10/21/2026
One photo, two dates. 🍀
In my hands is an old calendar, left behind by Steve and Stephanie, the last owners of this building. Its page still shows Wednesday, October 19, 2022 — the day we closed on the building and it became ours. Today also happens to be Wednesday. On opening day, September 28, 2024, I took that calendar out on purpose, and we took this photo to remember both days.
This building's first life was Knoche's Old Fashioned Butcher Shop, a neighborhood landmark for 80 years. Peiling, my agent, introduced me to it in 2022 — and between the closing and the opening stand almost two years of renovation. We're in a residential neighborhood, and this building holds decades of memories — many of our old customers grew up buying meat here, so watching it come back to life as a Taigu noodles means a great deal to them.
Taigu's own story starts earlier, in 2015, when we took over the former Orient Express on 7610 Elmwood Avenue in Middleton. That same year, Cindy, my son ‘s friend Michael’s mother introduced us to the editor of the Middleton Times-Tribune, and that's how our first-ever article, "All About the Noodles," came to be. Eleven years later, I still remember. Thank you, Cindy.
Today, old customers walk into the new restaurant and can't believe their eyes — prettier than before, they say, and the food tastes even better than before. Old friends followed us here, and new neighbors have become family.
Two dates, one old calendar, and kind people all along the way. I am so grateful. ♥️
Hong, Taigu
