Affordable Large Portions of Pasta in Taoyuan – Daily Fresh Seafood, Handmade Sauces

Text & Photos /Nihao

Pasta comes in a wide variety – different sauces, noodles, and toppings always create unique flavor combinations, each with its own charm. It’s also one of my go-to choices for a quick meal or a gathering with friends. While there are many pasta restaurants out there and the dish may seem simple, making it truly delicious isn’t easy. The texture of the noodles, the aroma of the sauce, and other elements all play crucial roles. Today, I’m recommending this pasta spot in downtown Taoyuan – Yi Jiang PASTA. Not only is the ingredients super fresh, but they also refuse to use pre-packaged sauces, and the prices are very budget-friendly with great value for money.

▲ Yi Jiang Pasta is located on Tongde 11th Street in Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City, right near the Taoyuan Arts and Cultural District. There’s also a paid parking lot nearby if you’re driving, making dining here very convenient.

▲ The interior decoration is simple and bright, creating a relaxed atmosphere where you can dine comfortably. In addition to square tables, there are also a few bar stools, so even dining alone is totally fine.

▲ The biggest difference between them and typical Italian restaurants is their open kitchen, where you can see the chefs preparing the pasta. Every dish is made to order, ensuring maximum freshness. Despite that, there’s absolutely no greasy cooking smell in the restaurant. By the way, all their sauces are handmade – no pre-packaged stuff – so you can eat with peace of mind.

▲ The self-service area provides water and various seasonings. If you feel the flavor needs a boost, you can help yourself and adjust to your favorite taste.

▲ Here’s the menu for your reference. Yi Jiang offers a rich variety of pasta flavors, from stir-fried, red/white/pesto sauces, squid ink sauce to mixed sauces. They also have quite unique Italian-style noodle soup, which feels super warming in autumn and winter. Just order a main dish and you can upgrade to a set meal for an additional charge.

▲ For tonight’s meal, we upgraded to a set. Today’s chef’s soup is corn chowder, smooth and rich in flavor, not too oily or heavy. There’s quite a bit of corn – definitely hearty and genuine.

▲ The bread is served warm, soft in texture, and perfect for dipping into the corn chowder. Soaking up the broth and biting into it releases a burst of flavor – really delightful.

▲ Since the weather was hot in summer and the main course hadn’t arrived yet, we asked the staff to bring drinks first to cool down. From left to right: plain black tea, honey pomelo tea, and classic cocoa.
The black tea isn’t overly sweet, the pomelo tea has a refreshing citrus aroma perfect for summer, and the classic cocoa is rich and a favorite among female guests.

▲ The stirring stick is shaped like a cat – placed on the cup, it looks like a kitty perched on the rim, super cute.

▲ First to arrive was the Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta, combining basil pesto with cream, presenting a grass-green hue. Their pasta is served in large bowls with generous sauce portions, making it on the saucier side.

▲ Yi Jiang’s noodles have a nice firm bite, and the sauce has just the right thickness – not overly rich or heavy, yet coats the noodles perfectly. Every bite is filled with the aroma of pesto and cream.

▲ The combination of basil fragrance and creamy richness is not only aromatic but also a perfect match for the noodles and chicken. The chicken breast here is not dry at all, with excellent control over the cooking level.

▲ This dish is one I really wanted to try as soon as I opened the menu – Fresh Oyster and Sea Urchin Seafood Pasta, served with a creamy white sauce and an incredibly generous portion of seafood, almost hiding the noodles.

▲ This bowl is packed with seafood – white shrimp, fresh oysters, squid, clams, and dorado. The cooking is perfectly timed, preserving the natural sweetness of the seafood.
Seafood lovers will definitely find this super satisfying.

▲ But with so much seafood, where’s the sea urchin? Turns out that orange-hued sauce on top is sea urchin sauce. Besides the unique aroma of sea urchin, it also includes fish roe, adding a layered texture with every bite of pasta.

▲ Next up is the Venice Mixed Seafood Pasta, served with squid ink sauce. Though the black appearance may not be the most appealing visually, the unique aroma of squid ink gives this dish high popularity.

▲ Most of their seafood is delivered fresh daily. Not only is the freshness unbeatable, but the shrimp shells come off easily, and the shrimp are quite large – plump, juicy, and springy.

▲ The squid ink pasta sauce has a very unique aroma, blended with Spanish spices, featuring the distinct scent of saffron.

▲ Finally, we have the Spicy Chicken Pasta ordered by our spicy-food-loving friend. It also uses a creamy white sauce base but incorporates Chinese elements. Chinese herbs and spicy sauce are added to the pasta, giving off a faint hotpot aroma. To be honest, though it doesn’t look bright red, it’s actually pretty spicy, with a strong kick toward the end – a must-try for spice lovers.

Yi Jiang Pasta
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Address: No. 145, Tongde 11th Street, Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
Business Hours: 11:30–14:00 / 17:00–20:30 (Closed Mondays)

About Nihao

Passionate about food and travel, I started running a blog three years ago to document my journeys. My travels have taken me all over Taiwan, where I explore the beauty of the island, as well as abroad whenever I can, with the goal of eventually visiting every corner of the world. Through my camera, I hope to share the beauty of different places with my readers.
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