Top Late-Night Bites in Tainan: Savory-Sweet Flavors of Pork Fried Rice Cake and Oyster Omelet

Text & Photos /San Gao Eats Chinese

Finally made it to the third visit to Hǔdǒu in Jinhua Road Battle Zone. Since its opening, it has expanded from a small shop to merging with adjacent spaces, and the tables and chairs set up from inside all the way to the front porch show just how popular its late-night offerings are.

We could only grab the one remaining vacant round table for dine-in, sharing it with other guests. Getting a seat as soon as we walked in was something to smile about.

Looking at the menu, I hesitated a bit—their signature dish is definitely the rice cake, but the variety has expanded so much. Could that mean compromising on the essentials? But in terms of convenience, it’s definitely high.

Pork fried sauce, pickled cucumbers, fish floss… Ah… then I noticed they sell meatballs too. Ordering some meatballs to go with the rice cake sounds pretty good~

The pork fried sauce at Hǔdǒu isn’t quite melt-in-your-mouth soft, but it’s not as bland as what I had at Shuixian Palace’s rice cake either. It’s somewhere in the middle. Maybe I still prefer richer, more robust flavors—like those at Xiada Road Rice Cake, which are really delicious.

But for this bowl alone, the savory-salty braising sauce blending with the glutinous rice feels pretty good. Too little sauce and it lacks flavor; too much and it becomes overly salty and soggy (hmm?).

We also ordered oyster omelet. Regarding the origins of oyster omelet, one theory says it started in Tainan. Whether it’s good or not, the ratio of the batter mix is a crucial factor. Hǔdǒu’s version is okay—has a nice Q texture without being too watery, though it’s not particularly crispy.

The sauce is a mix of black and red, almost like it’s been seasoned with some black vinegar. The taste is salty, sour, and sweet, blending well with the aroma of egg and oysters. Overall, the flavor combo works pretty nicely.

After finishing this meal, I think Hǔdǒu mainly wins points for its variety and reasonable pricing. Next up is breakfast the next day—Zhangjia’s Fish Ball Soup from the same Jinhua Road is right up my alley~

Hǔdǒu Rice Cake
Address: No. 98, Section 4, Jinhua Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Business Hours: 5:30 PM – 12:30 AM (Closed Tuesdays)

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