Travel Vlogger Explores Pingtung: Must-Try Chengguang’s “Three Treasures” – Meat Buns, Beef, and Hot/Cold Ice

Text & Photos /Guo Renrong

Where to go for a weekend getaway? With the weather gradually warming up, your friendly travel vlogger recommends a visit to the vibrant southern Taiwan – Pingtung County. This article will take you to Chengguang in Pingtung, compiling a must-eat, must-do, hottest entertainment guide just for you!!!

Must-Eat: Ah Ming Meat Buns > Beef Fu > Hot/Cold Ice 　
Must-Buy: Don’t miss the super-popular Legislative Yuan cheesecake from “Heart’s Harmony Bakery” as a souvenir
Must-Photo: Pingtung Colored Rice International Art Festival – the “LINE Field”

Alright!!! Let’s kick things off with the must-photo spot at the Pingtung International Colored Rice Art Festival, Up!!!　
This year’s Colored Rice Art Festival runs from March 28 to May 10 – that’s one and a half months. Opening hours are from 9:00 AM until 5:55 PM. Because it gets super crowded, it’s best to come early to grab a number. If you arrive too late, the day’s numbers might be all gone, Up!!!

The festival has set up viewing platforms so everyone can look down on the beautiful LINE Field. From ground level, it looks something like this:
Not very photogenic.

When we climbed up to the second floor and looked down – you can vaguely start to see some patterns!!!

Due to weight limits on the platform, we followed the staff’s instructions and climbed up slowly, floor by floor. Alright!!! After waiting five minutes, we went up another level, Up!!! Now you can clearly see Brown Bear, Rabbit, and James!!!

But that’s not even the view from the top floor. From the rooftop, here’s what you get:

On the other side, there’s also a peaceful and prosperous rice field maze open for visitors to explore freely.

The most beautiful time to view it is around 5 PM when the sunset is about to descend!!!

Travel Vlogger Guo Renrong even shot a special video teaching everyone how to say “LINE Field” in Japanese:

After enjoying the beauty of the LINE Field, next I’ll tell you about what you must eat when you’re in Chengguang!!! Chengguang has three treasures – meat buns, beef, and hot/cold ice!!! Let’s start with Ah Ming Meat Buns, which have been around since 1974 (the 63rd year of the Republic of China)! If you love traditional meat or vegetable buns made the old-fashioned way and handmade, then Ah Ming is the place to go in Chengguang. The second-generation owner is truly someone who does things the honest way. Nowadays, most meat buns are mass-produced in central kitchens using machines to save labor costs and enable large-scale nationwide delivery for profit. But Ah Ming sticks to the handmade, traditional methods passed down from the previous generation, giving their buns an indescribable old-timey, human touch. The photo below is a precious reproduction of the first-generation owner pushing a cart and selling Ah Ming meat buns along the street.

These days, Ah Ming Meat Buns has its own shop, and even a branch in Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang, right next to Zheng Lao Pai Hot/Cold Ice (near the roundabout).

Take a look at the prices on the wall – from NT$10 to NT$20. Really affordable!!! I don’t think you can find handmade meat buns at that price in Taipei.

Look at the filling inside Ah Ming’s buns – it’s hearty, nothing’s skimped on. The dough is made with sourdough starter, with just the right chewiness. Highly recommended!!! Many five-star hotel meat buns in Taipei try too hard to impress, stuffing them with all kinds of luxury ingredients as a gimmick. Though Ah Ming doesn’t use fancy premium fillings, for just a small coin you get the most genuine, traditional handmade taste. And for 40 years, they’ve stayed true to their roots. I think compared to those high-end buns, these heartfelt, warm buns are truly the best in my book.

Besides meat buns, my favorite is this scallion roll – packed with lots of Shisun scallions. The aroma is amazing. I honestly ended up eating a whole one by myself without realizing.

The seemingly ordinary black sugar steamed buns actually test the skill of the baker – the black sugar aroma shouldn’t overpower the natural sweetness of the bun. That’s the real art. When I visited, the second-generation young owner happened to be in the shop too, so I quickly snapped a photo with him!!! I heard “Foodie Show” came all the way here for an interview two years ago!!! When in Pingtung Chengguang, you’ve got to try this flavor!!!

After the meat buns, let’s go try some Chengguang beef, Up!!! Whether it’s beef offal soup or stir-fried beef with scallions, every dish lets you taste the sweet richness of fresh local beef. If you come to Chengguang and skip this, you’re really doing your stomach a disservice.

The travel vlogger visited Beef Fu today, which is no more than a three-minute walk from Ah Ming Meat Buns. Super easy to find!!! And if you’re worried about getting lost, don’t worry!!! The owners and staff at Ah Ming are super friendly. Even if you’re not buying meat buns, they’ll still kindly give you directions if you ask (because that’s what I did).

Speaking of Chengguang specialties, there’s also this nationally famous hot/cold ice. But to be honest, I was a little disappointed. Still, because it’s so well-known, I have to mention it. Why the slight disappointment? Because the hot/cold ice is really quite ordinary – nothing particularly special – and it costs NT$45 per bowl (which isn’t cheap for the south). I truly think the tapioca pearls in Taipei’s East District are way better!!!

Since it’s just okay, I won’t go into a detailed written review. I guess with Pingtung’s hot weather, selling ice in busy areas is probably an easy way to succeed~

Finally, let’s talk about souvenirs, Up!!! I previously interviewed Heart’s Harmony Bakery on FTV, and it’s still my top pick. That day I waited in line for a long time, and though I didn’t manage to get the heavy cream cheesecake, I did get the light cream one – but it was still delicious. The cheese and milk flavors were especially rich and aromatic. Highly recommended ^^

And that’s the classic half-day itinerary in Pingtung Chengguang that your travel vlogger has carefully planned for you. You can do this kind of trip on a weekend too!!!

Store Information:

A-Ming Meat Buns – Chaozhou Main Branch
Address: No. 25, Qingshui Road, Chaozhou Town, Pingtung County
Phone: 08 788 5827, 0953393773
Business Hours: 12:00 - 20:00, Closed on Mondays

A-Ming Meat Buns – Xiaogang Branch
Address: Chongwen Road, Xiaogang District, Kaohsiung City
Business Hours: Starts selling at 15:00, Closed on Mondays

Chaozhou Beef Delight
Address: No. 31, Jinling Street, Chaozhou Town, Pingtung County
Phone: 08-7898107
Business Hours: 6:00~15:00 for beef offal soup
10:00~14:00, 17:00~21:00 for hot pot

Zheng Lao Pai Hot and Cold Ice
Address: No. 120, Xinsheng Road, Chaozhou Town, Pingtung County
Phone: 08-7886117

Xin Zhi He Bakery
Address: No. 108, Pengcheng Road, Chaozhou Town, Pingtung County
Contact Number: 08-7897322
Business Hours: 8:00-20:00
 

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