Dai Ho

First things first: doors open at 11:30 A.M. here and close a few hours later. It’s so small a window you know they’ll pack the house. And indeed they do, with lines forming long before doors open at this popular Taiwanese restaurant.
Once inside, things move fast. A concise menu hangs above the cash register, so take a look before taking a seat. Three surefire hits include the fiery beef noodle soup (one of the best renditions in town); the sesame dry noodles; and the beef tripe and pork shank. The food comes quickly—you won't need to ask for water and you'll have a pot of tea with a Styrofoam cup delivered promptly to your table. All said and done, you’ll be out in 20 minutes—but talking about your meal for weeks to come.