Japanese-style street food vibe in Taichung – super popular refreshing vegetable oden!

Text & Photos /Feitian Xuan

Taichung Snack & Food: Manna Oden

Modern people often eat rich and heavy foods, but sometimes we crave something lighter. Our group of girl friends actually has our moments of self-awareness, so this day we decided to go for oden. This “Manna Oden” has been around for a while, and although its location is quite hidden, it has still attracted many media interviews!

“Manna Oden” is located in the alleys of the Qimei Shopping District, actually closer to Meicun Road...

It opens at 4 pm, and we arrived around 6 pm. By then, there were already many customers inside. The exterior looks a bit like a Japanese yatai (street food stall), and it has quite a charm at night...

All the ingredients are displayed at the counter. What sets “Manna Oden” apart from other oden places is that it offers a lot of vegetables, some of which you can’t find elsewhere!

As a vegetable lover, seeing all the greens makes me really happy. I really don’t like those processed items like fish balls, squid balls, or cuttlefish balls...

After ordering, the main dishes are ordered separately, including skipjack tuna flakes rice, Manna noodles, and Moon Clear dry stir-fried noodles...

On the side, there are also fresh vegetables, all washed and served in small cups — one cup equals one serving...

There’s a small dining area under the arcade...

There’s also an indoor dining area, but space is limited, probably only accommodating up to 10 people...

The sauces are placed nearby...

Though the space is small, the decor is thoughtfully done!

There are signatures from TV station interviews on the wall!

After ordering, you get a number ticket and then wait patiently to be called up!

Grace kindly helped me portion out the sauces, but I didn’t end up using any... (I’m just really scared of ending up on dialysis, haha!! XD)

Grace and I each ordered a bowl. The one on the left, all red and green, is mine — lots of veggies, right? Super healthy...

This bowl is Grace’s. Hmm... not bad... not being a meat lover definitely helps keep the blood vessels clearer...

Manna Noodles – NT$35. Looks super spicy, huh? Grace said although it’s spicy, the sauce is very fragrant, and the noodles are chewy and springy without being too soft... She said it’s really delicious!

Did you notice how my bowl suddenly got fuller? Because while I was taking photos, Grace said, “Pour the two bowls together, it’ll look better in the photo!” So we combined them into one big bowl...

Funny thing is... after I finished the baby bok choy in my original bowl, I told Grace I was full and didn’t want to eat anymore. She looked at me in total shock!! Luckily, later on, the latecomer Xiao Qianqian helped finish it all...

The broth at “Manna Oden” isn’t your typical Japanese bonito-based dashi. It has a bit of soy sauce aroma, somewhat like the broth used for braised pork, but lighter and not overly salty. I personally love the ingredients — they’re all very clean and nicely presented. I’ll definitely come back when I’m hungrier next time and try to eat even more...

Manna Oden
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Address: No. 9, Lane 156, Gongzheng Rd., West Dist., Taichung City
Phone: 0915-580931
Business Hours: 16:00–22:00

Feitian Xuan
I record the food, fun, joys, and sorrows of my life in a lighthearted tone. Blog、FB