The Instant Noodle Guru|​泡面达人驾到

by Timothy Laird

When it comes to cooking instant noodles, leave it to the professionals.

吃泡面，请交给泡面达人。

Restaurants featuring Western or Asian cuisines are everywhere in Taiwan, but have you ever heard of restaurants that specialize in instant noodles? The idea of running a restaurant that sells instant noodles may sound absurd, especially when they are cheap and can easily be cooked at home. Then, what's the point in going to a restaurant? To pour hot water into a bowl of instant noodles is one thing, but to fix a delicious meal out of instant noodles is quite another.

For those non-believers, Pao Mian Da Ren Guan, which literally means Instant Noodle Guru's Restaurant, is ready to convert you with its instant noodle specialties. The restaurant offers a wide variety of instant noodles, ranging from local brands to ones imported from Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia. Customers can pick their preferred brands and tell the chef what ingredients they want to add to their noodles. Choices include eggs, vegetables, pork, beef, golden needle mushrooms, and other common hot pot ingredients. There's a separate price for each individual ingredient, but the restaurant also provides a range of pre-set meals.

In fact, the idea of putting instant noodles on the menu is nothing new. Food stalls in South Korea and tea restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau have been offering meals made with instant noodles for years. Even though their potential health risks have been a public concern, the low prices, variety of flavors, and easy preparation of instant noodles make them widely popular in Asia.

1.  According to the article, why would it be strange to eat instant noodles at a restaurant?

(A) They are sold in every convenience store in Taiwan.

(B) They don't cost much and are simple to cook at home.

(C) No one likes to eat eggs with instant noodles.

(D) It is not easy to prepare delicious instant noodles.

2.  Which one of the following descriptions is true of the Pao Mian Da Ren Guan?

(A) There are hundreds of branches all over the world, in places like Hong Kong and South Korea.

(B) The restaurant only offers pre-set meals.

(C) It offers a variety of local and international instant noodles.

(D) There's no extra charge for additional ingredients.

3.  Which of the following is NOT a reason why instant noodles are popular in Asia?

(A) Instant noodles are very nutritious.    (B) Cooking instant noodles isn't too much trouble.

(C) Most people can afford instant noodles. (D) There is a wide variety of instant noodle flavors.

　　在台湾，以西式或亚洲料理为特色的餐厅比比皆是。但你是否听过专门卖泡面的餐厅？经营专门卖泡面的餐厅听来满荒谬的，特别是泡面这么便宜又方便在家烹煮。那么，去餐厅吃泡面有什么意义吗？在泡面里加进热水是一回事，但要用泡面煮出一道美味料理可又是另一回事了。

　　对那些不以为然的人，『泡面达人馆』准备好要用他们的招牌料理，也就是泡面，来颠覆你的想法。这家餐厅提供各式各样的泡面，从台湾本地到日本、韩国、新加坡和印度尼西亚所进口的牌子都有。顾客可挑选自己喜爱的牌子，然后告知厨师他们想在泡面里加入的食材。可选择的食材包括蛋、蔬菜、猪肉、牛肉、金针菇和其他常见的火锅料。每种食材各有不同的价格，但餐厅也提供各式套餐。

　　事实上，把泡面放在菜单上并非新鲜事。南韩的小吃摊和香港及澳门的茶餐厅多年来一直有提供以泡面为主的餐点。尽管大家都会担心泡面对健康带来的可能风险，但价格便宜、口味众多及烹煮方便的特性使泡面在亚洲蔚为风行。

标准答案: 1. (B)　2. (C)　3. (A)

For Your Information

泡面达人馆的泡面合计有 110 款不同口味及特色的方便面，不知道如何选择的顾客，店长特别推荐，若您喜欢吃清淡的口味，可以选择日本面，想吃份量多的话可以选择韩国面，因为韩国面的面体大约是东南亚的两倍大，最重要的是，韩国口味虽然重但是却不油腻。

店长传授煮泡面的诀窍就是，火要大、水要滚，还要加上青菜及肉，最后打上一颗蛋，煮到八分熟，短短 3 分钟，美味满分的泡面就完成了。