Taichung turkey rice slices are super satisfying, plus there’s a single-portion claypot fish dish too!

Text and photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

It’s said that the very first turkey rice shop in Taichung was 【Zhuang Family Turkey Rice】 at the intersection of Meicun Road and Gōngyì Road. Though it has a long history and is rumored to have trained many disciples who’ve opened their own shops around Taichung, it’s not my personal favorite. For great turkey rice, chicken fat, sauce, and fried shallots are key, followed by the quality of the turkey slices, and finally the rice. But those are just my personal standards, not universal truths. But after trying both the authentic version in the North District and Dingji in the Central District, and thanks to an online recommendation, I discovered another highly recommended spot for delicious turkey rice—this one on Wenxin Road!

【?Flavor Pavilion Turkey Rice】 I’ve always noticed it whenever I parked at the intersection. After all, it’s rare to see a turkey rice shop this spacious. Half of it is the kitchen, the other half is the air-conditioned dining area. Perhaps because it’s right by the road, the seating area is designed to be enclosed to block out vehicle fumes—but a downside here might be that parking is a bit inconvenient.

After all, the Wenxin Road area is currently under MRT construction. Riding a scooter is much more convenient—you can just park right outside the shop. They’re open all day, so you can come by in the afternoon and still get a meal, and during this time, there are very few customers (apparently it gets fully packed during peak meal hours; coming in the afternoon is more relaxed, and your food comes out faster). The dining area doesn’t have a TV for news, but it’s kept very clean and cozy, with quite spacious tables—you can order a lot without it feeling cramped, making it a nice place for families to dine together.

I think the kitchen is pretty big, taking up about half the shop space, and there’s a small heated counter with a few braised side dishes. What sets this place apart from other turkey rice shops in Taichung is that they also serve claypot fish head and claypot dishes.

And they’re designed as single portions too—this is such a thoughtful design for someone like me who often eats alone, considering most claypot fish heads are meant for four or five people. A single-portion option is really rare. (Though the claypot dishes and boneless fish claypot are indeed single portions—the claypot fish head, though in a smaller pot, is about enough for three people.)

The menu has quite a few choices, and besides rice, they also serve noodles, and the selection of side dishes is diverse. The more unique offerings include the previously mentioned claypot dishes and claypot fish head, combining two famous delicacies from Chiayi in one spot.

【Signature Turkey Rice │ Small bowl 35 TWD, Large bowl 50 TWD】

I came here purely for this bowl of turkey rice. Outside of Chiayi, turkey rice often comes with shredded or strips of chicken, but at ?Flavor Pavilion, this bowl has several thick slices of turkey that cover nearly 70% of the bowl—it’s really hearty. Sprinkle on some fried shallots and sauce, and that’s what real turkey rice should be like. The meat texture is also quite tender, not dry at all.

Aside from the chicken slices over rice, it’s rare to see such generously portioned slices. That alone makes it worth recommending. The aroma of the fried shallots is pretty good, but I feel the sauce and chicken fat could be a bit more fragrant. The rice, however, is quite tasty.

【Claypot Boneless Fish │ 120 TWD (single portion)】

The claypot dish comes with a large piece of boneless fish, enough for two people to share. It includes cabbage, diced tofu, a little pork, and pan-fried thick slices of fish, making the whole thing look quite rich.

However, I feel the satay flavor isn’t strong enough—the broth is more on the sweet side, which isn’t bad (I just prefer a stronger satay taste). The ‘boneless fish’ is thick, large, and tender, lightly fried on the surface, yet still delicious, and completely boneless—so even kids can enjoy it. Though the satay flavor isn’t as intense as I’d like, it’s still quite tasty, especially nice in winter when paired with steamed rice for a warm, comforting meal. Good for two or three people to share.

【Chicken Sauce Dry Noodles │ 40 TWD】

Thankfully, they don’t use regular wheat noodles but spaghetti instead, which is a big plus for me. Topped with turkey slices and fried shallots, it’s also a flavorful dry noodle dish.

【Side Dish │ Sliced Turkey Plate │ Small portion 50 TWD】

The turkey slices here are a bit longer and also have some thickness, with visible hand-torn textures. I actually like to order an extra plate of sliced turkey after my rice to try the texture—they’re quite tender.

【Side Dish │ Cold Mixed Fern Shoots │ 30 TWD】

Not every shop sells fern shoots, and for 30 TWD, the portion is quite generous. The texture is fresh and crisp, though I feel the sauce drizzled on top is a bit too salty and doesn’t pair perfectly.

【Side Dish │ Cold Mixed Cucumber 30 TWD │ Braised Dried Bamboo Shoots 30 TWD】

I also like their cucumber—it’s a bit thicker, juicy when bitten into, not shriveled at all. The scallion and garlic aroma in the dressing is quite appetizing. The braised dried bamboo shoots also taste good, without that heavy pickled flavor.

They’re tender and sweet, and the braising sauce isn’t too strong. This dish is a must when eating braised pork rice or turkey rice.

【Side Dish │ Braised Pork Intestines │ 50 TWD】

It’s a small portion, not a lot, but they use thick, fatty intestines that are well-seasoned and not overly salty. Each bite is full of texture, tender and richly flavored—I’d definitely recommend this dish.

The good turkey rice spots I’ve found are all far from my home—North District, Central District, Beitun, but none in West District. But this ?Flavor Pavilion I visited today is really good—the turkey rice and side dishes are quite tasty, and it’s a shop that really captures the essence of Chiayi. There’s a reason it gets recommended online. It’s worth a try if you get the chance.

?Flavor Pavilion Turkey Rice, Wenxin Road │ Beitun District
Address: No. 820-1, Section 4, Wenxin Road, Beitun District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-22330861
Business hours: 10:30 AM – 09:30 PM
Note: No days off; restaurant may be full during meal times

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