Location: Hsinchu Luoji Beef Cat Ear Noodles & Banyan Tree Noodle Shop
Travel notes: Another night of aimless wandering in Hsinchu. Passing by Shuiyuan Street, I saw the old location of the relocated Dumpling King. On a whim, I turned in and soon spotted Luoji Cat Ear Noodles. I'd seen it featured on a food show before, which suddenly made me crave cat ear noodles—probably why I ended up here unconsciously. Though tucked in a narrow alley, the shop is surprisingly spacious inside. It was busy, but I managed to snag an empty table. I ordered the beef cat ear noodles (forgot if it was 70 or 80 NT). The bowl arrived with generous beef chunks, a fragrant aroma, and chewy, cat-ear-shaped dough pieces. I really enjoyed it and would come back to try other items. The other shop, Banyan Tree Noodles, I first heard about from Rita's blog, then saw Latte also tried it. It's truly a hidden gem. Simplest directions: from Xida Road toward the station, turn left onto Linsen Road, then right into a steep alley opposite Tianxiang Huiwei Hotpot (likely Nanwai Street). It's on the left at the first alley—easy to miss without a tip. Approaching, I saw a few aunts busily cooking and serving. No men…