character comes through, though it carries a faint hint of alkaline residue that slightly lingers through the chew.
Soup: 25/35
The head opens with the immediate, pristine sweetness of scallop, setting a clear oceanic tone. Moving into the body, the broth displays a clean chintan structure with a well-balanced umami profile leaning toward natural marine brine. However, a subtle leeching of alkaline residue from the noodles bleeds into the mid-palate, slightly clouding the broth’s clarity. The tail resolves into a crisp, clean finish, leaving a persistent sweetness of the ocean on the tongue.
Meat/Protein: 20/20
The protein selection features a dual-element composition executed with precision. The sous-vide chicken slice is medium-thick, lean, skinless, and delivers a remarkably tender, juicy texture. It is lightly marinated to allow the natural chicken umami to shine, finishing with a gentle, savoury sweetness. The pork chashu is thin and marbled; while the fat requires a brief chew rather than dissolving instantly, the overall slice remains tender and juicy. It brings a pronounced smoke forward, supported by a sweet marination and a long, savoury finish.
Other Toppings: 10/10
- Snow peas are exceptionally juicy and crunchy, providing a sweet vegetal contrast to the seafood base.
- Sweet corn yields good natural sweetness, though the kernels are sliced slightly too close to the cob, introducing a minor woody texture.
- Small scallops are tender, aromatic, and reinforce the primary flavour vector of the broth.
- Diced red onion introduces a sharp, piquant bite that leaves a controlled, lingering thermal burn to cut through the broth’s salinity.
Summary
This Scallop Chintan Ramen is a crisp, highly refined bowl defined by clear oceanic sweetness and strong protein execution, held back only by a slight alkaline bleed from the noodles into the broth.
Lobster Chintan Ramen 龍蝦清湯拉麵: 90/100
Noodle: 30/35
The pale yellow, thin, straight noodles arrive accurately cooked to a requested soft spec: springy yet still snappy enough to leave a clean bite. They offer a smooth, slippery mouthfeel on the slurp, carrying a subtle wheat taste that seems to pair better here. The slight hint of alkaline residue is also not noticeable here.
Soup: 30/35
The broth opens with a pronounced, briny head that immediately signals its shellfish focus. On the body, it delivers a deeply savoury, complex profile anchored by a robust marine salinity. Beneath the surface lies a layered structure that includes a subtle, authentic lobster grittiness. A characteristic feature that will deeply appeal to crustacean enthusiasts. Despite its bold, rich, and assertive flavour profile, the broth maintains a remarkably clean and crisp chintan clarity, concluding with a long, aromatic lobster finish.
Meat/Protein: 20/20
The bowl features the two same protein offerings:
- Sous-Vide Chicken: A medium-thick, skinless lean cut that is exceptionally tender and juicy. Lightly seasoned, it lets the clean chicken umami lead into a subtle lingering sweetness.
- Pork Chashu: A thin, well-marbled slice that balances tenderness with a pleasant, substantial bite along the fat. It leads with a distinct smokiness before settling into a sweet-savoury marinade with a long, satisfying finish.
Other Toppings: 10/10
- Red Onion: Adds a sharp, piquant crunch that cuts cleanly through the broth’s rich marine profile.
- Negi: Provides a fresh, sharp bite that complements the savoury elements.
- Sweet Corn: Better executed here without the woody core, offering a pleasant pop of natural sweetness.
- Lemon Slice: Too subtle to make a dent in the heavy, briny body early on, but reveals a soft zesty note right at the very end as a clean palate cleanser.
Summary
An impressively punchy, full-flavoured bowl that manages to deliver massive lobster depth and complexity while keeping the refined, translucent structure of a true chintan intact.
DISCLAIMER
One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Find out more about our palettes and how we evaluate our ramen here. 😉
