Voted the No. 1 must-try food in Yilan by netizens – the sweet and sour Linchang Meatball Soup!

Text and photos by /viviyu

In recent years, after Yilan became a popular weekend getaway, trying the Linchang meatball soup on holidays meant waiting in long lines. This time, to avoid the holiday traffic and crowds, we set off early and arrived at our destination, the Lutong Farmers’ Association, before it opened. Since the business hours hadn’t started yet, we first headed to the nearby Linchang Meatball Soup shop for breakfast. It turns out locals often go there in the morning when there’s no queue — the lunch rush is when it gets the busiest...

The only branch in the entire province with no franchises, this is also a famed eatery frequently featured in major media. Once you’re here, the only thing on the menu is the meatball soup — if you don’t want to eat meatball soup, it’s better not to come here; you can try other shops instead...

There were actually quite a few people even in the morning, but luckily we found seats without having to queue. The takeaway area had a line, while those dining in could look for a seat first and then order. Previously, when it was more crowded, many would take their orders to go and enjoy them at the nearby Lutong Forestry Park.

The menu mainly features soup noodles with meatballs, all priced at NT$40 per bowl. I find it particularly special that diners can choose how spicy or tangy they want the meatball soup to be.

How can kids be this energetic so early in the morning? We set off at 5:30 am, and with something fun to do, the kids were full of energy. On holidays, it’s still important to take them out for some fresh air — they’d really get bored cooped up at home...

The shop also provides black vinegar and chili sauce so you can adjust the flavor to your liking. I found the Linchang meatball soup a bit too sweet and tangy for my taste, so I usually add some of the restaurant’s homemade chili to balance the flavors — it tastes much better that way.

The noodles and rice vermicelli are cooked fresh; just pay after you finish eating when dining in.

Meatball Soup

To be honest, I’m still not used to having hot soup noodles early in the morning, so I only ordered a bowl of meatball soup to warm up my stomach. The pork used is very springy, with a very thin layer of batter, so you can really taste the meat itself. The soup is thick and on the tangy side — this kind of humble street food remains a big hit among visitors.

Fried Meatball