38≠54!Fengyeh Alley’s Time-Honored Meatball Stall “Meatball Grandma”

Article & Photography by Chi Bing-hui

 

While the sign proclaims “38-Year-Old Shop,” the reality is that no food stall changes its signage yearly—this renowned meatball shop has in fact been operating for 54 years. The proprietress, “Meatball Grandma,” is now the second generation at the helm, yet what remains unchanged is the springy skin and generous filling that keep customers coming back for more.

This “Meatball Grandma” is a household name in Fengyeh, also widely known online. The shop is located right across from the police station on Minquan Street, just a few hundred meters from the Wufeng Lin Family Mansion, so aside from local regulars, it also draws many out-of-town visitors on weekends.

With limited seating, many customers take their orders to go. Skilled staff—relatives who come to help out—chop the meatballs with practiced ease. From start to finish, they fry and sauce the meatballs non-stop, and in no time, a NT$30 meatball is served hot. The ingredients may be budget-friendly, but quality is never compromised: firm pork filling wrapped in chewy, springy skin, then drizzled with two sauces—white sauce and soy paste. Spice lovers can also try the homemade chili sauce. Round it off with a bowl of “more-ingredients-than-broth” mixed soup, and you’ve got a supremely satisfying meal.