Every now and then, I let myself grab something on impulse while shopping, and Fu Chung Village Dry Noodles Basil and Clam Flavor was that find. Fu Chung is a Taiwanese brand I hadn’t heard of before, and their Village Dry Noodles line immediately caught my eye based on the beautiful packaging. This Basil and Clam flavor stood out among the usual soy and sesame offerings, promising a fusion of herbs and seafood that felt unusual for a dry noodle, but with a surprising twist that I didn’t catch until I got home. With Mom’s Dry Noodle still scarce on shelves near me, I was curious whether Fu Chung might fill that gap.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 154: Fu Chung Village Dry Noodles Basil and Clam FlavorA four-pack costs about $12.99 at my local Asian market, though prices online run as high as $20. The brand originates from Taiwan and follows the same artisanal model as A-Sha and Mom’s Dry Noodle, meaning air-dried, knife-cut noodles using minimal ingredients. Each pack contains one serving of noodles and sauce, with a separate chili flake packet for optional heat. The company claims to use only natural ingredients with no artificial additives, which aligns with the broader Taiwanese dry noodle trend.
Each serving has around 1145 mg of sodium, making it pretty reasonable for a noodle product. Inside the pack are flat air-dried noodles made from wheat flour, water, and salt; a rich sauce base of soy sauce, sesame oil, a vegetarian barbecue-style blend containing peanut powder, anise, orange peel, curry spices, and basil, and a separate packet of dried chili flakes. Despite the name, there’s a big twist: there’s no actual clam in here. This relies on Taiwanese basil, or “nine-layer pagoda,” to simulate a briny clam-like flavor through herbal chemistry rather than seafood. It’s an impressive bit of food science that had me curious from the start.
Once cooked, the aroma is complex and inviting: anise, basil, and toasted sesame with a faint suggestion of something clam-like.
Noodles:
Fu Chung’s noodles are outstanding. Thick, chewy, and perfectly springy, they deliver that signature Taiwanese bite that sets this style of dry noodles apart. The wheat flavor is clean and satisfying, with a handmade quality that feels far above instant fare.
• 10/10
Spiciness:
The base sauce already carries a medium heat, but adding the entire chili flake packet bumps it up another level. Without the flakes, it lands around a comfortable 4 out of 10; with them, closer to a 6. It’s hot but nowhere near what I would call punishing.
• 6/10
Overall:
This was an unexpected win. The flavor is bold, aromatic, and surprisingly deep for something vegetarian. The basil and anise dominate, giving it a pronounced licorice tone that won’t be for everyone, but behind that lies a convincing briny, clam-like finish that feels genuinely oceanic. It’s wild how closely it mimics seafood without using any. The sauce consistency is just right, rich but not oily, and the noodles cling to it well. It reminds me of something close to Vietnamese phở condensed into a dry noodle form, layered with Taiwanese herbal flair. I’d love a bit more texture, like crunchy garlic or sesame would take it even further, but as-is, it’s flavorful, cohesive, and unique. Fu Chung may be my next deep-dive brand if their other flavors are on this level.
• 8/10
Notes since filming:
As is just my luck, the store I bought this from stopped carrying Fu Chung products almost immediately after I filmed this review. If anyone from Fu Chung sees this and would like to get in touch to send me some more review samples, email me! I loved this product so much more than I expected to.
