Zhubei’s Special Snacks in Changhua: Handmade Rice Balls, Cabbage Rice, and Potstickers!

Text & Photos byThree Highs Sir

When traveling down south, you often have to drive for several hours and usually need a break along the way. Aside from stopping at service stations, if you also want to grab lunch, taking the Zhubei exit has been a good choice for me in recent years. It's roughly halfway through the journey, and Zhubei also has some great snacks.

Although Zhubei rice balls are quite famous, I believe the cabbage rice is even more of a local specialty. Normally, when you hear "cabbage rice," you might think of the traditional kind where cabbage is cooked and mixed with rice. For example, at Zao Ding Pork Rib Soup in Taipei’s Yan San Night Market. But in Zhubei, the cabbage rice is simply white rice topped with stir-fried and braised cabbage and braised pork skin. At first glance, it doesn’t seem particularly special, but the taste is surprisingly good. This is because a lot of effort goes into preparing the cabbage—it’s sautéed with seasonings such as mushrooms using lard, then slowly braised with seasonings for hours, resulting in a rich flavor. Moreover, the cabbage has no tough fibers and tastes sweet.

I was previously impressed by the cabbage rice I had at A-Mei. Someone told me to try De Ji, the signature dish of Donald Duck, which is nearby and looks quite historic. The stir-fried and braised cabbage here is softer than at A-Mei (A-Mei’s is a bit crisper), and the seasoning gives the whole dish an old-fashioned feel—it’s delicious. The braised pork skin here has even less fat and is thinner and more tender. Whether at A-Mei or De Ji, the pork skin has a great taste—fragrant and not gamey. I also ordered pickled vegetable sausage soup and mushroom meatball soup, both of which were quite tasty. It’s a small shop that puts in effort and offers good value.

I only found out about Rice Ball Zhan through recommendations from locals. One of the characteristics of Zhubei rice balls is the hand-pinched finger marks. Before they are steamed and fried, they look like some kind of hand-molded creation. Because there is a certain ratio of rice that’s pinched by hand, each one has slight differences in shape, giving people a unique tactile and visual experience when eating.

Previously, I tried Rice Ball Rui in Zhubei, and I liked the seasoning of the sauce, the texture of the wrapper, and the aroma of the filling—it all suited my taste. Rice Ball Zhan, on the other hand, has a rather strong deep flavor of Chinese herbal spices. The filling is a bit more scattered, and there’s a lot of diced bamboo shoots. If you’re expecting a very solid texture, you might be slightly disappointed. You’ll only know if it’s your preferred taste after trying it. I think it’s okay; personally, I prefer Rui.

In Zhubei, just walking along Zhonghua Road and its surroundings offers plenty of snack options. I like potstickers, but I don’t eat them often. Right next to Rice Ball Rui, there’s a Zhonghua Potstickers. The environment isn’t bad, and it mainly sells some noodles and side dishes. It feels like an ordinary, everyday eatery, but the food isn’t bad. There’s no braised pig’s trotter, but the honeycomb tripe is still quite elastic and flavorful. As for their signature potstickers, there’s nothing particularly special about the wrapper or filling, but they’re crispy without being greasy, have a mild taste with a hint of meat juice, and are just pleasant to eat.

De Ji Cabbage Rice
Address: No. 124-1, Section 1, Douyuan Road, Zhubei Town, Changhua County

Rice Ball Zhan
Address: No. 75, Zhongzheng Road, Zhubei Town, Changhua County
Business Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Zhonghua Potstickers
Address: No. 77, Zhonghua Road, Zhubei Town, Changhua County
Business Hours: 9:30 AM – 8:30 PM

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