Afternoon Tea Time for Taichung Locals: Popular Fried Chicken Cutlets with Seven Flavor Choices

Text & Photos /Orange Dog Loves Sweets

Although fried foods can be a burden on health when eaten in excess, how can one resist the tempting aroma that wafts from fried chicken stalls every afternoon? Last time I visited Fengyuan, a friend took me to a spot near Ruisui Elementary School where I tried 【Ruisui Fried Chicken】, a place that has accompanied many students as they grew up. While browsing online forums today, I discovered another popular fried chicken joint in Fengnan Road called 【Colorful Fragrant Chicken Cutlet】. It’s said that during the few hours after nearby schools let out in the afternoon, the shop is almost always packed with a long queue. So, out of curiosity, I made a special trip there today. Fortunately, it was just after two in the afternoon when they had just opened and there weren’t many people yet.

The name 【Colorful Fragrant Chicken Cutlet】 is quite interesting. I’m guessing it might have something to do with the fact that they offer seven different flavors for their chicken cutlets. The shop is located on Fengnan Street and is easy to find — you can simply search for ‘Fengyuan Carrefour Convenience Store’ to locate it.

Inside a small low-rise building with a blue-and-white awning, there is a fried chicken stall and a drink shop operating together. The drink shop seems to open in the morning, while Colorful Fragrant Chicken Cutlet doesn’t start until 2 PM but stays open until 11 PM. The owner said that they used to operate their stall in front of the Carrefour Convenience Store across the street, but moved to the current location after they didn’t renew the lease.

He mentioned that he has been selling chicken cutlets for 16 years now — not an extremely long time, but long enough to have become a local fixture. Many online comments say the owner looks fierce, but today he actually chatted with me quite a bit. I think it’s just that he ‘looks fierce’ XD. But when it’s not busy and you’re willing to talk to him, once he gets going, the conversation really flows — all kinds of topics. There aren’t many staff in the shop. A young person is responsible for coating the fried items, and the owner himself handles frying the chicken cutlets and taking orders.

Each serving of chicken cutlet is a flat rate of 50 NT dollars. There are a total of seven flavors to choose from, plus some other types of fried snacks. You definitely have to check out the ‘Five Fried Chicken Legs for 100 NT / Six Fried Chicken Wings for 100 NT’ — absolutely a must-order recommendation!

【Fried Chicken Leg │ 25 NT Each │ Special 5 for 100 NT】
◦ Although the signature item is the fragrant chicken cutlet... today I personally found the fried chicken leg to be my favorite. The legs are big and the price is cheap. The owner said the chicken comes from his relative’s own Betagro chicken factory, where it is marinated and delivered, so the quality is uniformly controlled. The size of the chicken legs is slightly larger than usual (though not as big as those in chicken leg bento boxes), but the price is about 5–10 NT cheaper.

The crispy and slightly thick skin, when you take a big bite, reveals tender and juicy chicken thigh meat with steam just faintly rising. The coating has a slight sweetness, but it doesn’t feel overly greasy. I felt like only having two today wasn’t enough — it was too good!

【Fried Chicken Wing │ 20 NT Each │ Special 6 for 100 NT】
◦ Some fried chicken wings on the market sell for 15 NT... and some for 20 NT, but the wings here are especially meaty. They also have crispy skin and tender meat, making them definitely worth ordering a few more if you’re a fan of chicken wings. They’re a bit bigger too — after all, six for 100 NT is quite a deal!

【Pepper Fragrant Chicken Cutlet │ 50 NT Each │ Choose One of Seven Flavors】
◦ I was originally a bit hesitant about ordering the pepper flavor, thinking it might not be anything special — but it ended up being my favorite out of the two flavors I ordered today. The portion of the chicken cutlet here is quite large; one piece pretty much covers all the fried snacks I ordered today. The owner said it’s about the same size as the Devil’s Chicken Cutlet.

The outer crispy coating isn’t super thick, but there’s a unique subtle fragrance. The spiciness of the pepper isn’t very strong — it only gradually emerges on the tip of your tongue as you chew. The seasoning isn’t too salty either. All of a sudden, I felt that choosing the pepper flavor wasn’t a bad idea at all.

【Barbecue Fragrance Chicken Cutlet │ 50 NT Each │ Choose One of Seven Flavors】
◦ I originally thought the Barbecue Fragrance Chicken Cutlet would be deep-fried and then grilled over charcoal, but it turns out I was overthinking it the whole time — it’s just deep-fried and then brushed with barbecue sauce. Because it’s brushed on, the coating isn’t as crispy, and the sauce isn’t applied too thickly. But you do get that sweet barbecue flavor. Although the chicken cutlet meat is just as thick as usual, it feels a bit more cloying and lacks variety in taste, which is why I felt the pepper flavor was better.

【McNuggets │ 35 NT │ 6 Pieces】
◦ They taste quite similar to McDonald’s McNuggets, but they’re less greasy, and they even come with sweet and sour sauce. Plus, the price is a bit cheaper, so I personally think they’re quite tasty. If you like McNuggets, you should give these a try~

【Squid Balls │ 3 for 15 NT / Fish Cakes │ 30 NT per serving / Tofu Skin │ 30 NT per serving】
◦ The squid balls have a soft texture, but the coating is thin — though there’s nothing particularly special about them. On the other hand, the fish cakes and tofu skin come in more generous portions, honestly more than what you usually get for 30 NT per serving, although they’re not super crispy.

But compared to the rest, the fish cakes are a bit crispier, and both coatings have that subtle sweetness and seasoned aroma. In the end, there were too many of these to finish.

(By the way!! Don’t misunderstand — they don’t serve all the fried items together. I just poured them out and bagged them for the photo myself.)

Seeing that the fried food prices were quite affordable, I ended up ordering a bit too much. But actually, the portions they give are a bit more than I expected. The size of the chicken cutlets isn’t just palm-sized — they’re comparable to the Devil’s Chicken Cutlet. It’s up to you which flavor you want to choose. But personally, I really prefer the fried chicken legs, fried chicken wings, and McNuggets. Getting them on special is even more cost-effective. But according to the locals’ advice, I truly recommend not going after four in the afternoon — it gets too crowded. If you really want to eat here, come earlier.

◎ Shop Introduction:[Colorful Fragrant Chicken Cutlet │ Fengyuan District]
◦ Address: No. 118, Fengnan Street, Fengyuan District, Taichung City (Opposite)(Opposite Carrefour Convenience Store)
◎ Phone: 0931-646383
◎ Business hours: 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
◎ Consumption reminder: Closed on Sundays. Recommended to avoid after-school hours in the afternoon due to potential queues.

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