Four years ago, Taiwanese restaurateur Wang Cong-yuan asked his VIP clientele -- local celebrities, three-star Michelin chefs, and world politicians -- how much they would pay for a bowl of his best beef noodles. The most common answer he received: 10,000 New Taiwan dollars (US$324).

For whatever reason, the figure stuck. Mr. Wang printed it on the menu of his Taipei restaurant, Niu Ba Ba ("Beef Father" in Chinese).

Today,...