Steams

Steams’ mian xian is less like ramen and more like a Taiwanese dish of fine noodles served in a thick broth, meant to be scooped up with a spoon. The broth has a pronounced bonito flavour, and the noodles come with offal, clams and coriander. If coriander isn’t to your taste, you can leave it out or ask for spring onion instead. Toppings include chopped garlic, spicy mushrooms and extra offal, letting you adjust the aroma and heat. Some diners have also added black vinegar or chilli oil, changing the flavour as they go.

The Steams set pairs mian xian with steamed vegetables and a steamed bun, so you can move between different flavours during the meal. Diners have remarked on how juicy the turnips and aubergines are when steamed. The menu serves seasonal vegetables with the restaurant’s original miso mayonnaise dip. You could make the vegetables the focus, or add lu rou fan or a small rice dumpling for a more substantial Taiwanese-style meal.

The steamed buns are another draw. Made with a blend of domestic wheat flour and rice flour, they can be served steamed or toasted in the restaurant. Toasting gives them a crunchy texture, thanks to the rice flour. The daily selection ranges from savoury options such as lu rou bun and egg sandwiches to buns filled with dried fruit and cream cheese, or Okinawan brown sugar and walnuts. Whether you want a filling bowl of noodles or a mix of buns and vegetables is up to you—and your appetite that day.